Web Application Vulnerability Scanners are automated tools that scan web applications, normally from the outside, to look for security vulnerabilities such as Cross-site scripting, SQL Injection, Command Injection, Path Traversal and insecure server configuration.
This category of tools is frequently referred to as Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) Tools. A large number of both commercial and open source tools of this type are available and all of these tools have their own strengths and weaknesses. If you are interested in the effectiveness of DAST tools, check out the OWASP Benchmark project, which is scientifically measuring the effectiveness of all types of vulnerability detection tools, including DAST.
Here we provide a list of vulnerability scanning tools currently available in the market.
Disclaimer: The tools listing in the table below are presented in alphabetical order. OWASP does not endorse any of the Vendors or Scanning Tools by listing them in the table below.
OWASP is aware of the Web Application Vulnerability Scanner Evaluation Project (WAVSEP). WAVSEP is completely unrelated to OWASP and we do not endorse its results, nor any of the DAST tools it evaluates. However, the results provided by WAVSEP may be helpful to someone interested in researching or selecting free and/or commercial DAST tools for their projects. This project has far more detail on DAST tools and their features than this OWASP DAST page.
| Name/Link | Owner | License | Platforms | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Scan | MisterScanner | Commercial | SaaS | |
| Acunetix | Acunetix | Commercial | Windows, Linux, MacOS | Free (Limited Capability) |
| APIsec | APIsec | Commercial | SaaS | Free limited API Pen Test |
| App Scanner | Trustwave | Commercial | Windows | |
| AppCheck Ltd. | AppCheck Ltd. | Commercial | SaaS | Free trial scan available |
| AppScan | HCL Software | Commercial | Windows | |
| AppScan on Cloud | HCL Software | Commercial | SaaS | |
| AppSpider | Rapid7 | Commercial | Windows | |
| AppTrana Website Security Scan | AppTrana | Free | SaaS | |
| Arachni | Arachni | Free | Most platforms supported | Free for most use cases |
| Astra Security Suite | Astra Security | Free | SaaS | Paid Option Available |
| Beagle Security | Beagle Security | Commercial | SaaS | Free (Limited Capability) |
| beSECURE (formerly AVDS) | Beyond Security | Commercial | SaaS | Free (Limited Capability) |
| BlueClosure BC Detect | BlueClosure | Commercial | Most platforms supported | 2 week trial |
| BREACHLOCK Dynamic Application Security Testing | BREACHLOCK | Commercial | SaaS | |
| Burp Suite | PortSwiger | Commercial | Most platforms supported | Free (Limited Capability) |
| CloudDefense | CloudDefense | Commercial | SaaS or On-Premises | CloudDefense DAST integrates with any CI/CD with just 1 line of code. It supports multiple authentication types. Perform deep DAST scans with ease. |
| Contrast | Contrast Security | Commercial | SaaS or On-Premises | Free (Full featured for 1 App) |
| Crashtest Security | Crashtest Security | Commercial | SaaS or On-Premises | |
| Cyber Chief | Audacix | Commercial | SaaS or On-Premises | |
| Deepfence ThreatMapper | Deepfence | Open Source | Linux | Apache v2 |
| Deepfence ThreatStryker | Deepfence | Commercial | Linux, Windows | |
| Detectify | Detectify | Commercial | SaaS | |
| Digifort- Inspect | Digifort | Commercial | SaaS | |
| Edgescan | Edgescan | Commercial | SaaS | |
| GamaScan | GamaSec | Commercial | Windows | |
| GoLismero | GoLismero Team | Open Source | Windows, Linux and Macintosh | GPLv2.0 |
| Grabber | Romain Gaucher | Open Source | Python 2.4, BeautifulSoup and PyXML | |
| Grendel-Scan | David Byrne | Open Source | Windows, Linux and Macintosh | |
| HostedScan.com | HostedScan.com | Commercial | SaaS | Free Forever |
| IKare | ITrust | Commercial | N/A | |
| ImmuniWeb | High-Tech Bridge | Commercial | SaaS | Free (Limited Capability) |
| Indusface Web Application Scanning | Indusface | Commercial | SaaS | Free trial available |
| InsightVM | Rapid7 | Commercial | SaaS | Free trial available |
| Intruder | Intruder Ltd. | Commercial | ||
| IOTHREAT | IOTHREAT | Commercial | SaaS | Free (View Partial Results). Full report (PRO) - 50% discount for the OWASP community with 'OWASP50'. |
