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Custom Instructions

Custom instructions allow you to guide AIPTx’s AI agents with specific testing requirements, business context, and focus areas.

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Why Use Custom Instructions?

AIPTx’s AI agents are powerful, but they work even better with context about your application:
  • Business Logic - Explain critical workflows that need testing
  • Focus Areas - Direct attention to high-risk functionality
  • Exclusions - Prevent testing of sensitive operations
  • Context - Provide application-specific knowledge

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Basic Usage

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Command Line

aiptx scan https://example.com \
  --instructions "Focus on the payment flow. Test for price manipulation and checkout bypass."

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Configuration File

# aiptx.yaml
instructions: |
  This is an e-commerce application.

  Critical areas to test:
  - Payment processing at /checkout
  - User authentication at /login
  - Order management at /api/orders

  Business logic concerns:
  - Coupon code abuse
  - Inventory manipulation
  - Price tampering

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Instruction Categories

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Business Context

Provide context about your application: 
instructions: |
  Application Type: Healthcare patient portal

  User Roles:
  - Patient: Can view own records, schedule appointments
  - Doctor: Can view patient records, add notes
  - Admin: Full system access

  Sensitive Data:
  - Patient health records (PHI)
  - Payment information
  - Personal identifiers

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Focus Areas

Direct testing to specific functionality: 
instructions: |
  Priority Testing Areas:

  1. HIGH: Authentication System
     - Test password reset flow for account takeover
     - Check session management for fixation/hijacking
     - Verify MFA bypass attempts

  2. HIGH: API Authorization
     - Test IDOR on /api/users/{id}
     - Check horizontal privilege escalation
     - Verify role-based access controls

  3. MEDIUM: File Upload
     - Test /api/upload for malicious files
     - Check for path traversal
     - Verify file type validation

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Testing Constraints

Specify what to avoid: 
instructions: |
  DO NOT:
  - Test the /api/billing/charge endpoint (live payments)
  - Attempt to delete any data
  - Test user IDs above 1000 (production users)
  - Send more than 100 requests to /api/reports

  SAFE TEST DATA:
  - Use test user: [email protected]
  - Use test card: 4111111111111111
  - Use coupon codes starting with TEST_

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Vulnerability Specifics

Request specific vulnerability testing: 
instructions: |
  Specific Vulnerabilities to Test:

  SQL Injection:
  - Focus on search functionality at /api/search
  - Test filter parameters on /api/products
  - Check order_by parameter for injection

  XSS:
  - Test all user-generated content fields
  - Check profile name, bio, and comments
  - Test markdown rendering in /api/posts

  SSRF:
  - Test URL input at /api/fetch-preview
  - Check webhook configuration at /api/webhooks

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Advanced Instructions

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Multi-Step Workflows

Guide testing of complex flows: 
instructions: |
  Test the complete checkout workflow:

  1. Add items to cart
     - Endpoint: POST /api/cart/add
     - Test: Price manipulation, quantity overflow

  2. Apply discount
     - Endpoint: POST /api/cart/discount
     - Test: Invalid codes, expired codes, reuse

  3. Checkout
     - Endpoint: POST /api/checkout
     - Test: Race conditions, payment bypass

  4. Order confirmation
     - Endpoint: GET /api/orders/{id}
     - Test: IDOR to other users' orders

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Role-Based Testing

Test with different user contexts: 
instructions: |
  Test with multiple user roles:

  Anonymous User:
  - Should NOT access /api/users
  - Should NOT access /api/admin
  - Can access /api/products (read-only)

  Regular User ([email protected]):
  - Should access own profile only
  - Should NOT access other users' data
  - Should NOT access admin endpoints

  Admin User ([email protected]):
  - Test admin functionality thoroughly
  - Verify audit logging works
  - Check for privilege persistence

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API-Specific Instructions

For API testing: 
instructions: |
  GraphQL API Testing:

  - Test introspection at /graphql
  - Check for query depth limits
  - Test batch queries for DoS
  - Verify field-level authorization

  Specific Queries to Test:

  query {
    user(id: "FUZZ") {
      email
      password  # Should be forbidden
      orders {
        paymentInfo  # Should be forbidden
      }
    }
  }

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Best Practices

Instead of “test authentication,” specify:
  • Which endpoints handle auth
  • What auth methods are used
  • Known weak points to focus on
Help the AI understand your business:
  • What does your application do?
  • Who are your users?
  • What data is most sensitive?
Clearly state what NOT to test:
  • Production payment endpoints
  • Delete operations
  • Rate-limited services
Provide safe test credentials:
  • Test user accounts
  • API keys for testing
  • Sample data to use

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Example: Complete Configuration

# aiptx.yaml - Complete example
target:
  urls:
    - https://app.example.com
    - https://api.example.com

scan:
  mode: standard

authentication:
  type: bearer
  token: ${TEST_TOKEN}

instructions: |
  Application: SaaS project management tool

  User Roles:
  - Viewer: Read-only access to assigned projects
  - Member: Can create/edit tasks in assigned projects
  - Admin: Full project management, user management
  - Super Admin: System-wide access

  Critical Endpoints:
  - POST /api/projects - Project creation (test authz)
  - PUT /api/users/{id}/role - Role changes (test privilege escalation)
  - DELETE /api/projects/{id} - Project deletion (test IDOR)

  Business Logic:
  - Users should only see projects they're assigned to
  - Only admins can invite new users
  - Billing is handled by Stripe (don't test /api/billing)

  Test Users:
  - [email protected] (Viewer role, Project ID: 1)
  - [email protected] (Member role, Project IDs: 1, 2)
  - [email protected] (Admin role, all projects)

  DO NOT:
  - Test with user IDs > 100
  - Call DELETE endpoints
  - Test /api/webhooks/stripe (production)