PTF (Pentesters Framework) Cheat Sheet

Overview

The Pentesters Framework (PTF) is a Python-based tool management platform designed specifically for penetration testers and security professionals. Developed by TrustedSec, PTF serves as a centralized repository and installation manager for penetration testing tools, providing automated installation, updates, and management of security tools across different platforms. The framework addresses the common challenge faced by security professionals who need to maintain and update dozens of specialized tools across multiple systems and environments.

PTF operates on a modular architecture where each tool is defined by a configuration file that specifies installation methods, dependencies, update procedures, and compatibility requirements. This approach ensures consistent tool deployment across different environments while maintaining the flexibility to customize installations based on specific requirements. The framework supports various installation methods including git repositories, package managers, custom scripts, and binary downloads, making it compatible with virtually any security tool regardless of its distribution method.

The framework's strength lies in its ability to automate the tedious process of tool management that traditionally consumes significant time for security professionals. PTF can automatically detect when tools have updates available, handle dependency resolution, manage version conflicts, and provide rollback capabilities when needed. This automation allows penetration testers to focus on their core security testing activities rather than spending time on tool maintenance and configuration.

PTF also provides valuable features for team environments, including the ability to create standardized tool configurations that can be deployed across multiple team members' systems. This ensures consistency in testing environments and reduces the likelihood of issues arising from tool version mismatches or configuration differences. The framework's logging and reporting capabilities provide visibility into tool installation status and update history, which is valuable for maintaining audit trails and troubleshooting issues.

Installation

Prerequisites

bash

# Install Python and pip
sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip git

# Install required Python packages
pip3 install requests beautifulsoup4 lxml

# Install additional dependencies
sudo apt install build-essential libssl-dev libffi-dev python3-dev

# For CentOS/RHEL
sudo yum install python3 python3-pip git gcc openssl-devel libffi-devel python3-devel

# For macOS
brew install python3 git
pip3 install requests beautifulsoup4 lxml

Standard Installation

bash

# Clone PTF repository
git clone https://github.com/trustedsec/ptf /opt/ptf

# Change to PTF directory
cd /opt/ptf

# Make PTF executable
chmod +x ptf

# Run initial setup
sudo python3 ptf

# Alternative: Install to user directory
git clone https://github.com/trustedsec/ptf ~/ptf
cd ~/ptf
python3 ptf

Docker Installation

bash

# Pull PTF Docker image
docker pull trustedsec/ptf

# Run PTF in Docker
docker run -it --rm trustedsec/ptf

# Run with persistent storage
docker run -it --rm -v ptf_data:/root/.ptf trustedsec/ptf

# Build custom PTF image
cat << 'EOF' > Dockerfile
FROM ubuntu:20.04
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y python3 python3-pip git
RUN git clone https://github.com/trustedsec/ptf /opt/ptf
WORKDIR /opt/ptf
RUN chmod +x ptf
ENTRYPOINT ["python3", "ptf"]
EOF

docker build -t custom-ptf .
docker run -it --rm custom-ptf

Virtual Environment Installation

bash

# Create virtual environment
python3 -m venv ptf-env
source ptf-env/bin/activate

# Install dependencies
pip install requests beautifulsoup4 lxml

# Clone and setup PTF
git clone https://github.com/trustedsec/ptf
cd ptf
python3 ptf

# Create activation script
cat << 'EOF' > activate-ptf.sh
#!/bin/bash
source /path/to/ptf-env/bin/activate
cd /path/to/ptf
python3 ptf
EOF

chmod +x activate-ptf.sh

System-wide Installation

bash

# Install PTF system-wide
sudo git clone https://github.com/trustedsec/ptf /opt/ptf
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /opt/ptf
cd /opt/ptf
sudo python3 ptf

# Create symbolic link
sudo ln -s /opt/ptf/ptf /usr/local/bin/ptf

# Create desktop entry
cat << 'EOF' > ~/.local/share/applications/ptf.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Pentesters Framework
Comment=Tool management for penetration testers
Exec=/opt/ptf/ptf
Icon=terminal
Terminal=true
Type=Application
Categories=Security;
EOF

