Cymrix vs Infection Monkey

Cymrix is a cloud, agent-based breach and attack simulation platform for measuring and improving cyber resilience. It simulates ransomware activity to assess prevention and detection tools, while Attack Path Validation uses the MITRE framework to discover and visualize routes an attacker could take through systems and accounts. Coverage includes networks, Windows Active Directory and IoT devices. The platform identifies exploitable vulnerabilities, incorrect configurations, obtainable credentials and product defaults. Reports show step-by-step lateral attack paths and offer guidance on data separation, network segmentation and user permissions. Deployment starts with a lightweight agent on a designated “Patient Zero” device. Its Ransomware Impact Assessment is a consultative engagement combining evaluation, training, customized simulations and reporting; simulations run across the cyber kill chain on one customer-selected Windows device. Listed uses include posture assessment, training, third-party risk, incident response testing and insurance-related ransomware assessment. Pricing is on request and there is no free plan.

Infection Monkey is an open-source breach and attack simulation tool for checking data center resilience to perimeter breaches and internal server infection. Monkey Agent scans systems and simulates attack techniques, while Monkey Island Server provides a command-and-control web interface. The tool maps visible machines, accessible services, and possible routes through a network, then reports security issues the agents discover or exploit. It supports on-premises environments, containers, and public and private clouds. The documented AWS integration uses Systems Manager to run Infection Monkey on EC2 instances, and plugins can be installed, updated, removed, or uploaded through the Monkey Island interface. Internet access is not required; when available, it is used to check for updates and whether machines can reach the internet. The FAQ says sensitive data is encrypted in the Island database and sent to agents over HTTPS, and that first launch requires creating credentials for access to the server. It also says the tool avoids exploits or attacks that may affect target systems, including EternalBlue. The Free plan is free.