BDA alternatives

Looking for an alternative tool to replace BDA? During the review of BDA we looked at other open source tools. Based on their category, tags, and text, these are the ones that have the best match.

Top 3

  1. Archery (vulnerability assessment and management)
  2. Bash Scanner (vulnerable package detection for Linux)
  3. Dagda (vulnerability scanner for Docker containers)

These tools are ranked as the best alternatives to BDA.

Alternatives (by score)

93

Archery

Introduction

Archery is a tool that helps to collect data about vulnerabilities within an environment. Instead of focusing on the actual scanning, it allows managing findings in a web-based interface. This includes options like reporting, searching, and dashboards. It can interact with other tools, including the well-known vulnerability scanners.

Project details

Archery is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

  • + More than 500 GitHub stars
  • + The source code of this software is available

    Typical usage

    • Penetration testing
    • Vulnerability management
    • Vulnerability scanning
    • Vulnerability testing

    Archery review

    60

    Bash Scanner

    Introduction

    Bash Scanner is a security tool that does a quick scan to see if there are vulnerable packages. It uses an external service to validate.

    Project details

    Bash Scanner is written in shell script.

    Strengths and weaknesses

    • + Used language is shell script
    • + The source code of this software is available

      Typical usage

      • Security assessment
      • Security monitoring

      Bash Scanner review

      60

      Dagda

      Introduction

      The main reasons to use Dagda is the detection of vulnerable or malicious components within your containerized environment.

      Project details

      Dagda is written in Python.

      Strengths and weaknesses

      • + The source code of this software is available

        Typical usage

        • Malware detection
        • Malware scanning
        • Vulnerability management
        • Vulnerability scanning

        Dagda review

        78

        Intrigue Core

        Introduction

        Intrigue Core provides a framework to measure the attack surface of an environment. This includes discovering infrastructure and applications, performing security research, and doing vulnerability discovery.

        Intrigue also allows enriching available data and perform OSINT research (open source intelligence). The related scans include DNS subdomain brute-forcing, email harvesting, IP geolocation, port scanning, and using public search engines like Censys, Shodan, and Bing.

        Project details

        Intrigue Core is written in Ruby.

        Strengths and weaknesses

        • + More than 500 GitHub stars
        • + The source code of this software is available

          Typical usage

          • OSINT research
          • Asset discovery
          • Attack surface measurement
          • Intelligence gathering
          • Penetration testing
          • Security assessment

          Intrigue Core review

          64

          JexBoss

          Introduction

          JexBoss is a security tool to verify and exploit vulnerabilities in JBoss applications. It can be used for security assignments and pentests.

          Project details

          JexBoss is written in Python.

          Strengths and weaknesses

          • + The source code of this software is available
          • - No releases on GitHub available

          Typical usage

          • Application security
          • Application testing
          • Penetration testing
          • Vulnerability scanning

          JexBoss review

          100

          Lynis

          Introduction

          Lynis is an open-source security auditing tool that is available since 2007 and created by Michael Boelen. Its primary goal is to evaluate the security defenses of systems running Linux or other flavors of Unix. It provides suggestions to install, configure, or correct any security measures.

          Project details

          Lynis is written in shell script.

          Strengths and weaknesses

          • + The source code is easy to read and understand
          • + More than 100 contributors
          • + More than 8000 GitHub stars
          • + Tool is easy to use
          • + Available as package (simplified installation)
          • + Commercial support available
          • + Used language is shell script
          • + Very low number of dependencies
          • + Project is mature (10+ years)
          • + The source code of this software is available

            Typical usage

            • IT audit
            • Penetration testing
            • Security assessment
            • System hardening
            • Vulnerability scanning

            Lynis review

            78

            Nmap

            Introduction

            Nmap is short for "Network Mapper". It is a free and open source utility for network discovery and security auditing. It was release in September of 1997 by Gordon Lyon, commonly known under his pseudonym "Fyodor".

            Project details

            Nmap is written in C, C++, Lua, Python.

            Strengths and weaknesses

            • + Project is mature (10+ years)
            • + The source code of this software is available
            • + Well-known author
            • + Well-known tool
            • - Software usage is restricted (e.g. commercially)

            Typical usage

            • Network scanning
            • Vulnerability scanning

            Nmap review

            97

            OpenVAS

            Introduction

            OpenVAS is an open source vulnerability scanner that emerged from when Nessus became closed source in October of 2005.

            Project details

            OpenVAS is written in C.

            Strengths and weaknesses

            • + The source code of this software is available
            • + Well-known tool

              Typical usage

              • Penetration testing
              • Security assessment
              • Vulnerability scanning

              OpenVAS review

              97

              Safety

              Introduction

              When having applications deployed in your environment, not all of those may be installed via a package manager. When your infrastructure grows, it becomes even harder to know which tools are properly patched and which ones are not. For Python applications, this is where Safety comes in that can help scan installed software components via pip. It will also look at any of the dependencies that are installed.

              Project details

              Safety is written in Python.

              Strengths and weaknesses

              • + More than 10 contributors
              • + The source code of this software is available

                Typical usage

                • Penetration testing
                • Security assessment
                • Security monitoring
                • Vulnerability scanning

                Safety review

                64

                Tulpar

                Introduction

                Tulpar is a vulnerability scanner that can be used to test new or existing web applications. In the former case, it could be helpful to test a new project before it is deployed into production. This could be done by the developer or a security professional. If some web application is already in production, then it might be a good tool to perform regular testing on known vulnerabilities. In this case, it is typically a pentester or security specialist that does the testing.