Basic Usage

Starting PTF

bash

# Start PTF
python3 ptf
./ptf

# Start with specific configuration
python3 ptf --config /path/to/config.txt

# Start in quiet mode
python3 ptf --quiet

# Start with debug output
python3 ptf --debug

# Show version
python3 ptf --version

Core Commands

bash

# Show help
help
?

# List available modules
show modules
list

# Search for modules
search nmap
search web
search "social engineering"

# Show module information
info modules/exploitation/metasploit
show info modules/intelligence/theharvester

# Install module
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
install

# Update module
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
update

# Remove module
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
remove

Module Categories

bash

# List modules by category
show modules/exploitation
show modules/intelligence
show modules/vulnerability-analysis
show modules/web-applications
show modules/wireless
show modules/forensics
show modules/reverse-engineering

# Show all categories
show categories

# Search within category
search modules/exploitation metasploit
search modules/web-applications burp

Module Management

Installing Tools

bash

# Install single module
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
install

# Install multiple modules
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
use modules/intelligence/theharvester
use modules/web-applications/burpsuite
install

# Install all modules in category
use modules/exploitation/*
install

# Install with dependencies
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
set INSTALL_DEPS true
install

# Force reinstall
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
set FORCE_INSTALL true
install

Updating Tools

bash

# Update single module
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
update

# Update all installed modules
update all

# Check for updates
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
check_update

# Update specific modules
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
use modules/intelligence/theharvester
update

# Scheduled updates
set AUTO_UPDATE true
set UPDATE_INTERVAL 7  # days

Removing Tools

bash

# Remove single module
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
remove

# Remove multiple modules
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
use modules/intelligence/theharvester
remove

# Remove all modules
remove all

# Remove with cleanup
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
set CLEAN_REMOVE true
remove

# Backup before removal
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
set BACKUP_BEFORE_REMOVE true
remove

Module Information

bash

# Show detailed module info
info modules/exploitation/metasploit

# Show installation status
status modules/exploitation/metasploit

# Show module dependencies
deps modules/exploitation/metasploit

# Show module files
files modules/exploitation/metasploit

# Show module configuration
config modules/exploitation/metasploit

# Show module changelog
changelog modules/exploitation/metasploit

Configuration Management

Global Configuration

bash

# Show current configuration
show config
config

# Set configuration options
set INSTALL_DIR /opt/tools
set AUTO_UPDATE true
set UPDATE_INTERVAL 7
set BACKUP_ENABLED true
set LOG_LEVEL debug

# Save configuration
save config

# Load configuration
load config /path/to/config.txt

# Reset configuration
reset config

# Export configuration
export config /path/to/backup_config.txt

Module-Specific Configuration

bash

# Configure module
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
set INSTALL_PATH /opt/metasploit
set UPDATE_METHOD git
set BRANCH master
set DEPENDENCIES true

# Show module configuration
show config

# Save module configuration
save module_config

# Load module configuration
load module_config /path/to/module_config.txt

# Reset module configuration
reset module_config

Environment Configuration

bash

# Set environment variables
set ENV_VAR PATH="/opt/tools/bin:$PATH"
set ENV_VAR METASPLOIT_HOME="/opt/metasploit"

# Configure proxy settings
set PROXY_HOST 127.0.0.1
set PROXY_PORT 8080
set PROXY_USER username
set PROXY_PASS password

# Configure SSL settings
set SSL_VERIFY false
set SSL_CERT /path/to/cert.pem

# Configure timeout settings
set TIMEOUT 300
set RETRY_COUNT 3
set RETRY_DELAY 5

Advanced Features

Custom Module Creation

python

# Create custom module configuration
cat << 'EOF' > modules/custom/mytool.py
#!/usr/bin/env python3

AUTHOR = "Your Name"
DESCRIPTION = "Custom tool description"
INSTALL_TYPE = "GIT"
REPOSITORY_LOCATION = "https://github.com/user/mytool.git"
INSTALL_LOCATION = "mytool"
DEBIAN = "git build-essential"
BYPASS_UPDATE = "FALSE"
LAUNCHER = "mytool"

