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If you’re a pentester or red teamer, report writing is a critical skill. Feedback on reports often falls into three tiers:
Tier 1: Meh Feedback
- Examples:
- “Good job.”
- “These risk ratings don’t feel right.”
- Why it’s bad: No actionable insights.
Tier 2: Decent Feedback
- Examples:
- “Trim this section for better flow.”
- “You overuse this phrase.”
- Why it’s better: Offers minor improvements but lacks depth.
Tier 3: OMFG This Made My Report 10x Better
– Examples:
– “Align this section with executive-level understanding.”
– “Tie the vulnerability directly to business risk.”
– Why it’s gold: Challenges assumptions and improves clarity.
You Should Know: Practical Steps to Improve Pentest Reports
1. Structure for Different Audiences
- Executives: Focus on business impact.
Finding: SQL Injection (Critical) Impact: Unauthorized database access → Customer PII exposure → Regulatory fines ($2M+).
- Technical Teams: Include exploit details.
SQLi Proof-of-Command sqlmap -u "https://target.com/login" --data="user=admin&pass=" --dbs
2. Automate Report Generation
- Use Dradis or Faraday for structured reporting:
Export findings from Nessus to Dradis nessuscli report --format csv --output findings.csv
3. Quantify Risk Clearly
- Use CVSS scores and business context:
cvss-calculator --vector "AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H" Output: CVSS 10.0 (Critical)
4. Request Better Feedback
- Instead of “Thoughts?”, ask:
- “Does Section 3 clearly explain the exploit chain?”
- “Is the remediation advice actionable for sysadmins?”
What Undercode Say
Effective pentest reports require clarity, audience adaptation, and actionable feedback. Use automation tools (like Dradis), quantify risks (CVSS), and structure findings for different stakeholders.
Expected Output:
- A well-structured report with executive summaries and technical PoCs.
- Automated workflows to speed up documentation.
- Clear risk ratings backed by CVSS and business impact.
Prediction
AI-assisted report writing (e.g., GPT-4 for auto-summarizing findings) will become standard in pentesting within 2 years, reducing manual effort by 40%.
Relevant URL:
IT/Security Reporter URL:
Reported By: Nickvangilder If – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
