Best 11 Vulnerability Scanning Software For Business (2026)
We reviewed the leading vulnerability scanning platforms on scan coverage, detection accuracy, and how well each integrates threat intelligence to help teams prioritize fixes based on real-world exploitability.
Written by
Joel Witts
Technical Review by
Laura Iannini
Vulnerability scanning software automatically discovers and assesses security weaknesses across networks, systems, and applications, with threat intelligence integration determining how accurately platforms help teams prioritize what to fix first. Undetected vulnerabilities are the primary entry point for ransomware and targeted attacks. We reviewed the top platforms and found RapidFireTools VulScan, ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus, and Edgescan Network Vulnerability Management to be the strongest on scan coverage and exploitability-based prioritization.
Vulnerability scanning has become table stakes for security programs. The challenge is that too much of the work happens after scanning completes. You get thousands of findings, most of which are false positives or already mitigated. Your team spends days triaging noise instead of fixing real issues. Meanwhile, true exploitable vulnerabilities hide in the findings pile, waiting for an attacker to find them.
The right vulnerability scanning platform automates detection, reduces noise through intelligent prioritization, and integrates with remediation workflows so your team can move from detection to fix without manual handoffs. It should work for your infrastructure whether you’re running on-premises networks, cloud workloads, web applications, or containers. Get it wrong, and you’re either drowned in false positives or blind to critical risks because you skipped scanning certain asset types.
We evaluated 11 vulnerability scanning solutions across network scanning, web application testing, cloud workload assessment, false positive management, remediation integration, and operational efficiency. We reviewed customer feedback on deployment simplicity, support quality, and scanning accuracy across diverse infrastructure types. What we found is that the gap between scanners that just flag vulnerabilities and those that drive actual remediation is substantial.
This guide gives you the testing insights and decision framework to match the right vulnerability scanner to your infrastructure mix, team resources, and remediation workflows.
What is Application Security?
Vulnerability scanning is the automated process of checking your networks, systems, and applications for known security weaknesses that an attacker could exploit. A scanner works through your assets, compares what it finds against databases of known flaws and misconfigurations, and produces a list of issues ranked by how serious they are. Think of it as a regular health check for your IT environment. The goal is to find the weak points, such as missing patches, exposed services, or insecure settings, and fix them before an attacker uses them to get in.
Vulnerability scanners discover assets across networks, endpoints, web applications, cloud workloads, and containers, then assess each against databases of known vulnerabilities (CVEs), misconfigurations, and compliance benchmarks. Scans can be unauthenticated, probing from the outside as an attacker would, or authenticated, using credentials to inspect installed software and configuration in depth. Coverage may be agent-based, agentless, or a hybrid, with the trade-off being deployment overhead versus the continuous visibility agents provide.
The hard part is not detection but prioritization. A large estate generates thousands of findings, many of them false positives or already mitigated, so modern platforms layer threat intelligence on top of raw CVSS scores. Feeds such as CISA KEV and EPSS, plus exploit availability, asset criticality, and network exposure, surface the vulnerabilities most likely to be attacked. The strongest tools then close the loop into remediation, integrating with patch management and ticketing systems so findings flow to the right owner, and generate audit-ready reporting mapped to frameworks like PCI DSS, HIPAA, and CIS.
Vulnerability Scanning Software Compared
Here is how the top vulnerability scanning platforms compare on best fit and core coverage.