def install():
    # Custom installation logic
    pass

def update():
    # Custom update logic
    pass

def remove():
    # Custom removal logic
    pass
EOF

Batch Operations

bash

# Create batch installation script
cat << 'EOF' > batch_install.txt
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
use modules/intelligence/theharvester
use modules/web-applications/burpsuite
use modules/vulnerability-analysis/nmap
use modules/wireless/aircrack-ng
install
EOF

# Execute batch script
python3 ptf --batch batch_install.txt

# Create update script
cat << 'EOF' > batch_update.txt
update all
EOF

python3 ptf --batch batch_update.txt

Automation Scripts

bash

# Automated installation script
#!/bin/bash
cat << 'EOF' > auto_install.sh
#!/bin/bash

# Start PTF and install essential tools
python3 /opt/ptf/ptf << 'PTFEOF'
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
use modules/intelligence/theharvester
use modules/web-applications/burpsuite
use modules/vulnerability-analysis/nmap
use modules/wireless/aircrack-ng
use modules/forensics/volatility
install
exit
PTFEOF

echo "Installation complete"
EOF

chmod +x auto_install.sh
./auto_install.sh

Integration with CI/CD

yaml

# GitHub Actions workflow
name: PTF Tool Management
on:
  schedule:
    - cron: '0 2 * * 0'  # Weekly updates
  workflow_dispatch:

jobs:
  update-tools:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      
      - name: Setup Python
        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
        with:
          python-version: '3.9'
      
      - name: Install PTF
        run: |
          git clone https://github.com/trustedsec/ptf
          cd ptf
          pip install -r requirements.txt
      
      - name: Update tools
        run: |
          cd ptf
          python3 ptf --batch ../update_script.txt
      
      - name: Generate report
        run: |
          cd ptf
          python3 ptf --report ../tool_status.json

Tool Categories

Exploitation Tools

bash

# Metasploit Framework
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
install

# Exploit Database
use modules/exploitation/exploit-db
install

# Social Engineering Toolkit
use modules/exploitation/set
install

# BeEF Framework
use modules/exploitation/beef
install

# Empire
use modules/exploitation/empire
install

# Cobalt Strike (if licensed)
use modules/exploitation/cobaltstrike
set LICENSE_KEY your_license_key
install

Intelligence Gathering

bash

# theHarvester
use modules/intelligence/theharvester
install

# Recon-ng
use modules/intelligence/recon-ng
install

# Maltego
use modules/intelligence/maltego
install

# OSINT Framework
use modules/intelligence/osint-framework
install

# Shodan CLI
use modules/intelligence/shodan
set API_KEY your_api_key
install

Web Application Testing

bash

# Burp Suite
use modules/web-applications/burpsuite
install

# OWASP ZAP
use modules/web-applications/zap
install

# Nikto
use modules/web-applications/nikto
install

# SQLmap
use modules/web-applications/sqlmap
install

# Gobuster
use modules/web-applications/gobuster
install

# Wfuzz
use modules/web-applications/wfuzz
install

Vulnerability Analysis

bash

# Nmap
use modules/vulnerability-analysis/nmap
install

# OpenVAS
use modules/vulnerability-analysis/openvas
install

# Nessus (if licensed)
use modules/vulnerability-analysis/nessus
set LICENSE_KEY your_license_key
install

# Masscan
use modules/vulnerability-analysis/masscan
install

# Nuclei
use modules/vulnerability-analysis/nuclei
install

Wireless Tools

bash

# Aircrack-ng
use modules/wireless/aircrack-ng
install

# Kismet
use modules/wireless/kismet
install

# Wifite
use modules/wireless/wifite
install

# Reaver
use modules/wireless/reaver
install

# Pixiewps
use modules/wireless/pixiewps
install

Forensics Tools

bash

# Volatility
use modules/forensics/volatility
install

# Autopsy
use modules/forensics/autopsy
install

# Sleuth Kit
use modules/forensics/sleuthkit
install

# Bulk Extractor
use modules/forensics/bulk-extractor
install

# Foremost
use modules/forensics/foremost
install

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

bash

# Permission errors
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /opt/ptf
sudo chmod -R 755 /opt/ptf

# Python dependency issues
pip3 install --upgrade requests beautifulsoup4 lxml
pip3 install --upgrade setuptools wheel

# Git authentication issues
git config --global credential.helper store
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

