Nix Auditor alternatives

Looking for an alternative tool to replace Nix Auditor? During the review of Nix Auditor 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. Lynis (security scanner and compliance auditing tool)
  2. OpenSCAP (suite with tools and security data)
  3. YASAT (local security scanner)

These tools are ranked as the best alternatives to Nix Auditor.

Alternatives (by score)

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

    89

    OpenSCAP

    Introduction

    The OpenSCAP project provides a wide variety of hardening guides, configuration baselines, and tools to test for vulnerabilities and configuration issues. It uses SCAP as the protocol to store the underlying data.

    Project details

    OpenSCAP is written in C.

    Strengths and weaknesses

    • + More than 25 contributors
    • + The source code of this software is available
    • + Supported by a large company

      Typical usage

      • Security assessment
      • Vulnerability scanning

      OpenSCAP review

      70

      YASAT

      Introduction

      The YASAT tool performs a system scan to detect configuration issues and possible improvements for hardening the system. Typically you would use this on new and existing systems.

      Project details

      YASAT is written in shell script.

      Strengths and weaknesses

      • + Used language is shell script
      • - No updates for a while

      Typical usage

      • IT audit
      • Configuration audit
      • Security assessment

      YASAT review

      60

      otseca

      Introduction

      Tools like otseca help with data collection. This could be useful for system administrators to collect data on a regular interval. This data then can be compared with a future data capture. Another possibility is to use it during pentesting. In that case one should have already obtained root access, as the tool requires this as well.

      Project details

      otseca is written in shell script.

      Strengths and weaknesses

      • + The source code is easy to read and understand
      • + Tool is modular and extendable
      • + The source code of this software is available

        Typical usage

        • Configuration audit
        • Penetration testing
        • Security assessment

        otseca review

        60

        orthrus

        Introduction

        Orthrus is a security framework and auditing tool. It allows monitoring and analyzing security configurations across multiple environments.

        Project details

        orthrus is written in Golang.

        Strengths and weaknesses

        • + The source code of this software is available
        • - Project is in early phase and may be unstable

        Typical usage

        • Security assessment
        • Self-assessment
        • System hardening
        • Vulnerability scanning

        orthrus review

        60

        sysechk (System Security Checker)

        Introduction

        System Security Checker, or sysechk, is a tool to perform a system audit against a set of best practices. It uses a modular approach to test the system.

        Project details

        sysechk is written in shell script.

        Strengths and weaknesses

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

          Typical usage

          • IT audit
          • System hardening

          sysechk review

          68

          Cloud Security Suite (CS Suite)

          Introduction

          Cloud Security Suite (CS Suite) is a security toolkit that allows scanning Amazon, Google, and Azure cloud platforms. It leverages tools like Lynis, Prowler, and Scout2 to collect all information. The promise of the tool is to simplify the installation of the tools, their configuration, and the data collection.

          Project details

          Cloud Security Suite is written in Python.

          Strengths and weaknesses

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

          Typical usage

          • IT audit
          • Configuration audit
          • Penetration testing
          • System hardening

          Cloud Security Suite review

          64

          Zeus

          Introduction

          Zeus is a tool to perform a quick security scan of an AWS environment. It helps to find missing security controls, so additional system hardening measures can be applied to systems.

          Project details

          Zeus is written in shell script.

          Strengths and weaknesses

          • + Used language is shell script
          • + The source code of this software is available
          • - No releases on GitHub available

          Typical usage

          • Configuration audit
          • Security assessment
          • Self-assessment
          • System hardening

          Zeus review

          64

          JShielder

          Introduction

          JShielder is a security tool for Linux systems to make them more secure by adding system hardening measures.

          Project details

          JShielder is written in Python, shell script.

          Strengths and weaknesses

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

            Typical usage

            • System hardening

            JShielder review

            64

            LUNAR

            Introduction

            LUNAR is short for Lockdown UNix Auditing and Reporting and runs on the system itself.

            Project details

            LUNAR is written in shell script.

            Strengths and weaknesses

            • + The source code of this software is available

              Typical usage

              • Security assessment
              • Self-assessment
              • System hardening

              LUNAR review

              64

              seccheck

              Introduction

              Seccheck is a security scanner for Linux systems. It is originally written for SuSE Linux by Marc Heuse.

              Project details

              seccheck is written in shell script.

              Strengths and weaknesses

              • + The source code of this software is available
              • - Project looks outdated (old code or documentation)

              Typical usage

              • Security assessment
              • System hardening

              seccheck review

              76

              Clair

              Introduction

              The tool has been created by CoreOS and can scan containers of different formats. It analyzes them and determines available security weaknesses in the container.

              Project details

              Clair is written in Golang.

              Strengths and weaknesses

              • + The source code of this software is available

                Typical usage

                • Security assessment
                • Vulnerability scanning

                Clair review

                68

                Docker Bench for Security

                Introduction

                Docker Bench for Security is a small security scanner to perform several tests that are part of the Docker CIS benchmark.

                Project details

                Docker Bench for Security is written in shell script.

                Strengths and weaknesses

                • + More than 25 contributors
                • + Screen output is colored
                • + More than 3000 GitHub stars
                • + The source code of this software is available

                  Typical usage

                  • Application security
                  • Configuration audit
                  • Security assessment

                  Docker Bench for Security review

                  85

                  Prowler

                  Introduction

                  Prowler is a security tool to check systems on AWS against the related CIS benchmark. This benchmark provides a set of best practices for AWS. The primary usage for this tool is system hardening and compliance checking.

                  Project details

                  Prowler is written in shell script.

                  Strengths and weaknesses

                  • + More than 25 contributors
                  • + More than 500 GitHub stars
                  • + The source code of this software is available

                    Typical usage

                    • Compliance testing
                    • Security assessment
                    • System hardening

                    Prowler review

                    60

                    Scout2

                    Introduction

                    Scout2 is a security tool to assess the security of an AWS environment. It can be used for system hardening and IT audits.

                    Project details

                    Scout2 is written in Python.

                    Strengths and weaknesses

                    • + More than 10 contributors
                    • + More than 500 GitHub stars

                      Typical usage

                      • IT audit
                      • Security assessment
                      • Self-assessment
                      • System hardening

                      Scout2 review

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