| Product | Best For | Network Scanning | Web App Scanning | Cloud Workloads | Agentless Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
RapidFire Tools VulScan
|
MSP-friendly network scanning
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus
|
Integrated scanning and patching
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Edgescan
|
Expert-validated continuous testing
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Acunetix
|
Web application security
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
HCL AppScan
|
Broad enterprise AppSec coverage
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Intruder
|
Lean teams wanting continuous coverage
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Invicti
|
Enterprise web app and ASPM orchestration
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
PortSwigger Burp Suite
|
Hands-on web application testing
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Rapid7 InsightVM
|
Risk-based prioritization at scale
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Tenable Nessus
|
Deep scanning accuracy and coverage
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Wiz Vulnerability Management
|
Cloud-native risk prioritization
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
How We Tested
Expert Insights is an independent editorial team, and no vendor can pay to influence our reviews. We evaluated 11 vulnerability scanning platforms, assessing detection accuracy, false positive rates, and remediation guidance through hands-on testing and customer feedback. This guide was written by Alex Zawalnyski, Journalist and Content Editor, and technically reviewed by Laura Iannini, Cybersecurity Analyst at Expert Insights. Read our full methodology
Kaseya
Best for MSPs prioritizing multi-tenant network scanning
RapidFireTools is an automated IT risk management platform from Kaseya that provides products for network scanning, critical IT change detection, IT governance risk and compliance, and network vulnerability management. VulScan enables teams to discover, prioritize, and manage both internal and external vulnerabilities with scanning across on-prem, agent-based, remote proxy, and hosted external scanners.
- Combines on-prem internal network scanning, computer-based discovery agents, remote proxy-based internal scanning, and hosted external scanners to build a picture of network weaknesses
- Presents detailed data and actionable remediation plans
- Clean, fast admin console with a detailed overview of scan results including vulnerabilities by device, risk score over time, high-risk users, and critical CVEs found
- Email alerts for scan results and high-risk vulnerabilities
- Multi-tenant management with no limit to the number of scanners used per environment, fully rebrandable and white-labeled for partners
- Additional RapidFireTools products, including the GRC solution, set up via the same admin interface
We recommend RapidFireTools VulScan as a strong vulnerability scanning platform, especially for MSPs prioritizing detailed reports, alerting, actionable remediation, and scalable multi-tenant support. The white-labeling and unlimited scanner deployment per environment is good to see.
Strengths
Cautions
Zoho Corporation
Best for Organizations needing scanning combined with automated patching
ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus is a vulnerability scanning, compliance, and remediation tool that provides visibility into security risks including security misconfigurations, web server misconfigurations, and harmful software. The platform supports remediation and mitigation of detected vulnerabilities across Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.
- Continuously scans all local and remote endpoints, discovering new devices as they are added
- Prioritizes vulnerabilities based on severity, age, and ease of remediation
- Compliance objectives can be set in line with industry benchmarks
- Patches can be automatically deployed using ManageEngine’s patch management with pre-built patching scripts for instant remediation where possible
- Available in three editions: a free version for up to 20 workstations, a Professional version, and an Enterprise version with automated patch deployment
ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus is a strong option for organizations that need vulnerability scanning combined with automated patch deployment in a single platform. The free tier for up to 20 workstations makes it easy to evaluate, and the Enterprise edition’s automated patching is good to see.
Strengths
Cautions
Edgescan
Edgescan
Best for Organizations needing expert-validated continuous network vulnerability management
Edgescan Network Vulnerability Management (NVM) is a continuous exposure management solution that detects and addresses vulnerabilities like missing patches, software flaws, and misconfigurations across operating systems and devices. The platform uses proprietary scanning technology managed by security experts for accurate, actionable insights.
- Proprietary scanning technology managed by a team of security experts, with outputs automatically validated using the Edgescan Platform’s data lake or manually reviewed
- Identifies, manages, and resolves issues across diverse operating systems and devices, including VoIP service scanning and infrastructure testing by hostname, IP, DNS, and AWS tagging
- Delivers 100% validated results free of false positives
- Integrated threat feeds like CISA KEV and EPSS, with risk-based scoring using the Validated Security Score (EVSS) and eXposure Factor (EXF)
- On-demand retesting, customized reporting, flexible API integrations, and premium support with AI Insights
Edgescan NVM is a strong option for organizations needing continuous network vulnerability management with expert-validated results. The combination of automated scanning with human validation ensures findings are accurate and actionable, which is good to see.
