Automating data collection for reporting with Bash
Efficient data collection is a pillar of effective pentesting reporting. This section explores how to leverage Bash scripting to automate the gathering and organization of critical information from various phases of a pentest.
By automating data collection, pentesters can do the following:
- Reduce manual errors in data gathering
- Standardize the format of collected information
- Save time on repetitive data extraction tasks
- Ensure consistency across multiple tests and reports
We’ll examine techniques for identifying key data points, extracting information from tool outputs, cleaning raw data, storing data in a database, and templating reports. These methods will help streamline the reporting process and allow testers to focus more on analysis and less on data management.
Let’s begin by looking at how to identify and extract the most relevant data for pentest reports using Bash.
