Core Impact and Cobalt Strike represent two distinct, yet complementary approaches to security assessment. Core Impact is an automated pen testing tool that focuses on initial access and security validation, while Cobalt Strike specializes in advanced post-exploitation techniques for red team operations. In additional to functioning independently, security teams can benefit from both platform during a single engagement, using specific capabilities from each tool during different phases.
Interoperability: Unifying Pen Testing and Red Teaming
Interoperability between Core Impact and Cobalt Strike provides a combined strategy that enables teams to extend their capabilities throughout different phases of an engagement.
Additional Product Features
Penetration Testing with Core Impact
Core Impact determines the risk of security weaknesses through automated exploitation and assessment across multiple attack vectors, allowing teams to evaluate security controls and prioritize critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.
- Automated Testing: Uses Rapid Penetration Tests (RPTs) to automate key testing phases including reconnaissance, initial access, privilege escalation, and vulnerability validation.
- Core Certified Exploits: Maintains an expertly developed exploit database that covers multiple platforms, operating systems, and applications, with regular updates expanding coverage of new attack vectors.
- Multi-Vector Testing: Supports testing across diverse environments, exploiting security weaknesses associated with networks, people, web applications, endpoints, Wi-Fi, and SCADA environments.
- Remediation Validation: Maintains session data for automated retesting, allowing teams to verify the effectiveness of compensatory security controls and patches implemented after initial assessment.
Red Teaming with Cobalt Strike
Cobalt Strike enables advanced adversary simulation through customizable post-exploitation operations, allowing red teams to evaluate defensive measures against sophisticated persistent threats.
- Flexible Framework: C2 framework is built to adapt and is easily extendable to incorporate personalized tools and techniques.
- Post-Exploitation: Signature payload, Beacon, gathers information, executes arbitrary commands, deploy additional payloads, and performs other tasks that models the behavior of an advanced actor.
- Malleable C2 Profiles: Program used to set various default values, including how often Beacon checks in, tailoring the memory footprint, and controlling Beacon’s network traffic indicators.
- Arsenal Kit: Tools for tailoring advanced threat simulation, including:
- The Sleep Mask Kit – Hides Beacon in memory while it sleeps
- The Mutator Kit – Uses an LLVM mutator to break in-memory YARA scanning of sleep masks
- User-Defined Reflective Loaders – Custom reflective loaders that can bear individualized tradecraft
Pair Core Impact and Cobalt Strike
Find out more about these solutions and how they make a powerful team in our Offensive Security - Advanced Bundle offering.