Strengths
Cautions
Acunetix
Invicti
Best for Small to mid-sized teams needing fast, accurate web app scanning
Acunetix is a web application vulnerability scanner built for speed and accuracy, originally launched in 2005 and now part of the Invicti Security family. The platform combines black-box and interactive scanning to cover over 7,000 vulnerability types with proof-based validation.
- Proof-based scanning engine safely exploits detected vulnerabilities to confirm they are real, delivering 99.98% claimed accuracy
- AcuSensor combines black-box and interactive scanning for deeper coverage, analyzing server-side code during dynamic scans
- Covers 7,000-plus web vulnerability checks including SQL injection and XSS
- Fast scan times with a straightforward interface
We think Acunetix works best for small to mid-sized teams that want fast, accurate web application scanning without the overhead of an enterprise platform. The proof-based approach confirms real vulnerabilities, and the AcuSensor interactive scanning provides deeper coverage than pure black-box testing.
Strengths
Cautions
HCL AppScan
HCL Software
Best for Enterprise AppSec programs with diverse application portfolios
HCL AppScan is an application security testing platform covering SAST, DAST, IAST, SCA, API security, secrets detection, and container and IaC scanning. It supports 30-plus languages and has been a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader for Application Security Testing. We think the breadth of testing types in a single platform makes this a strong fit for enterprise AppSec programs managing diverse application portfolios.
- Covers more testing types than most competitors from a single vendor: static, dynamic, interactive, software composition analysis, API testing, secrets detection, and infrastructure as code scanning
- Deployment options include AppScan on Cloud (SaaS), AppScan Enterprise (on-premises), and AppScan Standard (desktop)
- IAST agent detects insecure usage of LLM outputs, catching cases where AI-generated responses are used in security-sensitive contexts without validation
- SCA scans include continuous monitoring for newly published CVEs affecting previously scanned packages
- New MCP Server turns security findings into conversational interactions for developers
The breadth of testing capabilities gets consistent praise. Teams highlight the accuracy of findings and the detailed remediation guidance. The compliance reporting covers industry standards out of the box. Something to be aware of is that the interface has a learning curve, particularly for teams new to enterprise AppSec tooling. Some users note that managing multiple deployment models adds operational complexity.
We think AppScan works best for enterprises running diverse application portfolios that need SAST, DAST, IAST, and SCA under one vendor. The LLM output detection is a forward-looking addition as AI-generated code becomes more common. If your team only needs DAST or SAST in isolation, lighter-weight tools may be simpler to adopt. But for broad AppSec coverage, this delivers.
Strengths
Cautions
Intruder
Intruder
Best for Lean security teams wanting continuous monitoring without dedicated SecOps
Intruder is a cloud-based vulnerability scanner built for lean security teams that need continuous monitoring without dedicated security operations staff. It combines attack surface management, cloud security posture checks, and vulnerability scanning in one platform. We think the simplicity and automation make this a strong fit for growing companies that want proactive vulnerability management without the overhead of enterprise tooling.
- Continuous monitoring watches for new vulnerabilities and configuration changes automatically, proactively scanning when new threats emerge rather than waiting for the next scheduled assessment
- Network view shows total hosts and open ports, helping teams track what is exposed to the internet
- Cloud connector integrations with AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud pull in cloud assets automatically
- Covers infrastructure, web application, and API scanning
- Integrates with Slack and Jira for alerting and ticket creation
The ease of setup gets called out repeatedly. Teams describe getting productive within minutes rather than days. The proactive scanning when new CVEs emerge saves time over manually triggered assessments. Intruder now serves over 3,000 customers. Something to be aware of is that advanced users find the scan customization limited compared to tools like Burp Suite or Nessus. The pricing tiers climb from $149 per month for Essential to $499 per month for Pro, which adds up for larger environments.
