Using web Application Vulnerability scanners on a regular basis to keep a tab on your application’s security health is a relatively simple way of achieving that. But as you can imagine all vulnerability scanners cannot be equally suitable for you. There is a right answer to the very difficult question – what is the perfect vulnerability scanner for your business. And we will help you find that answer.   

Here is a quick comparison of all the top Web Application vulnerability scanners

The average data breach cost in 2021 was $ 4.24 million, up 10% from 2020. This cost includes the loss of business caused by the data breach, the cost of detecting and fixing the security issues that led to the breach, the cost of informing all the customers and rolling out the patches, and of course, the ensuing legal penalties.

A data breach is something that you would want to avoid at all costs. 

In this article, we will help you get familiar with some of the best web application security scanners and the various features offered by them. While we are at it, we will also refresh your knowledge of different types of web app scans, their benefits, and their importance. 

3 Types of Application Security Testing  

Application security concerns the protection of data or code within an application from theft or hijacking. A web application lives on a remote server and the user accesses it by transmitting information to and from it through a browser interface. 

It is important to ensure that only authorized users get access to the data stored by the application. While an application is designed, its security is taken into account by the developers – security controls are placed, and sometimes web app firewalls are deployed. 

But security loopholes and vulnerabilities are not uncommon in web applications. These vulnerabilities may take root in the form of faulty code, broken access controls, outdated software, or plugins. We use 3 types of security testing for applications.

1. SAST

SAST stands for Static Application Security Testing. It refers to the method of analyzing an application’s code to find security vulnerabilities. SAST is a process that takes place quite early in the software development life cycle as it has to be conducted before the application reaches its production stage – it is usually performed before the code is compiled.

Benefits of SAST

• It allows developers to spot vulnerabilities early in the development process and ensures that vulnerable code isn’t passed on to the live application
• An integrated SAST tool can give developers real-time feedback on the code as it is written
• Some SAST tools pinpoint the location of vulnerable or risky code

2. DAST

DAST stands for Dynamic Application Security Testing. It is quite a bit different from SAST as it attempts to test the application for security vulnerabilities from the outside, using the front-end. DAST is performed on the running application by simulating attacks and observing how the application responds to those attacks.

Benefits of DAST

• DAST is a fast and accurate procedure that doesn’t require access to the app’s code
• It is independent of the type of application or the framework used for it
• It detects the vulnerabilities that are exploitable from the outside very quickly

3.  IAST

IAST means Interactive Application Security Testing. It is often defined as a combination of DAST and SAST, but it is not similar to either of them. IAST examines the code of a running application by interacting with its functionalities. It detects vulnerabilities in real-time but only in the specific functionality it is interacting with.

Benefits of IAST

• It is an extremely efficient way of conducting a test with a relatively small scope on a live application
• IAST is the ideal method for testing APIs while designing microservices
• IAST promotes the use of existing test cases instead of re-creating scripts for application security testing. 

When you get a web application vulnerability scanner for your application it usually applies DAST or IAST methodologies to test the app in its production stage. There are certain benefits of regular web application scanning.

Read also: Web Application Security Testing: Methodology, Tests, and Tools

Benefits of regular web application vulnerability scanning 

More than 50 new CVEs were reported every day in 2020. This goes on to show how fast the cyberthreat landscape evolves. That is why web app vulnerability scans have to be a continuous endeavor and not a one-time exercise.

Maintain a strong security posture

Maintaining and managing a strong security posture is essential for every web application to ensure the safety of its users. Regular vulnerability scans ensure that the security loopholes are periodically detected and remediated.

Never send a vulnerable update

Thanks to the emergence of DevOps, applications are developed and updated with great speed. Integrating a web application vulnerability scanner with the CI/CD pipeline of an application ensures that each new update is scanned for vulnerabilities before it goes live. 

Stay compliance ready

Compliance with relevant security regulations is extremely important for businesses to compete in the market and to build trust among their customers. Regular vulnerability scanning ensures that the security controls required for passing a compliance audit are in place. A vulnerability scan is a significant part of every compliance readiness program.

5 features you should look for in a web application vulnerability scanner

All vulnerability scanners come with some similar offerings – automated scans for your systems, an interface to monitor the scans, a vulnerability scan report, and a bit of assistance in terms of remediating the vulnerabilities. 

The scanner should fit inside your CI/CD pipeline

The importance of this feature cannot be stressed enough. Integrating a web application vulnerability scanner in the CI/CD allows you to automate vulnerability scans whenever there is a code update to be sent. This works on top of the scheduled automated scans that keep happening regularly.

You should have one place to control it all from

Just any dashboard doesn’t work. You need a dashboard that truly taps into every step of the vulnerability management process. From that one place, you should be able to  

• Monitor the vulnerabilities  
• Update their statuses
• Assign them to team members
• Discuss them with security experts

The vulnerability reports should be truly actionable

A vulnerability scanning report is just a bunch of text on a pdf file that no one reads unless it is designed for easy interpretation and actionability. If a vulnerability scanner offers you risk scores along with video PoCs of the vulnerabilities, go ahead and grab that tool.

