Pentesting Software: Innovation, Language Rewrites, Content Creation & Building Street Cred in Infosec

The Open Source Pentesting Landscape

The pentesting toolkit is overwhelmingly open source. The most-used tools are pre-installed on Kali Linux and have been battle-tested for decades. But a new generation of tools written in compiled languages is rapidly gaining ground.

Tier 1: Flagship Tools (25k+ GitHub Stars)

Tier 2: Established Tools (10k–25k Stars)

Tier 3: Essential Specialist Tools (2k–10k Stars)

Commercial Platforms & Revenue

Pricing Snapshot

PortSwigger: The Bootstrapped King

PortSwigger deserves special attention. No external funding, ~$46M revenue, paid an £8M dividend in 2023. Their model: Burp Suite Community (free) drives adoption among every pentester on earth, Burp Suite Pro ($499/year) captures professionals, and Enterprise (usage-based) captures organizations. They also run the Web Security Academy (free) and the BSCP certification ($99/attempt), which funnel users into the paid product. In 2025, they added “Burp AI” — an agentic assistant with MCP integration for Claude. This is the gold standard for bootstrapped security tool businesses.

The Rewrite Revolution: Rust, Go & Nim

The most significant trend in offensive tooling is the migration from interpreted languages (Python, Ruby, Perl) to compiled languages (Go, Rust, Nim). This isn’t just about speed — it’s about evasion, deployment, and operational security.

Why Rewrites Matter

1. Evasion

AV/EDR signatures are tuned for Python bytecode and known tool fingerprints. A compiled static binary has a different hash, different memory footprint, and different behavioral signature. Recompiling from source with minor modifications produces a “clean” binary that evades signature-based detection entirely.

2. Performance

Rust’s async runtime (tokio) enables thousands of concurrent HTTP requests without memory bloat. RustScan scans all 65,535 ports in ~3 seconds. Feroxbuster’s async concurrency model is fundamentally faster than anything in Python.

3. Deployment

Single static binary, no dependency management, no interpreter installation on the target. Drop and run. No “pip install” on a compromised host. No Python version conflicts. No virtualenv.

4. Cross-compilation

Go cross-compiles to any OS/architecture trivially (GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 go build). Rust supports it via targets. Build on Linux, deploy on Windows, macOS, ARM — from a single codebase.

The Rewrite Map

Nim: The Evasion Specialist

Nim occupies a unique niche in offensive tooling. It compiles to C/C++, then to native code, producing binaries that look “clean” to AV engines. Its FFI allows direct Windows API calls for shellcode injection. The OffensiveNim repository on GitHub provides ready-made examples for implants, loaders, and syscall bypasses. Nim-based malware (NimPlant, Nimza Loader) has been observed in real APT campaigns, validating its evasion capabilities.

The Opportunity

Many critical pentesting tools are still Python-only with no compiled alternative:

• Impacket (~15,400 stars) — the AD pentesting backbone, still pure Python
• Responder (~6,100 stars) — LLMNR/NBT-NS poisoner, Python
• NetExec/CrackMapExec (~5,300 stars) — post-exploitation, Python
• SQLMap (~36,700 stars) — SQL injection, Python

A high-quality Rust or Go rewrite of any of these tools would immediately gain traction. The community is hungry for compiled alternatives that can be dropped onto targets without interpreter dependencies.

Case Study: ProjectDiscovery’s OSS Empire

ProjectDiscovery is the most instructive example of how to build a security company through open source. Founded by Rishiraj Sharma and co-founders who met through open source contributions, they built an interconnected suite of Go-based tools that form a complete automated recon and vulnerability scanning pipeline.

The Tool Suite

The Flywheel

1. Build free tools that solve real problems — every tool in the suite is genuinely useful standalone
2. Make them composable — subfinder | httpx | nuclei pipes naturally. The Unix philosophy, applied to pentesting
3. Crowdsource the hard part — 9,000+ Nuclei templates written by the community. Template Bounty Program rewards contributors
4. Monetize the enterprise layer — ProjectDiscovery Cloud Platform adds team collaboration, asset management, continuous scanning, reporting

March 2025 alone: 359 new Nuclei templates from 12 first-time contributors covering 68 new CVEs. Hacktoberfest 2025 saw 24 bounties rewarded. This is a self-sustaining content engine where the community writes the vulnerability signatures that make the tool valuable.

