How a New Case Is Initialized in reverse‑skill: Complete PowerShell Bootstrap Guide

case-init.ps1 creates a structured work directory with validated scope, timeline, and workitems files by orchestrating master-route.ps1, enforcing the repository's authentication gate before any security testing ACT can execute.

The reverse-skill repository implements a disciplined, file-driven workflow for security research and penetration testing. Every engagement begins with formal case initialization—a mandatory step that provisions the work/<CaseName> directory structure and validates operational parameters according to RULES.md. This guide examines the initialization pipeline implemented in skills/scripts/case-init.ps1 and its dependencies.

How case-init.ps1 Bootstraps a Fresh Analysis Case

The initialization script serves as the single entry point for provisioning new engagements. It performs six sequential operations that transform a user hint into a governed workspace.

1. Resolve and Create the Working Directory

case-init.ps1 delegates path resolution to an internal helper, WorkRoot.ps1, which locates the repository-wide work folder and creates the case-specific subdirectory:

work\<CaseName>\

This directory becomes the canonical location for all case artefacts. Subsequent scripts—including case-guard.ps1 and append-evidence.ps1—depend on this predictable structure.

2. Validate the Case Name

Before any filesystem operations, case-init.ps1 applies strict validation rules to prevent path traversal and filesystem pollution. The script rejects:

• Wildcard characters (*, ?)
• Trailing whitespace
• Control characters

Invalid names trigger immediate termination with an explanatory error.

3. Invoke master-route.ps1 for Primary Skill Routing

The script passes the user-supplied -Hint (a one-sentence task description) to skills/scripts/master-route.ps1. This router analyzes the hint and produces route-scope.md containing:

• A primary-skill recommendation
• A basic timeline skeleton

This file feeds directly into the case artefacts created in step 4.

4. Populate Core Case Artefacts

case-init.ps1 atomically writes three mandatory markdown files using [System.IO.File]::WriteAllText with UTF-8 encoding:

File	Purpose	Source Contract
scope.md	Operational contract defining auth status, in-scope targets, network profile	skills/ops/scope-contract.md
timeline.md	Placeholder for engagement milestones	Derived from route-scope.md
workitems.md	Empty list for tracking actionable tasks	Repository template

The script copies route-scope.md into the case folder before populating these files, ensuring the primary skill recommendation persists.

5. Apply the Authentication and Networking Gate

case-init.ps1 implements the security gate mandated by RULES.md: no ACT (action) may execute until auth.status=granted and a valid network_profile exist.

With explicit parameters:

-AuthGranted -TargetUrl "https://target.example" -NetworkProfile authorized_target_only

The script pre-fills scope.md with:

• auth.status: granted
• in_scope: <TargetUrl>

Without parameters:

The script leaves placeholder values and prints a mandatory reminder:

1. Edit `scope.md` — set auth.status=granted and in_scope (or re-run with -AuthGranted -TargetUrl)
NEXT: fill scope.md auth + in_scope; then open PRIMARY SKILL.md

This mirrors the enforcement logic in case-guard.ps1, which validates scope.md before permitting any ACT execution.

6. Finalize with Diagnostics

The script concludes by:

• Echoing the absolute path to work\<CaseName>
• Listing all generated artefacts
• Aborting with detailed error context if any step fails

Practical Code Examples

Basic Initialization

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass `
          -File skills/scripts/case-init.ps1 `
          -Hint "web pentest of corporate portal" `
          -CaseName "corp-web-2024"

This creates:

• work\corp-web-2024\scope.md
• work\corp-web-2024\timeline.md
• work\corp-web-2024\workitems.md

Automated Pipeline Initialization

powershell -File skills/scripts/case-init.ps1 `
          -Hint "internal API audit" `
          -CaseName "api-audit-jan" `
          -AuthGranted `
          -TargetUrl "https://api.internal.company" `
          -NetworkProfile authorized_target_only

Post-execution verification checklist:

1. Open work\api-audit-jan\scope.md
2. Confirm auth.status: granted
3. Validate in_scope matches https://api.internal.company
4. Review PRIMARY SKILL.md for recommended tooling

Key Source Files and Their Roles

Understanding the initialization flow requires familiarity with these repository components:

• skills/scripts/case-init.ps1 — Core bootstrap script; orchestrates directory creation, routing, and artefact generation
• skills/scripts/master-route.ps1 — Generates initial skill routing and timeline data consumed by case-init.ps1
• skills/ops/scope-contract.md — Specification governing valid scope.md structure, including required fields for authentication status and network profile
• RULES.md — Mandates case-init execution before any ACT; defines the security gate enforced by case-init.ps1 and case-guard.ps1
• skills/scripts/case-guard.ps1 — Validates that scope.md exists and contains auth.status=granted before permitting ACT execution

Summary

The reverse-skill initialization pipeline guarantees reproducible, governed engagement setup:

• case-init.ps1 is the mandatory entry point for all new cases
• The script creates a structured work/<CaseName> directory with three core artefacts: scope.md, timeline.md, and workitems.md
• master-route.ps1 provides skill routing recommendations based on the -Hint parameter
• Authentication gating is enforced at initialization; cases without auth.status=granted cannot proceed to ACT execution
• All file writes are atomic and UTF-8 encoded, preventing corruption during concurrent access
• The implementation follows the contract defined in skills/ops/scope-contract.md and the rules in RULES.md

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I skip case-init.ps1 and try to run an ACT directly?

case-guard.ps1 will block execution. According to RULES.md, every ACT must be preceded by a valid scope.md with auth.status=granted. The guard script checks for this file and its required fields before allowing any action to proceed.

Can I rename a case after initialization?

The repository does not provide a native rename operation. You must manually move the work/<CaseName> directory and update any internal references. Future iterations of case-init.ps1 may add -Rename functionality, but this is not currently implemented.

How does master-route.ps1 determine the primary skill?

The router parses your -Hint string against embedded heuristics and produces route-scope.md with a recommended skill category and initial timeline. This recommendation is advisory; you may override it manually in scope.md before opening PRIMARY SKILL.md.

What network profiles are valid for -NetworkProfile?

Valid values are defined in skills/ops/scope-contract.md. Common profiles include authorized_target_only, corporate_lan, and airgapped. The profile affects which network behaviors are permitted during ACT execution and is validated by case-guard.ps1.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}