Best Vulnerability Scanning Software Solutions
Discover the top vulnerability scanning software with features like automated scans and threat intelligence feeds.
Written by
Alex Zawalnyski
Technical Review by
Laura Iannini
Quick Summary
For organizations running mixed infrastructure with limited security staff, RapidFireTools VulScan delivers automated network vulnerability scanning with MSP-friendly deployment and white-label reporting.
If you need centralized vulnerability management across endpoints, servers, and third-party applications, ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus integrates patching directly into the assessment workflow.
For cloud-native teams prioritizing agentless scanning across AWS, Azure, and GCP, Wiz Vulnerability Management maps vulnerabilities to attack paths and eliminates noise through risk-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 nine 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: 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.
Our Recommendations
Your ideal scanner depends on whether you need network-focused assessments, integrated patch management, or cloud workload coverage.
- Best For MSP-Friendly Network Scanning: RapidFireTools VulScan automates internal and external network scans with white-label reporting built for service providers.
- Best For Integrated Patch Management: ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus scans endpoints, servers, and third-party applications from a single console, then patches vulnerabilities directly without switching tools.
- Best For Cloud-Native Risk Prioritization: Wiz Vulnerability Management maps vulnerabilities to attack paths across AWS, Azure, and GCP without deploying agents.
- Best For Continuous Web Application Testing: Edgescan combines automated scanning with manual penetration testing validation to eliminate false positives.
- Best For Web Application Security: Acunetix identifies over 7,000 web vulnerabilities including SQL injection and XSS with proof-of-exploit confirmation.
VulScan is an automated vulnerability management platform from RapidFireTools, a Kaseya brand. It combines internal network scanning, discovery agents, and external scanners to build a complete picture of network weaknesses. MSPs are the primary audience here.
Clean Interface With Actionable Output
We found the admin console fast and easy to navigate. The portal surfaces what matters: vulnerabilities by device, risk scores over time, high-risk users, and critical CVEs. Email alerts trigger on scan results and high-risk findings so nothing slips through.
The scanning architecture is flexible. On-prem scanners, agent-based discovery, remote proxy scanning, and hosted external scanners cover different network topologies. Remediation plans come with the findings rather than just raw vulnerability lists.
What Customers Are Saying
Users praise the automation and set-it-and-forget-it reliability. Integration with the broader Datto stack works smoothly for shops already in that ecosystem. Customer support gets high marks for responsiveness. The interface clarity stands out compared to alternatives that bury useful data.
Does VulScan Fit Your Stack?
We think VulScan makes strong sense for MSPs managing multiple client environments. The multi-tenant architecture scales without scanner limits. White-labeling and rebranding support client-facing reporting needs. You can add other RapidFireTools products through the same interface.
Strengths
- Multi-tenant management scales across client environments with no scanner limits
- Clean interface surfaces critical CVEs and risk scores without hunting for data
- Integrates smoothly with Datto stack for existing Kaseya ecosystem users
- White-labeling supports branded client reports and partner workflows
Cautions
- Some users have reported that requires dedicated PC or VM for deployment adding infrastructure overhead
- According to customer feedback, page load times can lag during intensive scanning operations
ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus handles vulnerability scanning, compliance tracking, and patch remediation across Windows, Mac, and Linux endpoints. The platform connects detection directly to remediation through integrated patch management.
Scan to Patch in One Console
Some customer reviews note that the patch management capabilities close the loop. Pre-built patching scripts enable fast remediation where automation makes sense. Compliance objectives align with industry benchmarks, which helps teams demonstrate security posture during audits.
What Customers Are Saying
Users frequently mention integrated patch management connects vulnerability detection directly to remediation. Users also value single console reduces context switching between scanning and fixing. However, some customers note that patch deployment batches cap at 50 clients slowing large-scale rollouts. Others mention missing patch auto-deployment requires manual intervention to trigger.
