VulnWhisperer alternatives

Looking for an alternative tool to replace VulnWhisperer? During the review of VulnWhisperer 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

OpenVAS (vulnerability scanner)
Archery (vulnerability assessment and management)
LFI Suite (LFI scanner and exploiter)

These tools are ranked as the best alternatives to VulnWhisperer.

Alternatives (by score)

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

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

LFI Suite

Introduction

This tool is a useful addition to the pentesting toolbox of security professionals. It can help discover and exploit any local file inclusion weakness in applications. Upon success, a reverse shell can be used to get access to the system.

Project details

LFI Suite is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ The source code of this software is available

- Full name of author is unknown

Typical usage

Penetration testing
Web application analysis

LFI Suite 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

Nikto

Introduction

Nikto helps with performing security scans against web servers and to search for vulnerabilities in web applications.

Project details

Nikto is written in Perl.

Strengths and weaknesses

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

Typical usage

Penetration testing
Security assessment
Web application analysis

Nikto review

Pompem

Introduction

Pompem is written in Python and helps pentesters to search public sources for vulnerability information and a related exploit.

Sources

CXSecurity
National Vulnerability Database
PacketStorm security
Vulners
WPScan Vulnerability Database
ZeroDay

Project details

Pompem is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ The source code of this software is available

Typical usage

Vulnerability scanning

Pompem review

Seccubus

Introduction

Supported engines and tools:

Nessus
OpenVAS
Nmap
Nikto
Medusa
Qualys SSL labs
SkipFish
SSLyze
testssl.sh
ZAP

Project details

100

WPScan

Introduction

WPScan can scan WordPress installations and determine if there are vulnerabilities in a particular installation.

Project details

WPScan is written in Ruby.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ More than 25 contributors
+ More than 2000 GitHub stars
+ The source code of this software is available

- Software usage is restricted (e.g. commercially)

Typical usage

Penetration testing
Security assessment
Vulnerability scanning

WPScan review

vFeed

Introduction

vFeed consists of a database and utilities to store vulnerability data. It uses third-party references and data, which then can be used to see if a software component has a known vulnerability. The data itself is enriched by cross-checking it and store additional details about the vulnerabilities.

The vFeed tooling has an API available with JSON output. It can be used by security researchers and practitioners to validate vulnerabilities and retrieve all available details.

Project details

vFeed is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ Commercial support available
+ The source code of this software is available

Typical usage

Security assessment
Vulnerability scanning

vFeed review

vulnerability-alerter

Introduction

Vulnerability-alerter is a security tool to retrieve vulnerability data from NIST's database (NVD). This data can be used to discover recent vulnerabilities.

Project details

vulnerability-alerter is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ The source code of this software is available

Typical usage

Vulnerability management
Vulnerability testing

vulnerability-alerter review

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

Arachni

Introduction

Arachni is framework written in Ruby with focus on evaluating the security of web applications. Typical users include security professionals and system administrators.

The tooling is free and open source. Besides Linux, it also runs on macOS and Microsoft Windows.

Project details

Arachni is written in Ruby.

Strengths and weaknesses

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

Typical usage

Penetration testing
Security assessment
Web application analysis

Arachni review

Damn Small Vulnerable Web (DSVW)

Introduction

Damn Small Vulnerable Web (DWVW) is a deliberately vulnerable web application to test your exploitation skills. It provides developers and penetration testers a practice tool. For developers, it is good to see common mistakes and create more secure software. Pentesters will be able to improve vulnerability detection and improving their attacks. Hopefully with the end goal of achieving privilege escalation or unauthorized data retrieval.

Project details

Damn Small Vulnerable Web is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ The source code of this software is available

Typical usage

Application testing
Learning
Skill development
Vulnerability testing

Damn Small Vulnerable Web review

Pocsuite

Introduction

Pocsuite is a remote vulnerability testing and development framework. It can be used by penetration testers and vulnerability researchers.

Project details

Pocsuite is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

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

Typical usage

Vulnerability development
Vulnerability testing

Pocsuite review

SearchSploit

Introduction

SearchSploit is a small by OffensiveSecurity to search for exploits and related data in the exploit database (Exploit-DB). This may help penetration testers in their security assignments.

Project details

SearchSploit is written in shell script.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ The source code is easy to read and understand
+ Tool is easy to use
+ Used language is shell script

- Full name of author is unknown

Typical usage

Information gathering
Penetration testing
Service exploitation
System exploitation
Vulnerability testing

SearchSploit review

Vulnreport

Introduction

Vulnreport is a platform to deal with penetration test results. The tool formats them and provides actionable findings reports. The platform is strong in focusing on automation, to reduce the time spent by engineers.

Project details

Vulnreport is written in Ruby.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ The source code of this software is available

Typical usage

Security reviews
Vulnerability management
Vulnerability scanning

Vulnreport review

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

vuLnDAP

Introduction

VuLnDAP is a tool to show what can happen when a web application becomes vulnerable due to the business logic behind it. This tool uses LDAP, a common authentication protocol, to show such weaknesses. This tool helps penetration testers more about LDAP. At the same time, it provides useful insights to web and software developers to create more secure software.

Project details

vuLnDAP is written in Golang.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ The source code of this software is available

Typical usage

Application security
Learning
Penetration testing

vuLnDAP review

VulnFeed

Introduction

VulnFeed is a tool that sorts through vulnerability reports, providing a single report that is organized by the applications and services you are interested in.

Project details

VulnFeed is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ The source code of this software is available

Typical usage

Vulnerability management

VulnFeed review

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

AutoNessus (autonessus)

Introduction

This tool is useful to time scans, for example by having it run outside of business hours, and stop when the day starts.

Note: originally another tool was named AutoNessus. That is now Seccubus.

Project details

AutoNessus is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

+ The source code of this software is available

- No releases on GitHub available

Typical usage

Vulnerability scanning

AutoNessus review

CMSeeK

Introduction

CMSeeK is a security scanner for content management systems (CMS). It can perform a wide range of functions starting from the detection of the CMS, up to vulnerability scanning. The tool claims to support over 100 different CMS tools, with extensive support for the commonly used ones like Drupal, Joomla, and WordPress.

The scans performed by CMSeeK include version detection. It can also do enumeration of users, plugins, and themes. This might be useful to see what users or components are available. The tool includes admin page discovery, file discovery, and directory listing. Anything that might be useful to a penetration test or security assessment, might be displayed.