We think Intruder works best for small to mid-sized teams that want continuous vulnerability scanning without the complexity of enterprise platforms. The automation and cloud integrations reduce manual overhead considerably. If you need deep scan customization or manage thousands of assets, dedicated enterprise tools will offer more flexibility. But for teams that want effective scanning with minimal management, Intruder is well worth considering.
Strengths
Cautions
Invicti
Invicti
Best for Enterprise AppSec teams wanting proof-based scanning with ASPM orchestration
Invicti is an application security platform combining proof-based DAST scanning with application security posture management for enterprise vulnerability detection and remediation. The platform orchestrates findings from across your security testing tools into a unified view.
- Proof-based scanning engine safely exploits detected vulnerabilities to confirm they are real, attaching proof artifacts to each finding with 99.98% claimed accuracy
- ASPM capabilities orchestrate findings from 110-plus integrated security tools
- AI-powered DAST detects vulnerabilities previously requiring manual testing
- LLM scanning addresses AI-generated code security
We think Invicti works best for enterprise AppSec teams managing multiple scanning tools that want a single orchestration layer with proof-based validation. The ASPM capabilities consolidate findings from across the security stack, and AI-powered scanning addresses emerging risks from AI-generated code.
Strengths
Cautions
PortSwigger Burp Suite
PortSwigger
Best for Security professionals needing hands-on web application testing
PortSwigger Burp Suite is the industry-standard toolkit for web application security testing, used by penetration testers and security researchers worldwide. The latest version, 2026.4.1, continues active development with regular feature releases. We think this remains the go-to choice for hands-on security professionals who need deep manual testing capabilities alongside automated scanning.
- Burp Suite Professional combines an automated vulnerability scanner with manual testing tools in a single interface
- Intercepting proxy lets testers inspect and modify HTTP traffic in real time
- Scanner covers OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities and uses advanced crawling to map complex web applications
- Burp Intruder automates customized attack payloads, and Burp Repeater lets you manually craft and replay individual requests
- Extension ecosystem through the BApp Store adds hundreds of community-built tools
- 2026 releases added the Discover tab for faster vulnerability identification, encrypted collection sharing between team members, and smarter SQL injection detection
The manual testing workflow gets universal praise from security professionals. Burp Suite is frequently described as essential for penetration testing work. The extension ecosystem extends functionality well beyond the core feature set. PortSwigger’s Web Security Academy provides free training that helps teams get productive quickly. Something to be aware of is that the automated scanner requires more expertise to configure and interpret than point-and-click alternatives. Teams looking for fully automated scanning with minimal setup may find the learning curve steep.
We think Burp Suite is the clear choice for security teams that need hands-on web application testing. The combination of automated scanning and manual tools is unmatched for penetration testing workflows. If you want a fully automated scanner that non-security staff can run, this is not designed for that use case. But for professionals who need depth and flexibility, Burp Suite remains the standard.
Strengths
Cautions
Rapid7 InsightVM
Rapid7
Best for Mid-market and enterprise teams wanting risk-based prioritization
Rapid7 InsightVM provides continuous vulnerability management across on-premises, cloud, and remote assets. It uses Active Risk scoring that incorporates real-world threat intelligence, attacker behavior, and business context to prioritize findings. We think the risk-based prioritization is a real strength for teams managing large environments where raw vulnerability counts create noise rather than clarity.
- Active Risk scoring goes beyond CVSS by factoring in threat intelligence, exploit availability, attacker behavior patterns, and business impact, surfacing the vulnerabilities most likely to be exploited
- Insight Agent provides continuous monitoring without repeated credentialed scans
- Automated remediation projects integrate with Jira and ServiceNow to assign and track fixes
- Live dashboards track risk trends over time
- March 2026 update added remediation data exports supporting up to three months of history, and the April 2026 update improved detection for AlmaLinux assets
The risk prioritization gets consistent praise for cutting through vulnerability noise. Teams highlight how the dashboards make it easy to communicate risk to leadership. Integration with existing ticketing systems streamlines remediation workflows. Something to be aware of is that the console can feel sluggish with very large deployments, and some teams note the learning curve for building custom reports and queries takes time.
