Getting Started with Penetration Testing: 6 Skills from Methodology to Reporting
Three scenes × six real Skills: build the PTES methodology first, hook up the scanning toolchain, then produce a structured report
Curated from a grade-A user quote on penetration testing
New to pentesting? Hear it from people who've walked the path
"Penetration testing — also called a red-team test — is a simulated-attack security assessment that identifies and fixes vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks and web applications."
— rednote / Xiaohongshu · cyber-security career-switch recap (translated)
"A pen test can surface both the known and the unknown vulnerabilities in a system."
— rednote / Xiaohongshu · cyber-security career-switch recap (translated)
"Recon, vulnerability detection, exploitation, post-exploitation and the final report — every step is like a detective peeling back layers to find the system's soft spot."
— rednote / Xiaohongshu · pentest study notes (translated)
"A proper pen test follows the PTES framework, in seven stages: pre-engagement, intelligence gathering, threat modeling, vulnerability analysis, exploitation, post-exploitation and reporting."
— rednote / Xiaohongshu · pentest study notes (translated)
"Pick the right tools — Kali Linux, Metasploit and the like."
— rednote / Xiaohongshu · pentest explainer (translated)
These real voices scattered across rednote / Xiaohongshu add up to the classic beginner wall in penetration testing: the concepts click, but the first hands-on step never becomes obvious.
Lazy route · recommended
Install deep-skill-finder once — let your Agent find Skills for you
Whatever "penetration testing" task you have, MEYO already has the matching Skills. You don't need to hunt one by one — install deep-skill-finder and your Agent will auto-search MEYO's 50,000+ Skill library on every task, recommending the best match. [待产品核验 (pending product verification): library size and Agent auto-search recommendation to be confirmed at launch] You just say what you want to do — matching Skills is the Agent's job.
Copy → paste into Claude Code / Codex / Cursor / WorkBuddy / CatPaw · Agent installs automatically:
Please install the deep-skill-finder skill: download the archive from https://www.meyo.life/skill-finder, extract it into your local skill directory and enable it.
Or browse common-scene Skills below. Learn more about deep-skill-finder → meyo.life/skill
Pick a Skill by Stage · 2 Real Picks Each
Install them all, or just pick 1–2 by name. Don't worry about picking wrong — they're free, uninstall anytime.
Methodology
Get the map before you start walking
Break down the PTES stages and learn why each one exists
pentest-playbook
TOP 1
Seven-stage process map
A seven-stage penetration testing process, from passive reconnaissance to exploitation — clear responsibilities per stage, a solid first battle map for beginners to follow
1265 users
PTES-aligned methodology
Backend, frontend and mobile pentest methodology aligned with PTES: an attack taxonomy, exploitation techniques per vulnerability class, and platform-specific test matrices for planning assessments and threat models
567 users
Scanning Toolchain
Hand the tools to your Agent, stage by stage
Recon, port scanning, vulnerability scanning — one chain, start to finish
security-scanner
TOP 1
nmap + nuclei scanning
Automated security scanning and vulnerability detection for web apps, APIs and infrastructure — integrates nmap, nuclei and friends for vulnerability scans, SSL checks, port discovery and config audits
11617 users
Template-based CVE scanning
Scans web apps and infrastructure with Nuclei templates — find CVEs and misconfigurations, write custom templates, hook into CI, and get severity-based reports
148 users
Audit & Reporting
Finding the hole is half the job — explaining it is the deliverable
Structured reports and reproducible PoCs your client can act on
security-pen-testing
TOP 1
Static analysis to pentest report
Covers security audits, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, OWASP Top 10 checks and active assessments — static analysis, dependency scanning, secret detection, API security testing and report generation
22738 users
PoC-generating vuln scanner
From a domain or URL, scans a web app for SQLi, XSS, SSRF, IDOR, SSTI, auth bypass, upload bypass and race conditions, then generates a working PoC for each finding. Authorized targets only
28 users
📣 Follow the Deep Skill Finder official account
A real-world penetration testing walkthrough every week · new Skills and practice targets land there first
Open WeChat → search "Deep Skill Finder" → tap Follow
The next batch of pentest beginner walkthroughs ships there first
FAQ
Q: In what order should a beginner learn penetration testing?
A: Framework before tools. Build a mental map of the seven PTES stages — pre-engagement, intelligence gathering, threat modeling, vulnerability analysis, exploitation, post-exploitation and reporting — then attach tools stage by stage, and close the loop with one full report. Far more effective than memorizing tool commands.
Q: Is agent-driven pentesting legal?
A: Penetration testing belongs only on authorized targets: your own systems, your company's lab environment, or a scope covered by written authorization. The relevant Skills are labeled authorized-testing-only; confirm the scope before letting an Agent run. That's a baseline, not a formality.
Q: How were these 6 Skills selected?
A: Deep Skill Finder searched MEYO's 50,000+ Skill library in real time for the penetration testing task and ranked the results. Download counts match what meyo.life displays — click any Skill name to verify. [待产品核验 (pending product verification): library size and Agent auto-search recommendation to be confirmed at launch]
Q: Can an Agent run the whole pentest on its own?
A: The realistic split today is "Agent builds the scaffolding, you close the deal": methodology planning and vulnerability scanning can run automatically, while exploitation judgment, scope confirmation and the final report still need a human. When in doubt, have the Agent propose a plan before executing anything.
Q: Do these Skills consume extra credits?
A: All Skills are free and consume nothing by themselves; your Agent only uses your existing API quota when executing tasks. Click Copy command and paste it to your Agent to install — uninstall anytime.
Q: I use Claude Code / Cursor — can I still install these?
A: Yes. These Skills are agent-neutral: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, WorkBuddy and CatPaw all install the same way — download the archive from meyo.life and extract it into your local skill directory.