The target specification is the only required parameter for AutoPentestX. It defines the system or network you’re authorized to test.
Target Flag Target IP address or domain name to scan Examples:
IPv4 address: 192.168.1.100
Domain name: example.com
Private network: 10.0.0.1
Localhost: 127.0.0.1
IPv4 Addresses Standard IPv4 notation is fully supported:
Private Network
Internal Network
Localhost Testing
Class B Network
python3 main.py -t 192.168.1.100
Domain Names Fully qualified domain names (FQDN) are resolved automatically:
Production Domain
Subdomain
Development Environment
python3 main.py -t example.com
AutoPentestX performs DNS resolution before scanning. Ensure the target domain resolves correctly in your network environment.
Target Examples Single Host Scanning # Scan a single production server python3 main.py -t 192.168.1.100 -n "Security Team"
Scan Phases:
DNS resolution (if domain name)
Port scanning (Nmap)
Service detection
Vulnerability assessment
Web application testing (unless --skip-web)
Exploitation attempts (unless --skip-exploit)
Lab Environment Testing # Test local vulnerable VM (Metasploitable, DVWA, etc.) python3 main.py -t 192.168.56.101
# Localhost security audit python3 main.py -t 127.0.0.1 --skip-exploit
Remote Server Assessment # Test internet-facing server (with authorization) python3 main.py -t example.com -n "External Audit Team"
When testing internet-facing targets:
Verify authorization documentation
Respect rate limits and time windows
Be aware of geographic restrictions
Consider using VPN or authorized source IPs
Target Validation Pre-Scan Confirmation AutoPentestX displays a confirmation prompt before initiating scans:
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ ⚠️ LEGAL WARNING ⚠️ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ You are about to perform a penetration test on: 192.168.1.100 This tool performs ACTIVE scanning and may: • Trigger IDS/IPS alerts • Generate significant network traffic • Attempt to exploit vulnerabilities • Modify system configurations Only proceed if you have: ✓ Written authorization from the system owner ✓ Defined scope and rules of engagement ✓ Legal permission to perform security testing Unauthorized access to computer systems is ILLEGAL! ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ Do you have proper authorization to test this target? [yes/no]:
Type yes to proceed or no to abort. This safety mechanism prevents accidental unauthorized scanning.
Network Reachability Testing Connectivity Before running a full scan, verify target reachability:
# Test connectivity ping -c 4 192.168.1.100 # Test DNS resolution nslookup example.com # Check basic port accessibility telnet 192.168.1.100 80
Firewall Considerations
Problem: Target not responding to scansPossible Causes:
Host firewall blocking ICMP/TCP probes
Network firewall filtering scan traffic
Target is offline or unreachable
VPN/routing configuration issues
Solutions: # Verify target is online ping 192.168.1.100 # Check routing traceroute 192.168.1.100 # Test specific ports nmap -p 80,443 192.168.1.100
Scope Restrictions What AutoPentestX Does NOT Support Unsupported Target Formats:
CIDR ranges: 192.168.1.0/24 ❌
Multiple targets: 192.168.1.1,192.168.1.2 ❌
IP ranges: 192.168.1.1-254 ❌
Wildcard notation: 192.168.1.* ❌
Current Limitation: AutoPentestX targets one host per execution .For multiple targets, run separate scans: for ip in 192.168.1. { 100..110} ; do python3 main.py -t $ip done
Target Selection Best Practices Internal Network Testing
Identify Test Targets
Document all systems in scope:
Production servers
Development environments
Network appliances
Virtual machines
Verify Authorization
Obtain written approval:
Signed penetration testing agreement
Defined scope and exclusions
Emergency contact information
Testing time windows
Start with Non-Production
Begin testing on safe environments: # Test development environment first python3 main.py -t dev.example.com --skip-exploit
Escalate to Production
After validating the process: # Full production assessment (with authorization) python3 main.py -t prod.example.com
External Network Testing During execution, AutoPentestX displays target information:
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ AutoPentestX v1.0 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ ║ ║ Automated Penetration Testing & Vulnerability Assessment ║ ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ ┌────────────────────── [MISSION BRIEFING] ─────────────────────────┐ │ ► Target IP/Domain: 192.168.1.100 │ ► Operator: Security Team │ ► Safe Mode: [✓] ENABLED │ ► Timestamp: 2026-03-11 14:30:00 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Troubleshooting Target Issues Invalid Target Error python3 main.py -t invalid_target
Error: [✗] Error: Invalid target format [!] Target must be a valid IP address or domain name
Solution: Use valid IPv4 address or FQDNDNS Resolution Failure python3 main.py -t nonexistent.example.com
Error: [✗] Error: Cannot resolve domain name [!] Check DNS configuration or use IP address directly
Solution: # Use IP address instead python3 main.py -t 192.168.1.100 # Or fix DNS resolution nslookup nonexistent.example.com
Network Unreachable [✗] Error: Target unreachable [!] Verify network connectivity and firewall rules
Debugging Steps: # Check basic connectivity ping 192.168.1.100 # Verify routing ip route get 192.168.1.100 # Check firewall rules sudo iptables -L -n -v
CLI Options Configure scan behavior with flags
Examples Real-world target scanning examples
Network Scanning Understand the scanning process
Safe Mode Protection mechanisms during testing