Vuls alternatives

Looking for an alternative tool to replace Vuls? During the review of Vuls 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. OpenVAS (vulnerability scanner)
  2. Archery (vulnerability assessment and management)
  3. Dagda (vulnerability scanner for Docker containers)

These tools are ranked as the best alternatives to Vuls.

Alternatives (by score)

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

    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

      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

        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

          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

            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

              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

                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

                  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

                  60

                  vulnix

                  Introduction

                  Tools like vulnix help with the detection of known weaknesses in packages by leveraging external resources. It can be used as an additional security layer on top of software patch management.

                  Project details

                  vulnix is written in Python.

                  Strengths and weaknesses

                  • + The source code of this software is available

                    Typical usage

                    • Vulnerability scanning

                    vulnix 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

                      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

                      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

                        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

                          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

                            60

                            BDA (Big Data Audit)

                            Introduction

                            BDA is a vulnerability scanner for big data tools like Hadoop and Spark. It searches for configuration weaknesses and reports them. Hadoop and Spark are one of the few applications that encounter a lot of data. So by securing these applications, a big leap can be made as it covers a lot of data.

                            Project details

                            BDA is written in Python.

                            Strengths and weaknesses

                            • + The source code of this software is available

                              Typical usage

                              • Application testing
                              • Vulnerability scanning
                              • Vulnerability testing

                              BDA 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

                              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

                                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

                                  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

                                    64

                                    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.

                                    Project details

                                    CMSeeK 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
                                    • Software exploitation
                                    • Software identification
                                    • Vulnerability scanning

                                    CMSeeK review

                                    60

                                    Jackhammer

                                    Introduction

                                    The tool uses RBAC (Role Based Access Control) with different levels of access. Jackhammer uses several tools to do dynamic and static code analysis (e.g. for Java, Ruby, Python, and Nodejs). It checks also for vulnerabilities in libraries. Due to its modular architecture, it can use several scanners out of the box, with options to add your own.

                                    The Jackhammer project was initially added to GitHub on the 8th of May, 2017.

                                    Project details

                                    Jackhammer is written in Ruby.

                                    Strengths and weaknesses

                                    • + The source code of this software is available

                                      Typical usage

                                      • Collaboration
                                      • Information sharing

                                      Jackhammer review

                                      64

                                      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

                                      78

                                      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

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