| name | strix-pentest |
| description | Run AI-powered penetration testing and security scans using Strix Claude Code. Use when asked to pen test, security scan, vulnerability assess, or run security audits against web applications, APIs, domains, IPs, or source code repositories. |
Strix Penetration Testing
Run security assessments using Strix Claude Code — an AI-powered pen testing tool that uses Claude CLI inside a Kali Linux Docker sandbox.
Prerequisites
- Docker running
- Claude CLI authenticated (
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-cli && claude login)
- Python 3.11+
- screen (
sudo apt install screen)
- Strix installed:
pip install -e . (from this repo)
Installation
git clone https://github.com/tghastings/strix-claude-code.git
cd strix-claude-code
pip install -e .
Usage
TUI Dashboard (recommended)
strix-claude-tui
Keys: n new scan, a <num> attach, v <num> view, s <num> stop, d <num> delete, r refresh, q quit. Detach from scan: Ctrl+A then D.
CLI Direct
strix-claude-cli -t https://target.com
strix-claude-cli -t https://target.com -m quick
strix-claude-cli -t https://target.com -m standard --instruction "Focus on authentication bypass"
strix-claude-cli -t https://app.com -t ./source-code
strix-claude-cli -t https://github.com/user/repo -m deep
strix-claude-cli -t https://target.com -o ~/reports/scan.md
Scan Modes
- quick — Fast CI/CD check, critical vulns only (~5-10 min)
- standard — Balanced automated + targeted manual testing (~15-30 min)
- deep — Exhaustive: full recon, comprehensive testing, vuln chaining (~30-60+ min)
What Happens During a Scan
- Docker sandbox starts (Kali Linux + security tools)
- MCP server exposes pen testing tools to Claude
- Claude autonomously runs recon, scanning, exploitation, and reporting
- Vulnerability report saved (default:
~/strix_report_<timestamp>.md)
Available Tools in Sandbox
Claude gets access to: nmap, nuclei, sqlmap, ffuf, dirsearch, subfinder, httpx, semgrep, bandit, trufflehog, zaproxy, wapiti, trivy, jwt_tool, Playwright browser, Caido HTTP proxy, and more.
See the MCP server implementation for the full tool inventory.
OpenClaw Agent Integration
Via coding-agent skill (recommended)
Spawn a Claude CLI agent to run Strix interactively:
exec command="claude --model claude-opus-4-6" pty=true
Direct execution
For automated scans without TUI interaction:
exec command="strix-claude-cli -t https://target.com -o report.md" pty=true background=true
Important: Always use pty=true when running Strix from OpenClaw — Claude CLI requires a TTY. Without PTY, the scan will fall back to non-interactive mode and print manual instructions instead of executing.
Permissions Bypass for Headless Operation
The main branch includes fixes to suppress all interactive prompts (workspace trust, environment commands, file permissions):
--permission-mode bypassPermissions flag
CLAUDE_CODE_SKIP_TRUST_DIALOG=1 environment variable
- Auto-approval of all file operations
This enables true headless/automated security scanning without manual intervention.
Example: OpenClaw Agent Workflow
exec(
command="strix-claude-cli -t https://juice-shop.herokuapp.com -m deep -o juice-shop-report.md",
pty=True,
background=True
)
process(action="list")
Tips
- Use
--keep-container to examine findings post-scan
- Point
-t at local source code for whitebox analysis
- Reports use CVSS scoring — check for anything ≥7.0
- Use
-v for verbose output when troubleshooting
- GitHub gist sharing: Create private gists for security reports (never public)
- Claude Max limits: Deep scans can hit rate limits; they'll pause and resume after limit resets (~5 hours)
Example Report Output
# Security Assessment Report
**Target:** OWASP Juice Shop v19.1.1
**Scan Mode:** Deep
## Findings
### SQL Injection in Login Endpoint
**Severity:** CRITICAL (9.8)
**CVSS:** CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
#### Impact
Complete authentication bypass...
#### Proof of Concept
POST /login with {"email": "' OR 1=1--", "password": "x"}
Ethical Use
This tool is for authorized security testing only. Always:
- Obtain written permission before testing
- Respect scope boundaries
- Follow responsible disclosure practices
- Comply with applicable laws (CFAA, GDPR, etc.)
Unauthorized access to computer systems is illegal.
Contributing
See CONTRIBUTING.md for development setup and guidelines.
License
MIT License - see LICENSE