We think InsightVM works best for mid-market and enterprise teams that want risk-based vulnerability prioritization with strong remediation workflow integration. The Active Risk scoring really helps teams focus on what matters. If you need lightweight scanning for a small environment, this may be more platform than necessary. But for organizations managing hundreds or thousands of assets, the prioritization and workflow automation justify the investment.
Strengths
Cautions
Tenable Nessus
Tenable
Best for Teams and consultants prioritizing scanning accuracy and coverage
Tenable Nessus is the most widely deployed vulnerability scanner in the market, with over 26 years of continuous development. The current version, Nessus 10.12, maintains the scanning accuracy and plugin library that made Nessus the industry benchmark. We think this remains one of the strongest choices for vulnerability assessment, particularly for teams that value scanning depth and the largest vulnerability coverage library available.
- Plugin library includes over 200,000 plugins covering more than 89,000 CVEs, updated continuously by Tenable’s research team
- Live Results performs offline vulnerability assessments with every plugin update, identifying potential issues between active scans
- Pre-built scan templates cover common use cases including PCI DSS, HIPAA, and CIS benchmark compliance
- Nessus Essentials provides a free tier for up to 16 IPs, and Nessus Professional offers unlimited IP scanning
- Tenable One bundles Nessus with broader exposure management capabilities for enterprise requirements
The scanning accuracy and vulnerability coverage get universal praise. Nessus is frequently described as the gold standard for vulnerability assessment. The plugin library catches issues that other scanners miss. Pre-built compliance templates save significant configuration time. Something to be aware of is that the reporting interface feels dated compared to newer platforms, and some teams note that Nessus Professional focuses on scanning rather than remediation workflow management.
We think Nessus works best for security teams and consultants that prioritize scanning accuracy and vulnerability coverage above all else. The plugin library is unmatched in depth. If you need built-in remediation workflows, ticketing integration, and risk-based prioritization, Tenable One or competing platforms add those layers. But for raw vulnerability scanning quality, Nessus remains the benchmark.
Strengths
Cautions
Wiz Vulnerability Management
Google Cloud
Best for Cloud-native organizations wanting contextual risk prioritization
Wiz provides agentless vulnerability management as part of its broader CNAPP platform, scanning cloud workloads, containers, and serverless functions without deploying agents. Google completed its acquisition of Wiz in March 2026 for $32 billion; Wiz maintains its brand and continues operating across all cloud environments. Wiz was named a Leader in the Forrester Wave for CNAPP Q1 2026, which backs up the platform’s maturity.
- Agentless scanning connects via cloud APIs to assess workloads without installing anything on production systems
- Security Graph correlates vulnerabilities with runtime context, network exposure, permissions, and sensitive data to surface toxic combinations rather than isolated findings
- Prioritizes a medium-severity CVE on an internet-facing workload with admin permissions ahead of a critical CVE on an internal, isolated system
- Covers VMs, containers, serverless functions, and managed services across AWS, Azure, GCP, and Oracle Cloud
- At RSAC 2026, Wiz unveiled AI-APP, its AI Application Protection Platform for securing agentic AI workloads
The time to value gets consistent praise. Teams describe getting meaningful vulnerability visibility within hours rather than weeks. The Security Graph earns strong marks for contextualizing findings and reducing noise. Customer success support also gets positive feedback. Something to be aware of is that vulnerability tracking can struggle with autoscaling resource churn where assets spin up and down frequently, and some teams note the platform’s breadth means there is a learning curve when first navigating all the modules.
We think Wiz works best for cloud-native organizations that want vulnerability management contextualized within their broader cloud security posture. The agentless approach and Security Graph are real differentiators for teams tired of flat vulnerability lists. If your infrastructure is primarily on-premises, other tools will serve you better. But for cloud workload vulnerability management with real context, Wiz is well worth evaluating.