# Network connectivity issues
set PROXY_HOST 127.0.0.1
set PROXY_PORT 8080
set TIMEOUT 600

# Disk space issues
df -h
du -sh /opt/ptf/*
set CLEANUP_AFTER_INSTALL true

Debug Mode

bash

# Enable debug logging
python3 ptf --debug

# Check log files
tail -f ~/.ptf/logs/ptf.log

# Verbose installation
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
set VERBOSE true
install

# Test connectivity
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
test_connection

# Validate module
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
validate

Recovery Procedures

bash

# Backup PTF configuration
cp -r ~/.ptf ~/.ptf.backup

# Restore configuration
rm -rf ~/.ptf
cp -r ~/.ptf.backup ~/.ptf

# Reset PTF
rm -rf ~/.ptf
python3 ptf --reset

# Repair corrupted installation
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
repair

# Force clean installation
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
set FORCE_CLEAN true
install

Integration Examples

Ansible Integration

yaml

# Ansible playbook for PTF deployment
---
- name: Deploy PTF across infrastructure
  hosts: pentest_systems
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Install dependencies
      apt:
        name:
          - python3
          - python3-pip
          - git
        state: present
    
    - name: Clone PTF
      git:
        repo: https://github.com/trustedsec/ptf
        dest: /opt/ptf
        force: yes
    
    - name: Install Python dependencies
      pip:
        name:
          - requests
          - beautifulsoup4
          - lxml
        executable: pip3
    
    - name: Configure PTF
      template:
        src: ptf_config.j2
        dest: /opt/ptf/config.txt
    
    - name: Install tools
      shell: |
        cd /opt/ptf
        python3 ptf --batch /opt/ptf/install_list.txt

Docker Compose

yaml

# docker-compose.yml for PTF
version: '3.8'
services:
  ptf:
    build: .
    container_name: ptf
    volumes:
      - ptf_data:/root/.ptf
      - ./configs:/opt/configs
    environment:
      - PTF_CONFIG=/opt/configs/ptf.conf
    networks:
      - pentest_network

  tools:
    image: kalilinux/kali-rolling
    container_name: pentest_tools
    volumes:
      - ptf_data:/opt/tools
    depends_on:
      - ptf
    networks:
      - pentest_network

volumes:
  ptf_data:

networks:
  pentest_network:
    driver: bridge

Terraform Integration

hcl

# Terraform configuration for PTF deployment
resource "aws_instance" "ptf_server" {
  ami           = "ami-0c55b159cbfafe1d0"
  instance_type = "t3.large"
  
  user_data = <<-EOF
    #!/bin/bash
    apt-get update
    apt-get install -y python3 python3-pip git
    git clone https://github.com/trustedsec/ptf /opt/ptf
    cd /opt/ptf
    pip3 install -r requirements.txt
    python3 ptf --batch /opt/ptf/auto_install.txt
  EOF
  
  tags = {
    Name = "PTF-Server"
    Environment = "Pentest"
  }
}

resource "aws_security_group" "ptf_sg" {
  name_prefix = "ptf-"
  
  ingress {
    from_port   = 22
    to_port     = 22
    protocol    = "tcp"
    cidr_blocks = ["10.0.0.0/8"]
  }
  
  egress {
    from_port   = 0
    to_port     = 0
    protocol    = "-1"
    cidr_blocks = ["0.0.0.0/0"]
  }
}

