Running Your First Scan

Learn how to perform a basic penetration test with AutoPentestX

This guide walks you through running your first penetration test with AutoPentestX. You’ll learn the essential commands and what to expect during a basic scan.

Prerequisites

Before running a scan, ensure you have:

Completed the installation process

Activated the virtual environment

Obtained written authorization to test the target system

Legal Requirement: You MUST have explicit written authorization before scanning any target. Unauthorized access to computer systems is a federal crime.

Basic Scan Command

The simplest way to run a scan is with the -t (target) flag:

Basic Scan

python3 main.py -t 192.168.1.100

Authorization Prompt

When you run AutoPentestX, you’ll see a legal warning prompt:

Terminal Output

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⚠️  [LEGAL WARNING] - AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED ⚠️
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ You are about to deploy an automated penetration testing tool.  ║
║ This weapon should ONLY be used on:                             ║
║   • Systems you own                                             ║
║   • Systems with explicit written authorization                 ║
║                                                                 ║
║ Unauthorized system access = FEDERAL CRIME                      ║
║ Punishment: Fines + Imprisonment                                ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

> Do you have authorization to test this target? (yes/no):

Type yes to proceed with the scan.

Understanding the Scan Phases

A basic scan runs through 7 phases automatically:

1. Database Initialization

   AutoPentestX creates a unique scan ID and initializes the SQLite database to store results.

   [PHASE 1] ▶ Initializing attack sequence...
   [✓] Mission ID: 1 | Status: ACTIVE
   
2. Network Reconnaissance

   Nmap performs a comprehensive port scan to discover open ports and services.

   [PHASE 2] ▶ Network reconnaissance in progress...
   [✓] Phase 2 complete - 15 ports discovered
   
3. Vulnerability Analysis

   Nikto and SQLMap scan web services for common vulnerabilities.

   [PHASE 3] ▶ Vulnerability analysis initiated...
   [✓] Detected web service: http://192.168.1.100:80
   [*] Running Nikto scan on http://192.168.1.100:80...
   [✓] Nikto scan completed: 7 vulnerabilities found
   
4. CVE Intelligence Lookup

   Matches detected services against the CVE database for known vulnerabilities.

   [PHASE 4] ▶ Accessing CVE intelligence database...
   [*] Checking CVE database for: Apache 2.4.41
   [✓] CVE lookup completed: 3 CVEs identified
   
5. Risk Assessment

   Calculates overall risk scores and prioritizes findings.

   [PHASE 5] ▶ Computing threat matrix...
   [*] Calculating risk scores for 15 findings...
   [✓] Risk assessment complete - Overall risk: MEDIUM
   
6. Exploitation Simulation

   Identifies potential exploits and generates Metasploit resource scripts (safe mode enabled by default).

   [PHASE 6] ▶ Exploit simulation [SAFE MODE]...
   [*] Running in SAFE MODE - No actual exploitation will occur
   [✓] Metasploit RC script saved: exploits/exploit_192.168.1.100_21_20240311_143022.rc
   
7. Report Generation

   Compiles all findings into a professional PDF report.

   [PHASE 7] ▶ Compiling classified intelligence report...
   [*] Building PDF document...
   [✓] Report saved to: reports/AutoPentestX_Report_192_168_1_100_20240311_143045.pdf
   

Scan Completion Summary

After all phases complete, you’ll see a mission summary:

Terminal Output

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█████████████████ MISSION COMPLETE █████████████████
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╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [OPERATION SUMMARY]                                            ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ► Target: 192.168.1.100
║ ► Mission ID: 1
║ ► Duration: 1247.23s (20.79 min)
║ ► Timestamp: 2026-03-11 14:30:45
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [INTELLIGENCE GATHERED]                                       ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ► Open Ports: 15
║ ► Services Detected: 12
║ ► Total Vulnerabilities: 23
║ ► Web Vulnerabilities: 7
║ ► SQL Injection Points: 0
║ ► CVEs Identified: 3
║ ► Overall Risk Level: MEDIUM
║ ► Risk Score: 45.80
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [CLASSIFIED DATA STORAGE]                                     ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ► PDF Report: reports/AutoPentestX_Report_192_168_1_100_20240311_143045.pdf
║ ► Database: database/autopentestx.db
║ ► Logs: logs/
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Customizing Your Scan

Add Your Name to the Report

Include your name in the generated PDF report:

python3 main.py -t 192.168.1.100 -n "Jane Smith"

Quick Scan (Skip Web Vulnerabilities)

Speed up scans by skipping Nikto and SQLMap:

python3 main.py -t 192.168.1.100 --skip-web

Using --skip-web reduces scan time from 20-30 minutes to 10-20 minutes.

Viewing Your Results

PDF Report

Open the generated PDF report:

xdg-open reports/AutoPentestX_Report_*.pdf

The report contains:

• Executive summary with overall risk assessment
• Complete port and service inventory
• Detailed vulnerability findings
• CVE mappings with CVSS scores
• Exploitation feasibility analysis
• Prioritized remediation recommendations

Database Query

Query the SQLite database for specific information:

sqlite3 database/autopentestx.db "SELECT * FROM scans;"

Logs

Check detailed execution logs:

ls -lh logs/
cat logs/nikto_192.168.1.100_*.json

Common Issues

Permission Denied Errors

Some scans require root privileges:

sudo python3 main.py -t 192.168.1.100

Always activate the virtual environment first, even with sudo.

Scan Timeout

If scanning takes too long, interrupt with Ctrl+C:

[!] MISSION ABORT - Operator initiated shutdown

The scan status will be marked as ‘interrupted’ in the database.

Missing Tools Error

Ensure all dependencies are installed:

sudo apt-get install nmap nikto sqlmap
pip install -r requirements.txt

Next Steps

Advanced Scanning

Learn about advanced flags and performance tuning

Understanding Reports

Deep dive into PDF report structure and interpretation