name: pt-post-exploitation description: Performs authorized post-exploitation activities to assess impact, lateral movement paths, credential exposure, and detection gaps after initial compromise. Use when a foothold has been validated and the test requires controlled impact expansion analysis.
Post-Exploitation
Authorized Use Only
Run post-exploitation tasks only after explicit approval for this phase. Keep actions controlled, reversible, and auditable. Avoid destructive changes and unnecessary access to sensitive data.
Objectives
- Measure realistic impact after initial access.
- Evaluate privilege escalation and lateral movement opportunities.
- Identify credential and data exposure paths.
- Assess logging, detection, and response effectiveness.
Workflow
- Confirm phase boundaries:
- Allowed techniques, prohibited actions, and stop conditions
- Approved systems, accounts, and time windows
- Stabilize foothold context:
- Document current privileges and reachable assets
- Capture baseline telemetry and controls in place
- Conduct controlled post-exploitation checks:
- Privilege escalation feasibility
- Credential access and reuse opportunities
- Lateral movement paths through trust relationships
- Data access paths tied to business impact
- Evaluate defense visibility:
- Which actions generated alerts
- How quickly detection and containment occurred
- Cleanup and rollback:
- Remove all artifacts created during testing
- Verify environment returns to expected state
Output Template
# Post-Exploitation Output
## Initial Context
- Entry point:
- Starting privilege:
- Scope constraints:
## Escalation and Movement Findings
- Finding:
- Preconditions:
- Evidence:
- Result:
- Impact:
## Credential and Data Exposure
- Exposure path:
- Affected assets/data:
- Business risk:
## Detection and Response
- Alerts observed:
- Time to detect:
- Time to contain:
- Gaps:
## Cleanup Verification
- Artifacts removed:
- Validation notes:
Quality Checks
- Every action is within approved boundaries.
- Evidence supports reproducibility without sensitive data leakage.
- Findings map clearly from technical path to business consequence.