10 Open-Source Security Testing Tools For Your Website

From mini eateries to big-box retailers, from small organizations to federal bodies, cyberattackers are eyeing every small opportunity to steal valuable data on Personality Identifiable Information (PII). Whether it's Facebook or Equifax, a single vulnerability, a tiny flaw in the security system has caused them to lose both revenues and reputation.

If security incidents like these have taught us anything, it is that web security cannot be taken lightly and even the best of us are not safe from it. Web security testing tools are useful in proactively detecting application vulnerabilities and safeguarding websites against malicious attacks.

The two most effective ways to scrutinize the security status of a website are vulnerability assessment and penetration testing. Here is a list of top open-source tools popular among security testers:

1. NetSparker

NetSparker acts as a one-stop-shop for all web security needs. Available as both hosted as well as a self-hosted solution, this platform can be easily integrated completely in any type of test and dev environment. NetSparker has a trade-marked Proof-Based-Scanning technology that uses automation to identify vulnerabilities and verify false positives, thus eliminating the need for unnecessary investment of huge man-hours.

2. ImmuniWeb

ImmuniWeb is a next-gen platform that employs Artificial Intelligence to enable security testing. This AI-enabled penetration testing platform offers holistic benefits package for security teams, developers, CISOs, as well as CIOs. Having a one-click virtual patching system, this platform assists continuous compliance monitoring. It boasts a proprietary Multilayer Application Security Testing technology and checks a website for compliance, server hardening, and privacy.

3. Vega

It is a free, open-source vulnerability scanning and testing tool written in Java. Vega is GUI-enabled and works with OS X, Linux, and Windows platforms. It's an automated scanner powered by a website crawler that facilitates quick tests. The intercepting proxy aids tactical inspection by observing and monitoring client-server communication. Vega can detect web application vulnerabilities like blind SQL injection, Shell injection, reflected and stored cross-site scripting, etc. Its detection modules are written in JavaScript and can be used to create new attack modules as and when required with APIs.

4. Wapiti

Wapiti is a command-line application that crawls through webpages to detect such scripts and forms where a data can be injected. It performs a blackbox scan and injects payloads in the detected scripts to check if it is vulnerable. With support for both GET and POST HTTP attack methods, this tool generates vulnerability reports in various formats and features different levels of verbosity. It detects vulnerabilities like file disclosure, database injection, file inclusion, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), weak .htaccess configuration, etc. It is able to differentiate between permanent and reflected XSS vulnerabilities and raises warnings whenever an anomaly is found.

5. Google Nogotofail

It is a network traffic security testing tool. It checks applications for known TLS/SSL vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. Nogotofail provides a flexible and scalable way of scanning, identifying, and fixing weak SSL/TLS connections. It checks whether or not they are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle (MiTM) attacks. It can be set up as a router, VPN server or proxy server and works for Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, Chrome, OS, OSX, and any other device that is used to connect to the Internet.

6. Acunetix

Acunetix, with its vulnerability scanner, pioneered automated web application security testing. The Acunetix Vulnerability Scanner features innovative black-box scanning and SPA crawling techniques in the form of AcuSensor and DeepScan respectively. The multi-threaded, DeepScan crawler has the capability to run an uninterrupted scan of WordPress installation for over a thousand vulnerabilities. A Login Sequence Recorder enables the tool to scan password-protected fields, whereas an in-built vulnerability management system helps with the generation of various technical and compliance reports.

7. W3af

It is a web application audit and attack framework that is effective against over 200 vulnerabilities. By identifying vulnerabilities such as SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting, Guessable credentials, unhandled application errors, and PHP misconfigurations, it assists in limiting the total exposure of a website to malicious elements. With both graphical and console-based interface, W3af promises the possibility of audit a web app's security in less than five clicks. It can be used to send an HTTP request and cluster HTTP responses. If a website is protected, it can use authentication modules to scan them. Output can be logged into a console, a file or sent via email.

8. SQLMap

SQLMap is a penetration testing tool, powered by a detection engine for automating identification and exploitation of SQL injection flaws. Encompassing support for a broad spectrum of database management systems and SQL injection techniques, SQLMap automatically recognizes hash-based passwords and supports orchestration of a dictionary-based attack to crack them. With seven levels of verbosity support, it offers ETA support for each query and brings granularity and flexibility for both users' switches and features. Its fingerprint and enumeration features are valuable in streamlining an effective penetration test run.

9. ZED Attack Proxy (ZAP)

ZAP is a free, open-source penetration testing tool that is developed and maintained under the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) by several global volunteers. Suitable for both automated as well as manual security testing, ZAP is available for Windows, Unix/Linux, and Macintosh platforms. It stands as a "middle-man proxy" between a tester's browser and the web application and is used to intercept and moderate the transmitted messages. Its key features are traditional and AJAX spiders, Fuzzer, Web socket support, and a REST-based API.

10. BeEF (Browser Exploitation Framework)

BeEf stands for Browser Exploitation Framework and is helpful in detecting an application's weakness using browser vulnerabilities. It uses client-side attack vectors to verify the security of an application and can issue browser commands like redirection, changing URLs, generating dialogue boxes, etc. BeEf expands its scan circumference beyond the usual network perimeter and client system to analyze where does the security system stands of a web browser stands.