The vulnerability scanner should make compliance easier

Compliance audits are the stuff of nightmares if you are not prepared for it, well, preparing for it is no walk in the park either.

Look for a vulnerability scanning tool that runs compliance-specific scans for you and tells you exactly what you need to fix in order to be more prepared for a ceratin compliance audit. 

6 Web app vulnerability scanners to choose from

You know what to look for during your search for web application vulnerability scanners. We’ve made your task easier by bringing some of the best tools to your attention. Time to learn some more about them.

Astra’s Pentest

As the name suggests this is more of a pentest product than just a vulnerability scanner but Astra’s Pentest does come with a solid automated vulnerability scanner that you can buy as a separate product.

The DAST vulnerability scanner included in Astra’s Pentest checks all the boxes for being the perfect tool for scanning any web application. The best part is that they update the scanner rules every week helping you stay on top of the constantly evolving vulnerabilities. 

• Astra’s Pentest can scan single-page applications
• It integrates with the CI/CD pipeline and platforms like Slack and Jira
• It scans behind logged-in pages with the help of a log-in recorder extension
• You get a superb vulnerability management dashboard with compliance-specific scans
• The vulnerability scan report comes with video PoCs to help your developers work faster on the fixes along with the prioritized list of security issues.
• You always have the option of getting an upgrade to a manual pentest in which case you get assured zero false positives

Astra’s Pentest is an easy-to-use self-served security testing tool that conducts 3000+ tests to ensure no vulnerability is left unchecked. Nevertheless, if you get stuck there is a team of experienced security professionals that can jump in to help you out.

Qualys

Qualys is a cloud-based vulnerability scanner that can work in a wide range of environments and is a scalable solution. Qualys maintains a large vulnerability database which helps the scanner stay relevant and current. You can use this tool to scan on-premise devices, cloud instances, IoT endpoints, etc.

• You can integrate the vulnerability scanner with the existing IT ticketing system to keep the remediation process simple.
• You can integrate the scanner with the Qualys continuous monitoring (CM) tool to keep an eye on your assets.
• The tool claims to be 99.999% accurate in its findings.

Acunetix

This web application security scanner comes with a blend of DAST and IAST scanning and claims to detect more than 7000 vulnerabilities. Acunetix promises to detect 90% of the vulnerabilities by the time the scan is halfway done. 

• You can scan multiple environments at the same time with Acunetix
• It helps you prioritize the vulnerabilities according to the risks posed by them
• The tool minimizes false positives
• It is suitable for single-page applications and code-heavy sites.

Intruder

This is a web application scanner that helps you monitor security risks across your stack. It is easy to use and covers a decent range of vulnerabilities. Intruder scans for misconfigurations, outdated or missing patches, SQLi, XSS, and all CVEs noted in the OWASP top 10.

Intruder is a useful tool for testing your IT environment for security vulnerabilities and loopholes. The primary features include

• Get a bird’s-eye view of your application security threats
• Reducing the attack surface
• The report helps you with compliance questionnaires
• Reducing the gap between finding and fixing vulnerabilities

Veracode

Veracode is a major player in the Application Security Testing business and it offers three types of security testing – SAST, DAST, and Software composition analysis. This tool is designed to cope with the speed of development that comes with DevOps. It allows you to scan hundreds of apps and APIs at the same time. It’s a perfect solution for large enterprises.

• You get a less than 5% rate of false positives with Veracode
• You can find vulnerabilities in a running application
• The scan parameters are flexible
• You can use the interface to monitor scan results while other scans are running.

Netsparker

Netsparker is one of the leading web application scanners. It is easy to set up, integrates well with multiple workflows, and scans various web application types such as Web 2.0, HTML 5, and single-page apps. 

Netsparker is a great choice for detecting SQLi, cross-site scripting, misconfigurations, and other web app vulnerabilities. Important features include

• Proof-based scanning – Netsparker produces proof of exploit to assure that there are no false positives
• Pre and post-scan automation makes it easier to set up the scanner
• It uses a REST API to help you integrate the scanner with all stages of the SDLC
• You get instant alerts for vulnerabilities found in mission-critical assets

Final thoughts

If there were one thing about vulnerability scanning that couldn’t be stressed enough that would be the importance of consistency and regularity. A vulnerability scan is not a one-off event, it is a continuous process. So, the easier it is to handle the tool and make it a part of the SDLC, the better.

It takes one vulnerability to ruin your perfectly running business, so, take good care of your application’s security, choose the right web application vulnerability scanner, and instill good security practices in your organization. Whenever in doubt, you can reach out to us. 

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