Right Size for Your Environment
We think ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus fits mid-market organizations wanting integrated scanning and patching without assembling separate tools. The free tier covers up to 20 workstations, which works for small teams validating fit.
We found the detection-to-remediation workflow well integrated. The platform continuously scans local and remote endpoints, discovers new devices automatically, and assesses software configurations for gaps. Vulnerabilities get prioritized by severity, age, and ease of fix.
Strengths
- Integrated patch management connects vulnerability detection directly to remediation
- Single console reduces context switching between scanning and fixing
- Free tier supports up to 20 workstations for small team evaluation
- Compliance benchmarking aligns with industry standards for audit readiness
Cautions
- Some users mention that patch deployment batches cap at 50 clients slowing large-scale rollouts
- Based on customer reviews, missing patch auto-deployment requires manual intervention to trigger
Edgescan NVM provides continuous vulnerability scanning with expert validation to eliminate false positives. The platform combines proprietary scanning technology with human review, targeting organizations that need accurate findings without chasing noise.
Validated Results You Can Act On
We found the validation approach differentiates Edgescan from scan-and-dump tools. Results go through automated checks against their data lake plus manual expert review. The 100% validated output means your team fixes real vulnerabilities rather than triaging false positives.
The scanning covers missing patches, software flaws, and misconfigurations across diverse operating systems and devices. VoIP scanning, hostname and IP targeting, DNS discovery, and AWS tagging support give flexibility for complex network topologies.
What Customers Are Saying
Users praise expert validation eliminates false positives so teams fix real vulnerabilities. Users also value risk-based scoring with evss and exf prioritizes remediation by actual impact. However, users mention that user interface has room for improvement compared for complex tasks.
Does Edgescan Fit Your Team
We think Edgescan NVM works well for organizations with limited security resources who need accurate findings without false positive noise. The expert validation layer handles triage work that would otherwise consume analyst time.
Strengths
- Expert validation eliminates false positives so teams fix real vulnerabilities
- Risk-based scoring with EVSS and EXF prioritizes remediation by actual impact
- Support response is fast and knowledgeable when issues arise
- On-demand retesting confirms fixes without waiting for scheduled scans
Cautions
- Initial setup requires support assistance for some organizations.
Acunetix Vulnerability Scanner
Acunetix is a web application security scanner built for teams integrating security testing into DevSecOps workflows. The C++ scanning engine handles JavaScript-heavy applications well, and CI/CD integrations make it practical for automated pipeline security.
Fast Scanning With Low False Positives
We found Acunetix delivers on its low false-positive promise, which saves analyst time during triage and follow-up penetration testing. The scanning engine detects SQL injection, XSS, misconfigurations, and malware across web applications and APIs.
The dashboard presents scan results clearly with remediation guidance that helps teams fix issues rather than just catalog them. OpenVAS integration lets you manage web and network vulnerabilities from a single view. Local deployment options for Linux, macOS, and Windows plus cloud hosting give flexibility for different infrastructure preferences.
What Customers Are Saying
Users frequently mention low false-positive rate reduces triage burden and accelerates remediation. Users also value ci/cd and issue tracker integrations embed security into development workflows. That said, some teams report that deep scans of large applications consume significant resources and time. Others mention volume of findings can overwhelm teams without filtering experience.
Right Fit for Your Security Program
We think Acunetix works well for enterprises building security into their SDLC who need reliable web application scanning with strong CI/CD integration. The low false-positive rate and remediation guidance help teams act on findings efficiently.
