Abstract

Reporting is the most critical part of any engagement. In this article we will cover a method for automating report generation via latex.

High level objectives:

• Install latex on a report generation server
• Create a note taking and reporting framework to facilitate reporting in real time

Install latex on a report generation server

First let's start with an up to date server. This is where you would do any other server prep you like. For this article assume nothing is done other than what is documented to a ubuntu 19.10 linode server. Obviously for a produciton deployment you would want to do more.

apt update
apt upgrade -y -f
shutdown -r now

Install the actual software.

apt-get install texlive-full

Create a note taking and reporting framework to facilitate reporting in real time

Create an empty repository to act as a reporting template and lay down the basic structure.

git init --bare reporttemplate.git
cd reporttemplate/
mkdir burpsessions
touch burpsessions/placeholder
mkdir portscanns
touch portscanns/placeholder
touch images/placeholder
touch notes.tex
touch kickoff.tex
touch report.tex
tree
.
├── burpsessions
│   └── placeholder
├── images
│   └── placeholder
├── kickoff.tex
├── notes.tex
├── portscanns
│   └── placeholder
└── report.tex

3 directories, 6 files

git add .
git commit -m 'setting basic structure'
git push

What's next?

In the next article we will flush out the and explore automation.