Lessons for Tool Builders

• Write in Go or Rust (compiled, cross-platform, fast)
• Design for composability (stdin/stdout piping, JSON output)
• Create a contribution framework (templates, modules, plugins) that lets the community extend the tool
• Build the cloud/enterprise layer only after you have massive OSS adoption
• Participate in conferences (RSA Innovation Sandbox, DEF CON Arsenal) for visibility

C2 Frameworks: The Detection vs. Evasion Arms Race

Command & Control frameworks are the most adversarial category of security software. According to Kaspersky Q2 2025, the most frequently observed C2 frameworks in malicious attacks are Sliver, Havoc, Metasploit, Mythic, Brute Ratel C4, and Cobalt Strike.

Why Cobalt Strike Alternatives Emerged

Cobalt Strike’s dominance made it the primary target for EDR detection engineering. Every major EDR vendor has invested heavily in detecting Cobalt Strike’s traffic patterns, memory artifacts, and behavioral signatures. Sliver emerged explicitly as a Cobalt Strike alternative — because EDR vendors hadn’t tuned their detections for it yet. The same dynamic is now happening with Sliver itself, driving adoption of Havoc and Mythic.

Key Trends

Cloud-native C2

Embedding C2 traffic within trusted cloud services (Azure, AWS, GCP APIs) to evade network detection

Per-binary encryption

Each implant has unique encryption keys, defeating signature-based detection

In-memory payloads

No files on disk for AV/EDR to scan. Reflective DLL injection, shellcode execution from memory

Custom C2 development

Mature red teams increasingly build custom C2 frameworks rather than using off-the-shelf tools. Known frameworks have well-documented behavioral signatures. Custom C2 avoids detection rules tuned to popular frameworks entirely.

The Innovation Opportunity

Defensive tooling for C2 detection is underinvested. While new C2 frameworks emerge monthly, the detection side relies on behavioral heuristics and network traffic analysis that lags behind. There’s a gap for tools that can detect generic C2 communication patterns regardless of the specific framework — anomaly-based rather than signature-based detection.

Bug Bounty Economics

The XBOW Moment

XBOW became the first non-human to reach #1 on HackerOne’s US leaderboard in 2025. It submitted 1,000+ vulnerability reports in months and completed 104 real-world scenarios in 28 minutes vs. 40 hours for a human pentester. XBOW raised $75M in funding. Meanwhile, 70% of HackerOne researchers report using AI tools in their workflow. This is the beginning of AI-augmented bug hunting, not the end of human researchers — but the skill floor is rising.

Content Creation in Infosec

Content creation in infosec is a credibility engine, not just a revenue stream. The best pentesters are also the most visible ones — because sharing knowledge publicly is how the community validates competence.

YouTube: The Primary Channel

Podcasts

Darknet Diaries (Jack Rhysider) is the premier infosec storytelling podcast. ~300,000 downloads per episode, 22.9M downloads in a single year. Monetized via Apple Podcasters Program (ad-free episodes, bonus content). It proves there’s a massive audience for well-told security stories, not just technical tutorials.

Knowledge Bases

Conferences

DEF CON 33 (~30,000 attendees) and Black Hat USA 2025 (~20,000 attendees) remain the pinnacle events. Black Hat 2025 featured 100+ briefings, 100+ trainings, and 115+ Arsenal tool demos. DEF CON included hardware hacking villages, AI security research, and CTF competitions. Smaller BSides events (held worldwide, often free) are the best entry point for first-time speakers.