Strengths
- Low false-positive rate reduces triage burden and accelerates remediation
- CI/CD and issue tracker integrations embed security into development workflows
- Remediation guidance helps teams fix vulnerabilities rather than just list them
- Multi-platform deployment options support varied infrastructure requirements
Cautions
- According to some user reviews, deep scans of large applications consume significant resources and time
- Some customer reviews highlight that volume of findings can overwhelm teams without filtering experience
HCL AppScan
HCL AppScan is an application security suite covering SAST, DAST, and container scanning across the software development lifecycle. It supports 30+ code languages with deployment options spanning on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
Broad Coverage With Tunable Accuracy
We found the platform’s flexibility useful for balancing speed against thoroughness. Customizable sliders let teams adjust scan depth based on where they are in the development cycle. Machine learning reduces false positives and supports auto-fix capabilities for common vulnerabilities.
IDE and CI/CD pipeline integration encourages secure coding from the start. Container and Docker image scanning catches vulnerabilities from third-party components. Real-time dashboards aggregate scan results with customizable views for risk posture and compliance tracking.
What Customers Are Saying
Users report significant vulnerability reduction through continuous scanning. One organization cited 40% reduction in critical findings through sustained remediation tracking. Quick deployment and reduced false positives get positive mentions. Direct access to product experts rather than just support tickets helps teams resolve issues faster.
Where AppScan Fits Your Stack
We think HCL AppScan works well for enterprises needing broad application security coverage across multiple languages and deployment models. The tunable scanning and compliance dashboards support mature security programs.
Strengths
- Supports 30+ languages with IDE and CI/CD integration for shift-left security
- Customizable scan settings balance speed and accuracy based on workflow needs
- Machine learning reduces false positives and supports automated remediation
- Container scanning catches third-party component vulnerabilities before deployment
Cautions
- Some users report that SAST UI lacks source code review guidance for validating true positives
Intruder
Intruder is a cloud-based vulnerability scanning platform focused on simplicity and actionable results. It monitors internet-facing assets including web infrastructure and APIs, with automatic false positive removal and prioritized alerts.
Quick Setup With Clean UX
We found the platform delivers on its ease-of-use promise. Setup takes minutes rather than days. The interface is intuitive with in-app guidance that helps teams get scanning quickly. Authenticated scan configuration includes login verification screenshots, which eliminates the usual guesswork about whether the scanner has proper access.
Vulnerability findings come prioritized with actionable remediation steps. Weekly scans can be scheduled with email notifications and integrations for workflow automation. The threat intelligence components continue evolving, keeping detection current.
What Customers Are Saying
Users praise setup takes minutes with intuitive onboarding and in-app guidance. Users also value authenticated scan screenshots verify login access without trial and error. That said, customers point out that license model separating Infrastructure and Application takes time to understand. Others mention advanced reporting and export customization options are limited.
Does Intruder Fit Your Needs?
We think Intruder works well for organizations wanting straightforward external vulnerability scanning without complexity overhead. The clean UX and excellent support make it accessible for teams without dedicated vulnerability management specialists.
Strengths
- Setup takes minutes with intuitive onboarding and in-app guidance
- Authenticated scan screenshots verify login access without trial and error
- Prioritized findings with actionable remediation steps reduce analyst effort
- Support team is consistently responsive and knowledgeable
Cautions
- Some users mention that advanced reporting and export customization options are limited
Invicti
Invicti is a web vulnerability management platform built around Proof-Based Scanning, which automatically exploits detected vulnerabilities to confirm they are real. The approach reduces false positives and lets security teams focus on verified issues rather than chasing noise.
Proof-Based Scanning Changes the Workflow
We found the proof-based approach valuable for prioritization. When the scanner confirms a vulnerability is exploitable, your team skips the manual verification step. This shifts effort from triage to remediation. The platform handles JavaScript and Ajax-heavy applications well, covering thousands of OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities across web applications, services, and APIs.
Black-box scanning with on-premises and hosted deployment options fits different infrastructure requirements. Web server configuration checks for Apache, Nginx, and IIS catch misconfigurations that other scanners might miss.
What Customers Are Saying
Positive feedback focuses on proof-based scanning confirms exploitability and eliminates manual verification effort. Users also value ci/cd integrations embed vulnerability scanning directly into development pipelines. However, customers point out that API testing with JSON and REST interfaces has room for improvement. Others mention web-based login control options are limited compared to application interface.