| K2 Security Platform | K2 Cyber Security | Commercial | SaaS/On-Premise | Free trial available |
| Mayhem for API | ForAllSecure | Commercial | SaaS | 30-day Free Trial |
| N-Stealth | N-Stalker | Commercial | Windows | |
| Nessus | Tenable | Commercial | Windows | |
| Netsparker | Netsparker | Commercial | Windows | |
| Nexploit | NeuraLegion | Commercial | SaaS | |
| Nexpose | Rapid7 | Commercial | Windows/Linux | Free (Limited Capability) |
| Nikto | CIRT | Open Source | Unix/Linux | |
| Nmmapper Tool Collections | Nmmapper | Commercial | SasS | Great Collection of Kali Tool hosted online |
| Nuclei | ProjectDiscovery | Open Source | Windows, Unix/Linux, and Macintosh | Fast and customisable vulnerability scanner based on simple YAML based DSL. |
| OpenVAS by Greenbone | greenbone | Open Source | Linux | Open source full-featured vulnerability scanner, developed and maintained by Greenbone Networks GmbH. |
| Probely | Probely | Commercial | SaaS | Free (Limited Capability) |
| Proxy.app | Websecurify | Commercial | Macintosh | |
| purpleteam | OWASP | Open Source | CLI and SaaS | GNU-AGPL v3 |
| QualysGuard | Qualys | Commercial | N/A | |
| ReconwithMe | Nassec | Commercial | SaaS | Paid Option Available |
| Retina | BeyondTrust | Commercial | Windows | |
| Ride (REST JSON Payload fuzzer) | Adobe, Inc. | Open Source | Linux / Mac / Windows | Apache 2 |
| ScanRepeat | Ventures CDX | Commercial | SaaS | |
| ScanTitan Vulnerability Scanner | ScanTitan | Commercial | SaaS | Free (Limited Capability) |
| Sec-helpers | VWT Digital | Open Source or Free | N/A | |
| SecPoint Penetrator | SecPoint | Commercial | N/A | |
| Security For Everyone | Security For Everyone | Commercial | SaaS | Free (Limited Capability) |
| Securus | Orvant, Inc | Commercial | N/A | |
| Sentinel | WhiteHat Security | Commercial | N/A | |
| SmartScanner | SmartScanner | Commercial | Windows | Free (Limited Capability) |
| SOATest | Parasoft | Commercial | Windows / Linux / Solaris | |
| StackHawk | StackHawk | Commercial | SaaS | |
| Tinfoil Security | Synopsys | Commercial | SaaS or On-Premises | Free (Limited Capability) |
| Trustkeeper Scanner | Trustwave SpiderLabs | Commercial | SaaS | |
| Vega | Subgraph | Open Source | Windows, Linux and Macintosh | |
| Vex | UBsecure | Commercial | Windows | |
| w3af | w3af.org | Open Source | Linux and Mac | GPLv2.0 |
| Wapiti | Informática Gesfor | Open Source | Windows, Unix/Linux and Macintosh | |
| Web Security Scanner | DefenseCode | Commercial | On-Premises | |
| WebApp360 | TripWire | Commercial | Windows | |
| WebCookies | WebCookies | Free | SaaS | |
| WebInspect | Micro Focus | Commercial | Windows | |
| WebReaver | Websecurify | Commercial | Macintosh | |
| WebScanService | German Web Security | Commercial | N/A | |
| Websecurify Suite | Websecurify | Commercial | Windows, Linux, Macintosh | Free (Limited Capability) |
| Website Security Check | CyberAnt | Commercial | SaaS | 20% off with OWASP20 |
| WPScan | WPScan Team | Commercial | Linux and Mac | Free options |
| Zed Attack Proxy | OWASP | Open Source | Windows, Unix/Linux, and Macintosh | Apache-2.0 |
- SAST Tools - OWASP page with similar information on Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Tools
- Free for Open Source Application Security Tools - OWASP page that lists the Commercial Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools we know of that are free for Open Source
- http://sectooladdict.blogspot.com/ - Web Application Vulnerability Scanner Evaluation Project (WAVSEP)
- http://projects.webappsec.org/Web-Application-Security-Scanner-Evaluation-Criteria - v1.0 (2009)
- http://www.slideshare.net/lbsuto/accuracy-and-timecostsofwebappscanners - White Paper: Analyzing the Accuracy and Time Costs of WebApplication Security Scanners - By Larry Suto (2010)
- http://samate.nist.gov/index.php/Web_Application_Vulnerability_Scanners.html - NIST home page which links to: NIST Special Publication 500-269: Software Assurance Tools: Web Application Security Scanner Functional Specification Version 1.0 (21 August, 2007)
- http://www.softwareqatest.com/qatweb1.html#SECURITY - A list of Web Site Security Test Tools. (Has both DAST and SAST tools)
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To the extent possible under law, Paul Veillard has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this work.