Content Formats That Build Credibility

1. Vulnerability writeups — detailed technical walkthroughs of bugs you found and how you exploited them. The gold standard
2. Tool releases — open source tools with clean README, examples, and active maintenance
3. CTF writeups — document solutions to competition challenges. Shows methodology, not just answers
4. Conference talks — recorded presentations at DEF CON, Black Hat, or BSides carry permanent weight
5. Blog series — deep dives into a specific attack surface (e.g., “Attacking OAuth2 implementations”)
6. Nuclei template contributions — writing detection templates for new CVEs. Visible, attributable, directly useful
7. Video walkthroughs — YouTube/Twitch content showing real-time problem solving

The Street Cred Stack: How to Build Reputation

In infosec, reputation is currency. Employers, clients, and peers evaluate you by what you’ve publicly demonstrated, not what you claim. Here’s the credibility stack, ordered by impact:

1. CVE Discoveries & Responsible Disclosure (Highest signal)

Finding and responsibly disclosing real vulnerabilities is the highest-signal credential. MITRE’s CVE system provides permanent, searchable attribution tied to your name. Target open source projects with high star counts on GitHub. Follow coordinated disclosure: contact vendor, allow 5 business days minimum for initial response, provide full PoC. A single well-documented CVE in a widely-used project carries more weight than any certification.

2. Open Source Tool Development

Build tools that others actually use. Even small, well-maintained utilities demonstrate competence. Contributing Nuclei templates, Metasploit modules, or BloodHound integrations counts. GitHub stars are a visible, verifiable metric of impact. The ProjectDiscovery founders built their entire company and reputation this way.

3. Conference Talks

Accepted talks at DEF CON, Black Hat, and BSides are peer-reviewed and carry significant weight. Start with local BSides events (often free, lower acceptance bar) and work up. A recorded conference talk is a permanent public artifact of your expertise.

4. Bug Bounty Rankings

HackerOne, Bugcrowd, and Intigriti leaderboards provide public, verifiable track records. Top researchers earn six figures annually from bounties alone. Platform reputation scores compound over time.

5. CTF Competition Results

Team or solo rankings on HackTheBox, TryHackMe, and competitive CTFs (DEF CON CTF, PlaidCTF). Writeups matter as much as placements — showing how you think is more valuable than showing you won.

6. Technical Blog Writing

Detailed vulnerability writeups, tool development posts, and methodology documentation. HackTricks-style contributions are broadly visible. A well-written blog post about a novel attack technique can circulate for years.

7. Certifications

OSCP, OSEP, and CRTO provide baseline credibility. The cert itself matters less than what you can demonstrate during an interview or engagement. Certs are a necessary but not sufficient condition for credibility.

8. Social Media Presence

Twitter/X is the primary platform for infosec community engagement. Share findings, engage in discussions, tag vendors during coordinated disclosure. A strong Twitter presence amplifies everything else on this list.

The Playbook: Zero to Credible in 12 Months

1. Months 1–3: Grind CTFs on HackTheBox and TryHackMe. Write up every machine you solve. Publish on a personal blog or Medium
2. Months 3–6: Start contributing Nuclei templates or Metasploit modules. Hunt for CVEs in smaller open source projects. Get your first CVE assigned
3. Months 4–8: Build a small tool that solves a specific problem you encountered during CTFs. Release it on GitHub with clean docs
4. Months 6–9: Submit a talk to a local BSides event based on your CVE discoveries or tool development
5. Months 6–12: Start bug bounty hunting on HackerOne or Bugcrowd. Focus on one program deeply rather than spreading thin
6. Month 12: Pass OSCP (or CRTO if red teaming). By now you have: CVEs, a GitHub profile, published writeups, a conference talk, and bug bounty reports

Certifications: ROI Ranking

Market note: OffSec was acquired by Leeds Equity Partners in October 2024 ($34.6M total funding), signaling private equity interest in the certification market. Newer entrants (TCM Security, Zero-Point Security) offer dramatically better value than SANS/GIAC, and the market is responding.

CTF & Training Platforms

TryHackMe is the sleeper hit. 6M+ users with reportedly no external funding. They’ve built the largest cybersecurity training platform by user count by focusing on accessibility and gamification. PentesterLab is also bootstrapped and profitable, proving that high-quality training content can sustain a business without VC.

