Pentesting Fundamentals - Cyber Security Writeups

Android & iOS Application Security Testing: Identifying App Types and Tailoring Your VAPT Strategy

February 18, 2026 · khukuririmal

Mobile application security testing is no longer limited to just “Android vs iOS.” Modern applications span native, hybrid, WebView-based, and cross-platform architectures, each introducing unique attack surfaces, tooling requirements, and testing techniques. During Mobile Application VAPT, the first critical step is identifying what kind of app you’re dealing with. This directly influences: Misidentifying an app […]

Practical Guide for Thick Client Penetration Testing

January 15, 2026 · khukuririmal

Thick client applications remain a high risk yet often under-tested attack surface in enterprise environments. Unlike thin clients (browser-based apps), thick clients run directly on end-user systems, communicate with backend services over custom protocols, and often embed sensitive logic locally. We have covered in detail about thick client testing, methodology, attack surface etc in our […]

Thick Client Security Testing: Concepts, Attack Surface, Methodology & Vulnerabilities

January 14, 2026 · khukuririmal

Thick client applications continue to play a critical role in enterprise environments, especially within banking, finance, ERP systems, trading platforms, HR systems, OT environments, and internal administrative tools. Despite this, thick client security testing is often poorly understood or completely omitted from traditional VAPT engagements. Unlike web applications, thick clients execute significant logic locally and […]

Creating a Bootable Kali Linux USB for Professional Pentesting

January 10, 2026 · khukuririmal

Kali Linux is the industry-standard operating system for penetration testing, red teaming, and security research. While Kali can be installed on a laptop or run inside a virtual machine, a bootable Kali Linux USB remains one of the most practical and powerful approaches for real-world security assessments.For internal VAPT, red teaming, and onsite assessments, carrying […]

Downloading Files in Windows via CLI – Native Techniques Every Pentester Should Know

January 7, 2026 · khukuririmal

In real-world penetration testing, red teaming, and internal security assessments, professionals frequently operate in environments where installing tools is restricted or outright blocked. Corporate endpoints, jump servers, and internal VDIs are often hardened with application control, endpoint detection, and strict privilege limitations. In such scenarios, relying on graphical browsers or third-party utilities is neither practical […]

Building Portable Static Binaries for Pentesting, Red Teaming & Active Directory Assessments

January 4, 2026 · khukuririmal

In an ideal pentesting setup, installing tools is trivial cloning a GitHub repository, installing dependencies, resolving errors, and carry the activities. Security testers often, more increasingly now come across the below: In such environments, static or portable binaries become more than a convenience—they become a requirement. What Are Static / Portable Binaries? For testers static […]

The Power of Windows Native Command-Line Utilities in Active Directory Pentesting and Internal Red Teaming

January 3, 2026 · khukuririmal

Active Directory Pentesting has evolved significantly over the last few years. Gone are the days when attackers or red teamers could reliably depend on dropping Python tools, importing PowerShell scripts, or executing offensive scripts/tools without resistance. Modern enterprise environments are heavily defended with EDR, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, AMSI, Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules, DLP […]

Nmap in Internal Networks: A Practical Port-Based Cheatsheet for VAPT & Red Teaming

December 26, 2025 · khukuririmal

Inside an enterprise network, the attack surface extends far beyond web servers and Active Directory. Switches, printers, scanners, remote administration tools, virtualization platforms, and legacy services often expose ports that are overlooked in traditional assessments.From a VAPT perspective, these services represent misconfigurations and exposure risks.From a Red Team perspective, they represent control points, stealthy footholds, […]

Directory & Endpoint Discovery Without Wordlists: Smarter Recon for Real-World VAPT

December 21, 2025 · khukuririmal

Applications always disclose more than intended through responses, logic, metadata, archives and integrations. Directory and endpoint discovery has traditionally been synonymous with brute-force wordlists. Tools like Dirsearch, FFUF, Gobuster, and Burp Intruder dominate this space, relying heavily on predefined lists of common paths. While effective in controlled or legacy environments, this approach often falls short […]

Browser Extensions in VAPT: Turning Your Browser into a Lightweight Pentesting Arsenal

December 18, 2025 · khukuririmal

Modern Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) is no longer limited to heavyweight scanners and complex toolchains. A significant amount of reconnaissance, validation, and even exploitation can be performed directly from the browser using carefully chosen extensions. When used responsibly within scope, browser extensions can drastically improve testing efficiency, reduce blind spots, and complement traditional […]