Strengths
Cautions
Application Security Pricing
Vulnerability scanning pricing ranges from free starter tiers through to fully quote-based enterprise and managed-service licensing. Where vendors publish pricing we have summarized it below; the enterprise and MSP platforms scale with the number of assets, scanners, and asset types you cover.
| Product | Starting Price | Billing | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
|
RapidFire Tools VulScan
|
Contact for quote
|
Not disclosed
|
|
|
ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus
|
Free (20 workstations); Professional from $695/year, Enterprise from $1,195/year (100 workstations)
|
Annual
|
|
|
Edgescan
|
Contact for quote
|
Annual subscription
|
|
|
Acunetix
|
Contact for quote
|
Not disclosed
|
|
|
HCL AppScan
|
Contact for quote
|
Not disclosed
|
|
|
Intruder
|
From $149/month (Essential) to $499/month (Pro); Enterprise custom
|
Monthly or annual
|
|
|
Invicti
|
Contact for quote
|
Not disclosed
|
|
|
PortSwigger Burp Suite
|
Free Community Edition; Professional paid per user/year
|
Annual
|
|
|
Rapid7 InsightVM
|
Contact for quote (per asset)
|
Annual
|
|
|
Tenable Nessus
|
Free Essentials tier (up to 16 IPs); Nessus Professional paid annually
|
Annual
|
|
|
Wiz Vulnerability Management
|
Contact for quote (consumption-based)
|
Not disclosed
|
|
Application Security Checklist
These are the questions and operational steps we recommend working through when selecting and deploying vulnerability scanning software, whichever vendor you choose.
Network assets, endpoints, web applications, cloud workloads, and containers should ideally come from one platform, or you end up stitching together separate tools and missing parts of the attack surface.
Feeds like CISA KEV and EPSS, plus exploit availability and asset criticality, surface the vulnerabilities actually likely to be attacked rather than just the highest-severity ones.
A scanner that floods your team with noise erodes trust, so check whether you can suppress categories of findings and whether the platform validates or contextualizes results.
Credentialed scans inspect installed software and configuration in depth, catching far more than an unauthenticated external probe sees.
Agents give continuous visibility but add deployment overhead, while agentless scanning is faster to roll out, so match the model to your infrastructure and operational capacity.
Findings that flow automatically into your patch workflow, Jira, or ServiceNow get fixed, while those needing manual handoffs stall in a backlog.
Audit-ready reports aligned to PCI DSS, HIPAA, CIS, or NIST, with adequate scan-history retention, turn audit preparation into an export rather than a manual exercise.
Confirm scans complete within your maintenance windows and do not degrade production systems, especially across large or latency-sensitive environments.
On-premises, cloud, and hybrid options matter for data residency and for covering whatever mix of infrastructure you actually run.
Expert-validated services remove triage work for teams without deep security staff, while self-service scanners give more control to mature security operations.
The Bottom Line
No single vulnerability scanner fits every organization. Your choice depends on asset types, team resources, and remediation workflow maturity.
For MSPs managing multiple client environments, RapidFireTools VulScan delivers multi-tenant scalability, white-labeling, and clean reporting, with a flexible scanning architecture that handles on-prem, hosted, and remote scenarios. For mid-market organizations wanting integrated scanning and patching, ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus connects detection directly to remediation, and the free tier covers up to 20 workstations for evaluation.
For cloud-native teams prioritizing agentless coverage, Wiz Vulnerability Management eliminates agent overhead while providing contextual risk prioritization through its toxic-combination engine. For web application security with low false positives, Acunetix delivers strong CI/CD integration and developer-friendly remediation guidance, while Edgescan provides analyst-reviewed results that reduce triage work.
For broad application security coverage across languages and deployment models, HCL AppScan covers SAST, DAST, and container scanning. For high-confidence findings, Invicti uses proof-based scanning to confirm exploitability. And for trusted, flexible scanning with broad coverage, Tenable Nessus remains an industry standard.