How Pentesting OSS Monetizes

The Dominant Patterns

1. Build OSS tool with massive adoption → layer enterprise SaaS on top (ProjectDiscovery, SpecterOps). This is the most repeatable path for new entrants.
2. Free community edition → paid pro/enterprise (PortSwigger). Requires the free version to be genuinely excellent. PortSwigger’s 20+ year track record makes this hard to replicate.
3. Build OSS tool → get acquired by security vendor (Metasploit → Rapid7). A viable exit strategy, especially for tools that become category-defining.
4. Release tools free → monetize consulting (BishopFox + Sliver). The tool demonstrates competence and builds inbound lead generation for consulting services.

Innovation Gaps & Opportunities

1. Rewrite the Python Classics in Rust/Go

The highest-impact opportunity for an aspiring tool builder. Impacket (15.4k stars), SQLMap (36.7k stars), Responder (6.1k stars), and NetExec (5.3k stars) are all Python-only. A faithful Rust or Go port of any of these would gain immediate traction. Focus on: single-binary deployment, cross-compilation, and faster execution. The AD pentesting stack (Impacket + NetExec + Responder) is the most impactful target.

2. Cloud-Native Pentesting

Traditional tools were designed for on-premise networks. Multi-cloud environments (AWS/Azure/GCP) with dynamic infrastructure, containerization, and intricate IAM roles require specialized expertise that most tools lack. Cloud attack surfaces change daily with continuous deployment. There is no “Metasploit for cloud” yet.

3. API Security Testing

AI-driven APIs are causing a 1,205% surge in API vulnerabilities. Critical gaps include: automated discovery of shadow/zombie/undocumented APIs, business logic vulnerability detection (BOLA, IDOR, workflow bypasses), GraphQL security testing (still largely manual), and API drift detection in CI/CD pipelines.

4. AI-Assisted Pentesting

XBOW proved AI can match or exceed human pentesters on certain tasks (104 scenarios in 28 minutes vs. 40 hours). Burp Suite Pro 2025 added “Burp AI” with MCP integration for Claude. But current tools lack: standardized benchmarks, ability to handle novel attack chains, business logic understanding, and reliable autonomous operation. The gap is in human-AI collaborative tooling, not full autonomy.

5. Unified Recon Pipelines

While ProjectDiscovery provides components (subfinder | httpx | nuclei), there is no turnkey platform that chains reconnaissance (subdomain enumeration → port scanning → service detection → vulnerability scanning → exploitation) with intelligence, deduplication, and reporting. Most teams still build custom bash/Python pipelines. A polished, opinionated recon orchestrator would find a massive audience.

6. Mobile App Security

Mobile pentesting tooling lags far behind web. Frida and Objection are powerful but lack the polish and automation of web tools. Android/iOS security testing requires significant manual setup. There’s no “Burp Suite for mobile” with the same depth and UX.

7. Continuous Security Validation (PTaaS)

The PTaaS segment is growing at 29.1% CAGR as companies shift from periodic assessments to continuous validation. There’s room for platforms combining automated scanning with on-demand human expertise, particularly for SMEs who can’t afford Pentera ($100M ARR, enterprise pricing) or Cobalt ($50–100M).

8. Defensive Tooling for New C2 Detection

While new C2 frameworks emerge monthly, detection tooling relies on behavioral heuristics and network traffic analysis that lags behind. There’s a gap for tools that detect generic C2 communication patterns — anomaly-based rather than signature-based — regardless of the specific framework.

The Bottom Line

The pentesting tools market is a $2.74B opportunity growing at 12.5% CAGR. The playbook is clear: build a high-quality open source tool in Go or Rust that solves a real problem, design it for Unix-style composability, crowdsource community contributions, build credibility through CVEs and conference talks, and layer an enterprise SaaS on top once adoption reaches critical mass. The ProjectDiscovery model ($28M raised on the back of 100K+ GitHub stars) is the template. The language rewrite wave creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity to replace entrenched Python tools with faster, more deployable compiled alternatives. And the AI-assisted pentesting revolution is still in its earliest days — the tools that figure out human-AI collaboration will define the next decade of offensive security.