                Project details

                Tulpar is written in Python.

                Strengths and weaknesses

                • + The source code of this software is available
                • - Minimal or no documentation available

                Typical usage

                • Application security
                • Application testing
                • Web application analysis

                Tulpar review

                64

                VScan

                Introduction

                Vscan is a security tool to perform vulnerability scanning with Nmap. It leverages NSE scripts to provide some flexibility in terms of vulnerability detection and exploitation.

                Project details

                VScan is written in shell script.

                Strengths and weaknesses

                • + The source code of this software is available

                  Typical usage

                  • Backdoor detection
                  • Vulnerability scanning

                  VScan review

                  64

                  Vane

                  Introduction

                  Vane is a forked project of the now non-free popular WordPress vulnerability scanner WPScan.

                  Project details

                  Vane is written in Ruby.

                  Strengths and weaknesses

                  • + More than 25 contributors
                  • + The source code of this software is available

                    Typical usage

                    • Application security
                    • Web application analysis

                    Vane review

                    100

                    Vuls

                    Introduction

                    Vuls is a vulnerability scanner for Linux and FreeBSD. It is written in Go, agentless, and can use a remote login to find any software vulnerabilities. It has multiple levels of scanning, from a fast scan up to a deep scan with extensive analysis.

                    Project details

                    Vuls is written in Golang.

                    Strengths and weaknesses

                    • + More than 50 contributors
                    • + More than 5000 GitHub stars
                    • + The source code of this software is available

                      Typical usage

                      • System hardening
                      • Vulnerability scanning

                      Vuls review

                      97

                      Wapiti

                      Introduction

                      Wapiti is typically used to audit web applications.

                      Project details

                      Wapiti is written in Python.

                      Strengths and weaknesses

                      • + Project is mature (10+ years)
                      • + The source code of this software is available
                      • + Well-known tool

                        Typical usage

                        • Application fuzzing
                        • Vulnerability scanning
                        • Web application analysis

                        Wapiti review

                        60

                        Whitewidow

                        Introduction

                        Whitewidow is a security tool to perform automated SQL vulnerability scans. It can be used during penetration tests or for security assessments.

                        Project details

                        Whitewidow is written in Ruby.

                        Strengths and weaknesses

                        • + More than 500 GitHub stars
                        • + The source code of this software is available

                          Typical usage

                          • Application security
                          • Penetration testing
                          • Vulnerability scanning

                          Whitewidow review

                          64

                          Yasuo

                          Introduction

                          Yasuo is a Ruby script that scans for vulnerable and exploitable third-party web applications. There are many remotely exploitable vulnerabilities for web applications and their front-end components. Yasuo helps to make it easier to scan for the weaknesses like remote code execution (RCE), SQL injections, and file inclusions.

                          Project details

                          Yasuo is written in Ruby.

                          Strengths and weaknesses

                          • + The source code of this software is available

                            Typical usage

                            • Penetration testing
                            • Vulnerability scanning
                            • Web application analysis

                            Yasuo review

                            60

                            arch-audit

                            Introduction

                            Arch-audit is a small utility that scans the system for known vulnerabilities on Arch Linux. It can be used by users of the Linux distribution to know when to update and what packages have weaknesses. With Arch Linux being a rolling distribution, this may improve the interval or timing of software patching.

                            Project details

                            arch-audit is written in Rust.

                            Strengths and weaknesses

                            • + The source code of this software is available

                              Typical usage

                              • Software management
                              • Vulnerability scanning

                              arch-audit review

                              68

                              flunym0us

                              Introduction

                              Flunym0us is a security scanner for WordPress and Moodle installations. The tool tests the security of the installation by performing enumeration attempts.

                              Project details

                              flunym0us is written in Python.

                              Strengths and weaknesses

                              • + The source code of this software is available

                                Typical usage

                                • Vulnerability scanning
                                • Web application analysis

                                flunym0us review

                                78

                                vulscan

                                Introduction

                                Vulscan is a vulnerability scanner which uses the well-known Nmap tool. By enhancing it with offline data from VulDB, it allows for detecting vulnerabilities. The database itself based on information from multiple sources.

                                Project details

                                vulscan is written in Lua.

                                Strengths and weaknesses

                                • + The source code of this software is available
                                • - No releases on GitHub available

                                Typical usage

                                • Penetration testing
                                • Security assessment
                                • Vulnerability scanning
                                • Vulnerability testing

                                vulscan review

                                64

                                w3af

                                Introduction

                                W3af is an open source web application attack and audit framework and helps in scanning for vulnerabilities. The tool comes with both a graphical user interface (GUI) and command line utility. Some of the project files include a copyright line of 2006. That gives a good idea on the maturity of the project, and it is one of the rare tools that is still maintained after so many years.

                                Project details

                                w3af is written in Python.

                                Strengths and weaknesses

                                • + Tool is modular and extendable
                                • + More than 2000 GitHub stars
                                • + The source code of this software is available

                                  Typical usage

                                  • Application security
                                  • Application testing
                                  • Penetration testing
                                  • Vulnerability scanning
                                  • Web application analysis

                                  w3af review

                                  Some relevant tool missing as an alternative to BDA? Please contact us with your suggestion.