Core Security Bundles and Suites is a commercial offensive security tool by Core Security. shad0w is a free offensive security tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best offensive security fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of NIST CSF 2.0 coverage, core features, integrations, company size fit, here is our conclusion:
Mid-market and enterprise red teams need Core Security Bundles and Suites when they're running adversary simulations that demand evasion capability and post-exploitation depth across multiple tool contexts. The integrated session passing between Core Impact, Cobalt Strike, and Outflank Security Tooling eliminates the friction of manual tool handoffs, and the centralized console cuts operator overhead in ways point solutions don't. This is overkill for organizations doing annual compliance pen tests; you're paying for operator certification and research lab access that only matter if your team is running continuous red team cycles against real infrastructure.
Red teamers and penetration testers running assessments in high-EDR environments will get the most from shad0w because its fileless execution and memory-resident design sidestep signature-based detection that catches conventional post-exploitation frameworks. The 2,169 GitHub stars reflect active community validation across red team operations where stealth matters more than feature breadth. Skip this if you need a framework covering initial access through exfiltration; shad0w assumes you're already inside and only handles the covert persistence and lateral movement phase.
Bundled offensive security suites combining pen testing, red teaming, and VM.
A post-exploitation framework designed to operate covertly on heavily monitored environments.
Access NIST CSF 2.0 data from thousands of security products via MCP to assess your stack coverage.
Access via MCPNo reviews yet
No reviews yet
Explore more tools in this category or create a security stack with your selections.
Common questions about comparing Core Security Bundles and Suites vs shad0w for your offensive security needs.
Core Security Bundles and Suites: Bundled offensive security suites combining pen testing, red teaming, and VM. built by Core Security. headquartered in United States. Core capabilities include Automated penetration testing via Core Impact, Advanced adversary simulation and red teaming via Cobalt Strike, Evasion-focused offensive tooling via Outflank Security Tooling (OST)..
shad0w: A post-exploitation framework designed to operate covertly on heavily monitored environments..
Both serve the Offensive Security market but differ in approach, feature depth, and target audience.
Get strategic cybersecurity insights in your inbox