Right Fit for Your Security Program?
We think Invicti works well for organizations wanting high-confidence vulnerability findings integrated into their SDLC. The proof-based approach is particularly valuable for teams drowning in false positives from other scanners.
Strengths
- Proof-Based Scanning confirms exploitability and eliminates manual verification effort
- CI/CD integrations embed vulnerability scanning directly into development pipelines
- Low false positive rate lets teams focus on real issues rather than triage
- Handles JavaScript-heavy applications and complex web architectures effectively
Cautions
- Some users have noted that web-based login control options are limited compared to application interface
PortSwigger Burp Scanner
Burp Scanner is the automated vulnerability detection engine inside Burp Suite Enterprise and Professional editions. Trusted by over 70,000 users across 16,000+ organizations, it handles JavaScript-heavy applications that trip up other scanners.
Advanced Crawling That Actually Works
We found the crawling algorithm handles real-world complexity well. CSRF tokens, stateful functionality, volatile URLs, and dynamic content get navigated reliably. The result is fewer failed scans and more complete attack surface discovery. Location fingerprinting reduces unnecessary requests, saving time during testing.
The OAST capability detects issues that traditional scanners miss entirely. Asynchronous SQL injection and blind SSRF vulnerabilities require out-of-band techniques to find. Customizable scan configurations let you focus on specific issues including OWASP Top 10 categories.
What Customers Are Saying
Customer feedback highlights advanced crawling handles csrf tokens, dynamic content, and stateful applications reliably. Users also value oast detection finds blind ssrf and async sql injection that other scanners miss. On the flip side, customers point out that plugin support limited to Java restricting extension ecosystem options. Others mention enterprise plugin availability is more limited than some competitors.
Where Burp Scanner Fits
We think Burp Scanner works well for security teams who value both automated scanning and manual testing workflows in one platform. The combination of reliable automation and hands-on tools like Repeater and Intruder covers the full assessment spectrum.
Strengths
- Advanced crawling handles CSRF tokens, dynamic content, and stateful applications reliably
- OAST detection finds blind SSRF and async SQL injection that other scanners miss
- Repeater and Intruder tools enable custom payload testing during manual assessments
- Excellent signal-to-noise ratio delivers coverage with minimal false positives
Cautions
- Based on customer feedback, plugin support limited to Java restricting extension ecosystem options
- Some users have reported that enterprise plugin availability is more limited than some competitors
Rapid7 InsightVM
InsightVM is a vulnerability management platform covering network infrastructure and endpoints with live dashboards and active risk scoring. The universal Insight Agent collects data across multiple Rapid7 products, unifying vulnerability, detection, and operations workflows.
Broad Coverage With Real Risk Context
We found the scanning coverage spans operating systems, containers, and cloud assets effectively. The Real Risk Score moves beyond raw CVSS to factor in exploitability and asset context, helping teams focus remediation on what actually matters. Live dashboards provide real-time visibility into risk posture.
The platform includes integrated threat feeds, attack surface monitoring through Project Sonar, and policy assessment for compliance. Goals and SLAs help teams track remediation progress against defined targets. The RESTful API enables custom integrations and automation.
What Customers Are Saying
Users praise the dashboard capabilities and scanning range. Organizations running vulnerability programs across multiple teams find the visualization helpful for driving accountability. Jira integration simplifies ticketing and response workflows, connecting findings to remediation tracking.
The friction points center on hybrid environment management.
Does InsightVM Fit Your Environment
We think InsightVM works well for organizations wanting a unified vulnerability management platform with strong visualization and risk prioritization. The Insight Agent’s cross-product data collection adds value if you use other Rapid7 solutions.