Best Practices

Tool Management

bash

# Regular maintenance schedule
# Weekly updates
0 2 * * 0 cd /opt/ptf && python3 ptf --batch update_all.txt

# Monthly cleanup
0 3 1 * * cd /opt/ptf && python3 ptf --cleanup

# Quarterly backup
0 4 1 */3 * tar -czf /backup/ptf-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /opt/ptf ~/.ptf

# Version control for configurations
git init /opt/ptf/configs
git add /opt/ptf/configs/*
git commit -m "Initial PTF configuration"

Security Considerations

bash

# Secure installation directory
sudo mkdir -p /opt/ptf
sudo chown root:pentest /opt/ptf
sudo chmod 750 /opt/ptf

# Restrict access
echo "pentest ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /opt/ptf/ptf" | sudo tee /etc/sudoers.d/ptf

# Audit logging
set LOG_LEVEL info
set AUDIT_LOG true
set LOG_FILE /var/log/ptf/audit.log

# Network security
set SSL_VERIFY true
set PROXY_HOST internal-proxy.company.com
set PROXY_PORT 3128

Team Collaboration

bash

# Shared configuration repository
git clone https://github.com/company/ptf-configs /opt/ptf-configs
ln -s /opt/ptf-configs/team_config.txt /opt/ptf/config.txt

# Standardized tool sets
cat << 'EOF' > /opt/ptf-configs/standard_tools.txt
# Core exploitation tools
use modules/exploitation/metasploit
use modules/exploitation/set
use modules/exploitation/beef

# Intelligence gathering
use modules/intelligence/theharvester
use modules/intelligence/recon-ng

# Web application testing
use modules/web-applications/burpsuite
use modules/web-applications/zap
use modules/web-applications/sqlmap

install
EOF

# Team update script
#!/bin/bash
cd /opt/ptf
git pull origin main
python3 ptf --batch /opt/ptf-configs/standard_tools.txt

Performance Optimization

bash

# Parallel installations
set PARALLEL_INSTALL true
set MAX_PARALLEL 4

# Caching
set CACHE_ENABLED true
set CACHE_DIR /opt/ptf/cache
set CACHE_EXPIRY 86400  # 24 hours

# Bandwidth optimization
set DOWNLOAD_MIRROR https://mirror.company.com/tools/
set COMPRESSION_ENABLED true

# Resource limits
ulimit -n 4096
echo "* soft nofile 4096" | sudo tee -a /etc/security/limits.conf
echo "* hard nofile 4096" | sudo tee -a /etc/security/limits.conf

Reporting and Monitoring

Status Reporting

bash

# Generate status report
python3 ptf --report status.json

# HTML report
python3 ptf --report status.html --format html

# CSV report
python3 ptf --report status.csv --format csv

# Custom report template
python3 ptf --report custom.json --template /path/to/template.json

Monitoring Scripts

bash

#!/bin/bash
# PTF monitoring script
cat << 'EOF' > monitor_ptf.sh
#!/bin/bash

LOG_FILE="/var/log/ptf/monitor.log"
DATE=$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')

# Check PTF status
cd /opt/ptf
STATUS=$(python3 ptf --status 2>&1)

if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
    echo "[$DATE] PTF Status: OK" >> $LOG_FILE
else
    echo "[$DATE] PTF Status: ERROR - $STATUS" >> $LOG_FILE
    # Send alert
    echo "PTF Error: $STATUS" | mail -s "PTF Alert" admin@company.com
fi

# Check tool updates
UPDATES=$(python3 ptf --check-updates 2>&1)
if [ ! -z "$UPDATES" ]; then
    echo "[$DATE] Updates available: $UPDATES" >> $LOG_FILE
fi

