When it comes to security validation and continuous exposure management, Cymulate is a recognized platform offering Breach and Attack Simulations (BAS) and Attack Surface Management (ASM). However, for organizations seeking a more adaptive, real-time red teaming solution that deeply integrates both internal and external assessments, Pentest Copilot provides a better alternative. In this blog, we’ll highlight the key reasons why Pentest Copilot is the superior choice for organizations looking for advanced security validation, dynamic attack simulations, and customizable phishing awareness.
Cymulate’s Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) provides full kill-chain simulations across known attack paths, including Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) scenarios. However, these simulations are primarily predefined and do not adapt in real-time based on the specific vulnerabilities uncovered during a test.
Pentest Copilot, on the other hand, uses AI-driven, real-time simulations that continuously adapt to the environment. This means that as the platform uncovers new vulnerabilities, the attack path is dynamically adjusted, allowing for a more realistic and evolving red teaming experience.
While Cymulate offers Attack Surface Management (ASM) to monitor internal and external risks, Pentest Copilot takes internal assessments much further. Pentest Copilot includes advanced capabilities for Active Directory exploitation, lateral movement simulation, and multi-relay attacks—critical features for organizations with complex internal networks that need thorough validation.
Cymulate focuses heavily on the external attack surface, which is useful for identifying risks across assets, but it may fall short when it comes to deep internal network testing and post-exploitation scenarios. Pentest Copilot goes deeper, making it the better choice for teams looking to assess internal security controls comprehensively.
Cymulate provides comprehensive reports that include risk scores, attack summaries, and remediation guidance, mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework. While these reports are thorough, they can be static, reflecting only the state of the system at the time of testing.
Pentest Copilot offers dynamic attack graphs that evolve in real time, allowing security teams to visualize the attack paths as they unfold. This makes it easier to understand how multiple vulnerabilities can be chained together, and how attackers might pivot through your network. These evolving graphs provide continuous insights, helping teams track the progression of an attack scenario as it happens, making remediation efforts more immediate and effective.
Cymulate’s Phishing Awareness module enables organizations to test employee susceptibility to phishing attacks by simulating phishing campaigns and tracking user interactions. While this feature provides value in terms of employee training, it is relatively basic compared to Pentest Copilot’s fully customizable phishing simulation capabilities.
Pentest Copilot allows red teams to create tailored phishing campaigns based on real-world reconnaissance, tracking credential harvesting in real time and providing detailed reports on user interactions. This gives organizations a clearer picture of how susceptible their employees are to social engineering attacks, and how attackers could exploit the credentials obtained through these phishing attempts.
Cymulate offers cloud security validation for hybrid environments, focusing on detecting misconfigurations and vulnerabilities across AWS, Azure, and GCP. While this is a strong feature, Pentest Copilot goes beyond by offering contextual, cloud-integrated attack simulations that work seamlessly across on-premises and cloud environments. This makes it more adaptable for organizations that operate in hybrid environments, where threats often span both on-premises and cloud infrastructures.
| Feature | Pentest Copilot (BugBase) | Cymulate |
|---|---|---|
| Real-Time Adaptation | Continuously adapting attack simulations based on real-time discoveries | Predefined attack simulations with daily updates |
| Dynamic Attack Graphs | Real-time attack graphs visualizing kill chains and vulnerability pivot points | Static risk reports, mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework |
| Internal Network Testing | Advanced testing for AD exploitation, lateral movement, post-exploitation | Focuses on attack surface management with limited internal capabilities |
| Phishing Simulations | Fully customizable, real-time credential harvesting, advanced phishing tactics | Basic phishing simulation focused on employee awareness training |
| Cloud Penetration Testing | Hybrid cloud security testing with real-time context and vulnerability chaining | Cloud security validation, identifying misconfigurations and vulnerabilities |
| Full Kill-Chain Testing | Comprehensive, real-time kill chain simulations for both internal and external assets | Predefined full kill-chain scenarios, with APT simulations |
| Continuous Automated Red Teaming | Continuous red teaming with dynamic adjustments during engagements | CART with predefined attack paths and lateral movement scenarios |
| Vulnerability Prioritization | Real-time, context-driven vulnerability prioritization based on business impact | Contextual prioritization based on business impact and exposure risks |
| Compliance Reporting | Detailed, customizable reports mapped to MITRE ATT&CK, ISO, SOC2, and GDPR | Mapped to MITRE ATT&CK, customizable dashboards for different stakeholders |
Unlike Cymulate, which relies on predefined attack simulations, Pentest Copilot adjusts its testing methods in real-time, allowing for continuous red teaming that evolves with the environment. This dynamic approach ensures that vulnerabilities are identified and exploited as they appear, providing more accurate and actionable insights into an organization’s security posture.
Pentest Copilot excels with its real-time attack graphs, which evolve during a security assessment to visualize the full kill chain. Security teams can see how attack paths develop, understand pivot points, and track how multiple vulnerabilities can be chained together in real time. This offers clearer visibility and more actionable insights than Cymulate’s static reports.
While Cymulate offers phishing awareness tools, Pentest Copilot allows for fully customizable phishing simulations, giving red teams the ability to tailor campaigns to specific organizational contexts and track real-time credential harvesting. This provides a more comprehensive view of how attackers might exploit phishing tactics, offering deeper insights for remediation.
For organizations with complex internal networks, Pentest Copilot offers more advanced capabilities for Active Directory exploitation, multi-relay attacks, and lateral movement simulations. Cymulate, while strong in external attack surface management, may not offer the same level of depth for internal testing and post-exploitation analysis.
For organizations seeking a platform that provides real-time adaptability, dynamic attack graphs, and comprehensive internal and external testing, Pentest Copilot is the superior alternative to Cymulate. Its ability to continuously adapt and evolve attack paths, coupled with its customizable phishing simulations and deeper internal assessments, makes it the ideal choice for red teams, SOC analysts, and security professionals.
Whether you’re testing against the latest threats or simulating complex, multi-stage attacks, Pentest Copilot provides the tools necessary to stay ahead of cyber threats in real-time, making it the best alternative to Cymulate for continuous security validation.