Strengths
- Real Risk Score prioritizes vulnerabilities by exploitability and asset context
- Live dashboards drive vulnerability program visibility across multiple teams
- Universal Insight Agent shares data across InsightVM, InsightIDR, and InsightOps
- Jira integration connects vulnerability findings to remediation workflows
Cautions
- According to some user reviews, on-premises and cloud synchronization works poorly in hybrid environments
- Some users report that tag management is confusing and difficult to maintain at scale
Tenable Nessus
Tenable Nessus is one of the most widely deployed vulnerability assessment tools, covering traditional IT assets, web applications, cloud infrastructure, and external attack surfaces. The platform offers unlimited scanning with over 500 prebuilt policies.
Flexible Deployment With Broad Coverage
We found Nessus delivers on its multi-platform promise. Deployment options cover various environments, and dynamic plugin compilation improves scan efficiency and accuracy. Web application scanning, external attack surface visibility, and cloud infrastructure assessment extend coverage beyond traditional endpoints.
Configurable reporting and grouping capabilities make large-scale assessments manageable. Email alerts notify teams when issues surface on endpoints. The dashboard variety serves both technical teams needing detailed findings and management wanting executive summaries.
What Customers Are Saying
Users praise the ease of use and detection accuracy. Reporting effectiveness gets positive mentions, with dashboards supporting different audience needs. The platform works reliably and delivers valuable remediation insights.
The false positive management creates significant friction though.
Where Nessus Fits Your Program
We think Nessus works well for organizations needing a trusted, flexible vulnerability scanner with broad coverage and configurable policies. The platform’s reputation and deployment flexibility justify its market position.
Strengths
- Over 500 prebuilt policies reduce configuration effort for common scan scenarios
- Multi-platform deployment and unlimited assessments provide flexibility at scale
- Dashboard variety serves both technical teams and management reporting needs
- Email alerts surface endpoint issues without requiring constant dashboard monitoring
Cautions
- Some users have reported that false positive management requires extensive manual research to validate findings
- Based on customer reviews, detection methods sometimes produce erroneous results needing investigation
Wiz Vulnerability Management
Wiz delivers agentless vulnerability management across cloud workloads including VMs, containers, serverless functions, and appliances. The cloud-native API deployment model eliminates agent overhead while providing continuous assessment across multi-cloud environments.
Agentless Coverage With Context
We found the agentless approach removes the operational burden of agent enforcement and reduces blind spots. One API connector covers vulnerability assessment across cloud platforms and technologies. The platform supports over 70,000 vulnerabilities spanning 30+ operating systems.
The prioritization engine focuses on what actually matters. Rather than drowning teams in alerts, Wiz surfaces exploitable risks based on environmental context and blast radius. The security graph makes it intuitive to trace issues end-to-end and understand exposure.
What Customers Are Saying
Security engineers praise how the toxic-combination engine identifies real risks without overwhelming noise. Engineering teams use Wiz autonomously for daily vulnerability work without constant security oversight. Jira integration enables direct progress tracking on remediation.
The Threat Center helps identify workload exposure to emerging vulnerabilities quickly.
Where Wiz Fits Your Cloud Strategy
We think Wiz works well for enterprises running complex multi-cloud environments who need visibility without agent management overhead. The contextual prioritization reduces alert fatigue and lets security teams focus on high-risk scenarios.
Strengths
- Agentless scanning eliminates agent enforcement overhead across cloud workloads
- Contextual prioritization surfaces exploitable risks rather than alert noise
- Security graph provides intuitive end-to-end visibility into issue relationships
- CI/CD integration prevents vulnerable resources from reaching production
Cautions
- Some users report that autoscaling environments make vulnerability tracking unreliable as instances churn
- Some users have noted that initial onboarding surfaces substantial telemetry that can overwhelm new users
What To Look For: Vulnerability Scanning Checklist
When evaluating vulnerability scanners, we’ve identified six critical criteria:
- Asset Type Coverage: Does it scan network assets, endpoints, web applications, cloud workloads, and containers from one platform? Or are you stitching together separate tools for different asset types? Can you see the complete attack surface or just parts of it?
