HexStrike AI: Agentic Pentester

 

If you’ve been following my blog, you know I’ve been vocal about the "AI in SecOps" hype. Most of it is just a ChatGPT wrapper with a fancy UI. But last week, I stumbled across a repository that actually made me sit up: HexStrike AI by 0x4m4.

We aren't talking about an LLM that just tells you how to run Nmap. We're talking about a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that gives Claude, GPT-4, and Copilot the "hands" to actually run 150+ professional tools autonomously.

What is HexStrike AI?

At its core, HexStrike is a bridge. It uses Anthropic’s MCP to turn your favorite LLM into an orchestration brain. Instead of you copy-pasting terminal output into a chat box, the agent executes the tool, reads the output, and decides the next move in the attack chain.

The Tech Stack: From Recon to Exploit

The framework integrates a massive arsenal. We’re talking about the heavy hitters we use every day:

• Recon & Scanning: Nmap, Amass, Rustscan, Katana.

• Web & API: SQLMap, Nuclei, Burp Suite (via a dedicated browser agent).

• Exploitation & Post: Metasploit, custom CVE exploit generators.

• Reverse Engineering: Ghidra, Radare2.

What’s impressive isn’t just the list of tools—it’s the Intelligent Decision Engine. When you give it a target, the agents (like BugBountyWorkflowManager or CVEIntelligenceManager) don't just spray and pray. They analyze the tech stack, select the right tool, and refine payloads based on real-time feedback.

How to Get Started

If you want to play with this (and you should, if only to see what you're up against), the setup is straightforward for anyone comfortable with a CLI:

1. Clone it: git clone https://github.com/0x4m4/hexstrike-ai.git

2. Environment: Set up a Python venv and install the requirements.

3. MCP Config: Add the hexstrike_mcp.py path to your Claude Desktop or VS Code Copilot config.