OpenSCAP alternatives

Looking for an alternative tool to replace OpenSCAP? During the review of OpenSCAP 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. JShielder (Linux hardening tool)
  3. Zeus (AWS auditing and hardening tool)

These tools are ranked as the best alternatives to OpenSCAP.

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

    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

      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

      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

      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

      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

      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

        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

          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

            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

              52

              Nix Auditor

              Introduction

              This fairly new tool is written in shell script to scan Linux systems with the focus on security auditing.

              Project details

              Nix Auditor is written in shell script.

              Strengths and weaknesses

              • + Used language is shell script
              • - Full name of author is unknown
              • - Unknown project license

              Nix Auditor review

              64

              Anchore Engine

              Introduction

              Anchore is a tool to help with discovering, analyzing and certifying container images. These images can be stored both on-premises or in the cloud. The tooling is mainly focused on developer so that perform analysis on their container images. Typical actions include running queries, creating reports, or set up policies for a continuous integration and deployment pipeline.

              Project details

              Anchore Engine is written in Python.

              Strengths and weaknesses

              • + More than 10 contributors
              • + Commercial support available
              • + More than 1000 GitHub stars
              • + The source code of this software is available

                Typical usage

                • System hardening

                Anchore Engine review

                60

                VHostScan

                Introduction

                Tools like VHostScan are powerful to perform reconnaissance and discover configuration defaults. This can be useful during penetration tests or security testing, to see if a system has been stripped from default pages. If not, this tool might discover them and provide valuable information about the system.

                Project details

                VHostScan is written in Python.

                Strengths and weaknesses

                • + The source code of this software is available

                  Typical usage

                  • Penetration testing
                  • Reconnaissance

                  VHostScan review

                  74

                  testssl.sh

                  Introduction

                  Key features of testssl.sh include:

                  • Clear output: you can tell easily whether anything is good or bad
                  • Ease of installation: It works for Linux, Darwin, FreeBSD, NetBSD and MSYS2/Cygwin out of the box: no need to install or configure something, no gems, CPAN, pip or the like.
                  • Flexibility: You can test any SSL/TLS enabled and STARTTLS service, not only webservers at port 443
                  • Toolbox: Several command line options help you to run YOUR test and configure YOUR output
                  • Reliability: features are tested thoroughly
                  • Verbosity: If a particular check cannot be performed because of a missing capability on your client side, you'll get a warning
                  • Privacy: It's only you who sees the result, not a third party
                  • Freedom: It's 100% open source. You can look at the code, see what's going on and you can change it.

                  Project details

                  testssl.sh is written in shell script.

                  Strengths and weaknesses

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

                    Typical usage

                    • Application testing
                    • Configuration audit

                    testssl.sh review

                    97

                    CloudSploit scans

                    Introduction

                    CloudSploit scans is an open source software project to test security risks related to an AWS account. It runs tests against your Amazon account and aims to discover any potential misconfigured setting or other risks.

                    Project details

                    CloudSploit scans is written in Node.js.

                    Strengths and weaknesses

                    • + More than 10 contributors
                    • + More than 500 GitHub stars
                    • + The source code of this software is available
                    • - No releases on GitHub available

                    Typical usage

                    • IT audit
                    • Configuration audit
                    • Security assessment

                    CloudSploit scans review

                    84

                    Kube-Bench

                    Introduction

                    Tools like Kube-Bench help with quickly checking configuration weaknesses or discovering bad defaults.

                    Project details

                    Kube-Bench is written in Golang.

                    Strengths and weaknesses

                    • + The source code of this software is available

                      Kube-Bench review

                      60

                      SSHsec

                      Introduction

                      SSHsec scans a system running the SSH protocol and retrieves its configuration, host keys, and Diffie-Hellman groups.

                      Project details

                      SSHsec is written in Python.

                      Strengths and weaknesses

                      • + The source code of this software is available

                        Typical usage

                        • Information gathering
                        • Penetration testing
                        • Security assessment

                        SSHsec review

                        60

                        iniscan

                        Introduction

                        Iniscan scans a given php.ini file and tests it against security best practices. It reports back the results by showing a Pass or Fail for each related test. As it is a command-line utility, it can be used in automated testing.

                        Project details

                        iniscan is written in PHP.

                        Strengths and weaknesses

                        • + More than 25 contributors
                        • + More than 1000 GitHub stars
                        • + The source code of this software is available

                          Typical usage

                          • Configuration audit
                          • Security assessment

                          iniscan 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

                            63

                            360-FAAR

                            Introduction

                            360-FAAR is a tool written in Perl to parse policies and logs from firewalls. It can compare firewall policies and translate between a policy and log data. Supported firewalls include Checkpoint FW1, Cisco ASA, and Netscreen ScreenOS.

                            Project details

                            360-FAAR is written in Perl.

                            Strengths and weaknesses

                            • + Project is mature (5+ years)
                            • + The source code of this software is available

                              Typical usage

                              • Firewall auditing
                              • Log analysis
                              • Security assessment
                              • Security reviews

                              360-FAAR 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

                                60

                                ssh_scan

                                Introduction

                                This tool is light on its dependencies, as it only uses Ruby and BinData. The scanner is simple to use, as it is limited in the number of parameters and options. There is also the ability to show the results on the screen or export the data to a JSON file. The latter is great if you want to do further processing of the details, or simply store them for later comparison.

                                Project details

                                ssh_scan is written in Ruby.

                                Strengths and weaknesses

                                • + More than 10 contributors
                                • + Many releases available
                                • + The source code of this software is available
                                • + Supported by a large company

                                  Typical usage

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

                                  ssh_scan review

                                  68

                                  pshtt

                                  Introduction

                                  Pshtt was developed to push organizations, including government departments, to adopt HTTPS across the enterprise.

                                  Project details

                                  pshtt is written in Python.

                                  Strengths and weaknesses

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

                                    Typical usage

                                    • Security assessment
                                    • Web application analysis

                                    pshtt review

                                    100

                                    Faraday

                                    Introduction

                                    Faraday helps teams to collaborate when working on penetration tests or vulnerability management. It stores related security information in one place, which can be easily tracked and tested by other colleagues.

                                    Project details

                                    Faraday is written in Python.

                                    Strengths and weaknesses

                                    • + Commercial support available
                                    • + More than 1000 GitHub stars
                                    • + The source code of this software is available

                                      Typical usage

                                      • Collaboration
                                      • Penetration testing
                                      • Security assessment
                                      • Vulnerability scanning

                                      Faraday review

                                      74

                                      WordPress Exploit Framework (WPXF)

                                      Introduction

                                      WordPress is still one of the most popular frameworks for websites. A variety of open source tools exist to assess the security of this content management system, and its themes and plugins.

                                      Project details

                                      WordPress Exploit Framework is written in Ruby.

                                      Strengths and weaknesses

                                      • + More than 500 GitHub stars
                                      • + The source code of this software is available
                                      • - Has longer learning curve

                                      Typical usage

                                      • Penetration testing
                                      • Security assessment
                                      • Vulnerability scanning
                                      • Web application analysis

                                      WordPress Exploit Framework review

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