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PentLog

Evidence-first pentest logging tool — Capture every command, find anything, prove everything.

:octicons-terminal-16: High-Fidelity Recording :octicons-search-16: Powerful Search :octicons-shield-check-16: Compliance Ready
:octicons-rocket-16: Get Started :fontawesome-brands-github: View on GitHub
5 min
Quick Setup
100%
Terminal Fidelity
AES-256
Encryption
∞
Searchable History

What is PentLog?

PentLog is a professional terminal logging tool designed for penetration testers, security researchers, and compliance auditors. It captures every command and output with perfect fidelity, making it easy to search, analyze, and report on your activities.

Built on ttyrec technology with a modern Virtual Terminal Emulator, PentLog preserves ANSI colors, cursor movements, and terminal state—giving you perfect evidence for client reports and compliance audits.

High-Fidelity Recording

Capture every keystroke with Virtual Terminal Emulator. ANSI colors, cursor movements, and redraws preserved perfectly.

Powerful Search

Find any command across all sessions instantly. Regex support, boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), and live incremental search.

Compliance Reports

Generate Markdown/HTML reports with integrity hashes, encrypted archives, and detailed audit trails ready for delivery.

AI Analysis

Summarize findings with Google Gemini or local Ollama LLM. Get executive summaries and vulnerability insights automatically.

Live Sharing

Share terminal sessions in real-time via browser. Viewers see full history with dark-themed xterm.js viewer.

Crash Recovery

Protect evidence from SSH disconnects, OOM kills, and unexpected crashes. Automatic heartbeat and stale session detection.

Why PentLog?

The Problem with Traditional Logging

Using script, tmux, or basic shell redirection during pentests creates fragmented, unsearchable, unmaintainable evidence:

Issue Impact
Lost commands Mixed with noise, impossible to extract context
No integrity How do you prove logs weren't tampered with?
Manual reports Hours spent copying/pasting into documents
Evidence gaps ANSI codes, terminal artifacts, overwrites break readability
Compliance nightmares No audit trails, no encrypted archives

How PentLog Solves It

Solution Benefit
Evidence-First Design Every command + output captured with perfect fidelity
Context & Metadata Automatic timestamps, operator tracking, client/engagement organization
Searchable Everything Find any command across all sessions with regex + boolean operators
Compliance-Ready Integrity hashes, AES-256 encrypted archives, detailed audit trails
Reports in Minutes Auto-generate Markdown/HTML with AI-powered summaries

Quick Start

Get PentLog running in under 5 minutes:

Install PentLog
# 1. Install (macOS/Linux)
curl -sSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aancw/pentlog/main/install.sh | sh

# 2. Setup dependencies
pentlog setup

# 3. Create your first engagement
pentlog create

# 4. Start recording
pentlog shell

# 5. Search and export
pentlog search
pentlog export

Installation Guide Quick Start Tutorial

Who is PentLog For?

  • Penetration Testers

    Capture every command during client engagements. Generate compliance-ready reports with perfect terminal fidelity. Organize by Client → Engagement → Phase.

  • Compliance Auditors

    Maintain tamper-proof logs with integrity hashes. Create AES-256 encrypted archives for secure evidence delivery. Detailed audit trails for regulators.

  • Certification Students

    Document every step for OSCP, PNPT, HTB writeups. Search across sessions to find any command. Export clean Markdown reports instantly.

  • Red Teamers

    Record reproducible, timestamped sessions. Replay with exact timing. Share live sessions with teammates via browser.

Architecture Overview

flowchart TB
    subgraph Input["User Input"]
        Shell["Shell Session"]
        Notes["Notes & Bookmarks"]
        Vulns["Vulnerability Markers"]
    end

    subgraph Core["PentLog Core"]
        TTY["TTY Recorder"]
        VTE["Virtual Terminal Emulator"]
        DB[(SQLite Database)]
    end

    subgraph Output["Output & Analysis"]
        Search["Search Engine"]
        Export["Report Export"]
        AI["AI Analysis"]
        Archive["Encrypted Archives"]
    end

    Shell --> TTY
    TTY --> VTE
    VTE --> DB
    Notes --> DB
    Vulns --> DB
    DB --> Search
    DB --> Export
    Export --> AI
    Export --> Archive

Documentation Structure

Community & Support

Made for professionals. Evidence-first. No compromises.