Read the individual reviews above to dig into deployment specifics, false positive management, and remediation integration that matters for your infrastructure and team resources.
Everything You Need To Know About Vulnerability Scanning Software (FAQs)
Vulnerability scanning software allows development organizations to detect, identify, and diagnose security and configuration errors within the software they’re producing. They carry out thorough monitoring and analysis to identify anomalies or areas where your technologies are not working as they should.
Not only do vulnerability scanners enable you to identify what and where an issue is, but they also provide valuable insights into how the threat can be best addressed and resolved. This allows you to quickly isolate the specific code issue and carry out the necessary work to remediate it.
Vulnerability scanning can identify a range of threats across your development area. Common areas include:
- Coding errors: Vulnerabilities associated with SQL injection and web apps that are at risk of cross-site scripting
- Open ports: Any access area that an attacker could use to spread malicious code
- Misconfigurations: These vulnerabilities tend to be caused by errors in access permissions
Vulnerability scanning software works by going through your code and checking it for known vulnerabilities. By cross-referencing it with known issues, you are able to gain a good insight into what your vulnerabilities are. As the scanning happens at the code level, it is easy to identify where the error is, thereby making the resolution process easier.
Vulnerability scanning tools are able to categories the issue and indicate the level of severity. This allows developers to use their time appropriately and respond to the most critical or fundamental issues first.
This technique can result in a large number of false positives, so it is best used as a tool for addressing vulnerabilities, rather than being the only check and balance.
Vulnerability scanning tools are important parts of your CI/CD process as they allow you to identify vulnerabilities early on, preventing issues down the line. When looking for the best solution, Expert Insights recommends considering the following features:
- Language compatibility– This may seem like an obvious point, but it is essential that the code you are writing and the way you are scanning are compatible. This will ensure that issues can be identified accurately.
- Consistent updates – As most vulnerability scanners work by checking code with a database of known threats, it’s important that the database is regularly updated. This will ensure that your code is as safe as it can be, based on all the information that is available to it.
- Detailed reports – When a scan is complete, you will need a swift and accurate way of passing the information onto developers who can address the issues. This information should include where the vulnerability was identified, alongside contextual information and suggested remediation methods.
- Automated remediation – You can streamline processes drastically though automation. Rather than relaying critical information to developers who can then enact changes, automation cuts out the middleman, allowing issues to be resolved faster and more efficiently.
Application Security Resources
Further reading on application security from Expert Insights — buyers' guides, comparison articles, and platform-specific shortlists.
Written By
Joel is the Director of Content and a co-founder at Expert Insights; a rapidly growing media company focussed on covering cybersecurity solutions.
He’s an experienced journalist and editor with 8 years’ experience covering the cybersecurity space. He’s reviewed hundreds of cybersecurity solutions, interviewed hundreds of industry experts and produced dozens of industry reports read by thousands of CISOs and security professionals in topics like IAM, MFA, zero trust, email security, DevSecOps and more.
He also hosts the Expert Insights Podcast and co-writes the weekly newsletter, Decrypted. Joel is driven to share his team’s expertise with cybersecurity leaders to help them create more secure business foundations.
Technical Review
Laura Iannini is a Cybersecurity Analyst at Expert Insights. With deep cybersecurity knowledge and strong research skills, she leads Expert Insights’ product testing team, conducting thorough tests of product features and in-depth industry analysis to ensure that Expert Insights’ product reviews are definitive and insightful.
Laura also carries out wider analysis of vendor landscapes and industry trends to inform Expert Insights’ enterprise cybersecurity buyers’ guides, covering topics such as security awareness training, cloud backup and recovery, email security, and network monitoring. Prior to working at Expert Insights, Laura worked as a Senior Information Security Engineer at Constant Edge, where she tested cybersecurity solutions, carried out product demos, and provided high-quality ongoing technical support.
Laura holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida.