Development of an Automated Penetration Testing Tool for Enhanced Cybersecurity

Abstract-The continuous evolution of digitalization and the rapid growth of tools and technologies have led to a parallel rise in sophisticated cyberattacks. Attackers deploy advanced techniques to compromise critical systems, steal sensitive data, and disrupt operations. Traditional vulnerability detection and penetration testing methods, which rely heavily on manual processes and frameworks like Metasploit, are labour-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to human error. To address these challenges, this research presents the development of an Automated Penetration Testing Tool (APTT) to streamline cybersecurity assessments. Integrated with the Metasploit framework, APTT automates reconnaissance, vulnerability scanning, and exploitation, reducing time complexity and human error. Initial testing in diverse environments showed a 50% reduction in testing time and improved reliability of results, making it scalable and adaptable to various security needs.