# Check disk space
DISK_USAGE=$(df -h /opt/ptf | awk 'NR==2 {print $5}' | sed 's/%//')
if [ $DISK_USAGE -gt 80 ]; then
    echo "[$DATE] Disk usage warning: ${DISK_USAGE}%" >> $LOG_FILE
fi
EOF

chmod +x monitor_ptf.sh

# Add to crontab
echo "*/15 * * * * /opt/scripts/monitor_ptf.sh" | crontab -

Metrics Collection

python

#!/usr/bin/env python3
# PTF metrics collector
import json
import time
import subprocess
from datetime import datetime

def collect_metrics():
    metrics = {
        'timestamp': datetime.now().isoformat(),
        'installed_tools': 0,
        'outdated_tools': 0,
        'failed_tools': 0,
        'disk_usage': 0
    }
    
    try:
        # Get tool status
        result = subprocess.run(['python3', 'ptf', '--status'], 
                              capture_output=True, text=True)
        if result.returncode == 0:
            status_data = json.loads(result.stdout)
            metrics['installed_tools'] = len(status_data.get('installed', []))
            metrics['outdated_tools'] = len(status_data.get('outdated', []))
            metrics['failed_tools'] = len(status_data.get('failed', []))
        
        # Get disk usage
        result = subprocess.run(['du', '-s', '/opt/ptf'], 
                              capture_output=True, text=True)
        if result.returncode == 0:
            metrics['disk_usage'] = int(result.stdout.split()[0])
    
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error collecting metrics: {e}")
    
    return metrics

if __name__ == "__main__":
    metrics = collect_metrics()
    with open('/var/log/ptf/metrics.json', 'a') as f:
        f.write(json.dumps(metrics) + '\n')

⚠️ Security Notice: PTF (Pentesters Framework) is a tool management platform designed for authorized security testing and penetration testing activities. Users are responsible for ensuring they have proper authorization before installing and using security tools managed by PTF. Many tools available through PTF are powerful security testing instruments that should only be used on systems you own or have explicit written permission to test. Always comply with applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction when using PTF and the tools it manages.

📚 Additional Resources:

PTF (Pentesters Framework) Cheat Sheet ​

Overview ​

Installation ​

Prerequisites ​

Standard Installation ​

Docker Installation ​

Virtual Environment Installation ​

System-wide Installation ​

Basic Usage ​

Starting PTF ​

Core Commands ​

Module Categories ​

Module Management ​

Installing Tools ​

Updating Tools ​

Removing Tools ​

Module Information ​

Configuration Management ​

Global Configuration ​

Module-Specific Configuration ​

Environment Configuration ​

Advanced Features ​

Custom Module Creation ​

Batch Operations ​

Automation Scripts ​

Integration with CI/CD ​

Tool Categories ​

Exploitation Tools ​

Intelligence Gathering ​

Web Application Testing ​

Vulnerability Analysis ​

Wireless Tools ​

Forensics Tools ​

Troubleshooting ​

Common Issues ​

Debug Mode ​

Recovery Procedures ​

Integration Examples ​

Ansible Integration ​

Docker Compose ​

Terraform Integration ​

Best Practices ​

Tool Management ​

Security Considerations ​

Team Collaboration ​

Performance Optimization ​

Reporting and Monitoring ​

Status Reporting ​

Monitoring Scripts ​

Metrics Collection ​

PTF (Pentesters Framework) Cheat Sheet

Overview

Installation

Prerequisites

Standard Installation

Docker Installation

Virtual Environment Installation

System-wide Installation

Basic Usage

Starting PTF

Core Commands

Module Categories

Module Management

Installing Tools

Updating Tools

Removing Tools

Module Information

Configuration Management

Global Configuration

Module-Specific Configuration

Environment Configuration

Advanced Features

Custom Module Creation

Batch Operations

Automation Scripts

Integration with CI/CD

Tool Categories

Exploitation Tools

Intelligence Gathering

Web Application Testing

Vulnerability Analysis

Wireless Tools

Forensics Tools

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Debug Mode

Recovery Procedures

Integration Examples

Ansible Integration

Docker Compose

Terraform Integration

Best Practices

Tool Management

Security Considerations

Team Collaboration

Performance Optimization

Reporting and Monitoring

Status Reporting

Monitoring Scripts

Metrics Collection