- False Positive Management: What’s the false positive rate, and more importantly, how easy is it to manage them? Can you suppress categories of findings or do you validate each one manually? Does the platform provide context that helps distinguish real risks from benign activity?
- Remediation Guidance and Integration: Does the scanner just list vulnerabilities or provide remediation steps? Can it integrate with your ticket systems and CMDB? Will findings flow into your patch management workflow automatically or require manual handoffs?
- Compliance and Audit Readiness: Can you generate audit-ready reports that map to NIST, CIS, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or other frameworks you care about? How long are scan histories retained? Can you demonstrate vulnerability management maturity to auditors?
- Prioritization and Risk Context: Does the scanner surface all findings equally or intelligently prioritize what matters? Does it factor in asset criticality, exploit availability, or threat context? Or will your team spend weeks triaging thousands of findings?
- Deployment Flexibility and Operational Overhead: Can it deploy on-premises, in the cloud, or hybrid? Does it require agents on every asset or can it scan without them? What’s the resource footprint? Will scanning slow down production systems?
Weight these criteria based on your environment. Organizations with diverse infrastructure should prioritize broad asset coverage and intelligent prioritization. Teams building DevSecOps programs need strong CI/CD integration and low false positives. Resource-constrained teams should focus on operational efficiency and support quality. For compliance-heavy organizations, audit readiness and framework mapping matter more.
How We Compared The Best Vulnerability Scanning Software Solutions
Expert Insights is an independent editorial team that evaluates cybersecurity solutions based on product performance and real-world deployment experience. No vendor can pay to influence our review of their products. Our evaluations reflect hands-on testing and customer feedback. Before evaluation, we map the complete vulnerability scanning landscape including network scanners, web application testers, cloud assessors, and container analyzers.
We evaluated nine vulnerability scanning platforms across detection accuracy, false positive rates, remediation guidance quality, compliance reporting capability, and operational simplicity. Each platform was evaluated for scan coverage across different asset types, deployment flexibility, resource consumption, and integration with existing workflows. We assessed support quality, documentation completeness, and the time required to go from scan results to remediation.
Beyond hands-on testing, we conducted market research across the vulnerability scanning landscape and interviewed security teams running these scanners operationally. We assessed how well platforms handle diverse infrastructure, manage false positives in practice, and integrate with remediation workflows. Our editorial and commercial teams remain independent. No vendor can pay to influence our review of their products.
This guide is updated quarterly. For full methodology details, visit our How We Test & Review Products.
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. The flexible scanning architecture 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. 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. The toxic-combination engine surfaces exploitable risks.
For web application security with low false positives, Acunetix Vulnerability Scanner delivers strong CI/CD integration and remediation guidance. Developer-friendly output helps teams fix issues rather than just catalog them.
For organizations wanting expert validation without false positive noise, Edgescan Network Vulnerability Management provides analyst-reviewed results. The responsive support and validated findings reduce analyst triage work.
For broad application security coverage across languages and deployment models, HCL AppScan covers SAST, DAST, and container scanning. The customizable scan depth balances thoroughness and speed.
For teams wanting high-confidence findings, Invicti uses proof-based scanning to confirm exploitability. The approach eliminates manual verification work and reduces false positives.
For trusted, flexible scanning with broad coverage, Tenable Nessus remains an industry standard. The 500+ prebuilt policies and flexible deployment justify its market position.
Read the individual reviews above to dig into deployment specifics, false positive management, and remediation integration that matters for your infrastructure and team resources.
FAQs
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.
Written By
Alex is an experienced journalist and content editor. He researches, writes, factchecks and edits articles relating to B2B cyber security and technology solutions, working alongside software experts.
Alex was awarded a First Class MA (Hons) in English and Scottish Literature by the University of Edinburgh.
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.