Infection Monkey review
A focused, free tool for mapping internal propagation and testing ransomware scenarios.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Infection Monkey is an open-source breach and attack simulation tool for organizations assessing internal networks, data centers, open services, and cloud-based environments. It uses a Monkey Agent to scan systems, simulate propagation, and test selected attack techniques, while the Monkey Island web server provides centralized control, visualization, network maps, and security reports. It suits security teams that want to understand how an intrusion could move through internal infrastructure and where exposed services or credentials could create risk.
Its strongest capability is network-focused assessment. Infection maps show accessible services and propagation routes, while configurable scan depth, target allow lists, and blocked IPs help shape the scope of an exercise. Safe exploiters cover Log4Shell, PowerShell, Zerologon, WMI, SSH, SMB, MsSQL, and Hadoop. Teams can also test credential and SSH-key collection, ransomware behavior, and custom attack scenarios. Agents may run from the control server or manually on selected machines, supporting hybrid deployments across on-premises and cloud-based data centers.
The product is a good fit when the primary question is how an attack could spread inside an environment. Configuration import and export supports repeatable administration, and the centralized web interface brings maps and reports into one control point. Its focus is narrower than a platform built around broad integrations or a wider range of attack-simulation methods, so teams seeking extensive ecosystem coverage or ATT&CK-mapped exercises may prefer an alternative. Choose Infection Monkey for free, open-source internal propagation testing; look elsewhere when external exposure, integration breadth, or a broader framework-led workflow is the priority.
Infection Monkey pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Agent-based scanning maps services and propagation routes
- Safe exploiters cover Log4j, PowerShell, SSH, SMB, and more
- Ransomware, credential, SSH-key, and custom scenario testing
- Where it doesn't
- Primarily focused on internal networks and propagation
- Offers fewer integrations than broader BAS platforms
- ATT&CK mapping is not part of the described feature set
Infection Monkey fact sheet, pricing and score →
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