Top 10 Arachni Alternatives for Web Application Security Testing
Arachni is an Open Source, feature-full, modular, high-performance Ruby framework designed to help penetration testers and administrators evaluate the security of web applications. While a powerful tool, specific project requirements, budget constraints, or a desire for different feature sets might lead you to seek out an Arachni alternative. This article explores some of the best tools available that offer similar or complementary functionalities for comprehensive web application security auditing.
Best Arachni Alternatives
Whether you're looking for open-source flexibility, commercial support, or specific scanning capabilities, this list provides a range of options to enhance your web application security posture.
Shodan
Shodan is an IoT (Internet of Things) search engine for finding and getting details about internet-connected devices. While not a direct web application scanner like Arachni, its ability to search for IP addresses and focus on security aspects makes it a valuable complementary tool for reconnaissance in a penetration test. It's available as a Freemium, Web platform.
OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)
The Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is an easy-to-use integrated penetration testing tool for finding vulnerabilities in web applications. Designed for a wide range of users, it offers strong proxy support and comprehensive penetration testing features. OWASP ZAP is a Free, Open Source solution available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, making it a highly accessible Arachni alternative.
Nikto
Nikto is an Open Source (GPL) web server scanner that performs comprehensive tests against web servers for multiple items, including over 6400 potentially dangerous issues. While more focused on server configuration than deep web application logic like Arachni, its broad scanning capabilities make it a useful Free, Open Source tool for Mac, Windows, and Linux users.
w3af
w3af is a Web Application Attack and Audit Framework, providing a robust platform for identifying vulnerabilities. As a Free, Open Source solution for Windows and Linux, w3af is a strong contender as an Arachni alternative, offering a framework approach to security auditing.
Acunetix
Acunetix is a commercial web security scanner that helps audit website security and web applications for SQL injection, Cross-site scripting, and other web vulnerabilities. Available on Windows, Web, and Wordpress, Acunetix offers a comprehensive commercial alternative to Arachni for businesses seeking professional-grade scanning.
skipfish
Skipfish is a fully automated, active web application security reconnaissance tool known for its high speed due to pure C code and optimized HTTP handling. As a Free, Open Source tool available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD, it features a command-line interface and heuristic detection, making it a powerful and efficient Arachni alternative.
wapiti
Wapiti allows you to audit the security of your web applications. It is a command-line tool, emphasizing a security-focused approach. As a Free, Open Source tool for Windows and Linux, Wapiti provides a lightweight yet effective Arachni alternative for command-line enthusiasts.
Websecurify
Websecurify is a powerful web application security testing environment designed to provide the best combination of automatic and manual vulnerability detection. This Commercial tool is available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, offering strong penetration testing and security-focused features as a robust Arachni alternative.
HTTPCS Security
HTTPCS Security allows users to launch an audit to detect security flaws on their website or web application without technical expertise. This Commercial, online Web platform offers penetration testing, web development, and web server features, providing a user-friendly and comprehensive Arachni alternative for those new to security auditing.
purplepee.co
purplepee.co is a Free, Open Source, Web, Self-Hosted, and SaaS tool that allows you to view general information about a website's HTTP header, DNS records, SSL certificates, open TCP ports, and ASN. While not a direct vulnerability scanner, its focus on DNS and SSL information provides valuable reconnaissance features, making it a useful supplementary Arachni alternative for gathering website intelligence.
Choosing the right web application security tool depends on your specific needs, whether that's deep vulnerability scanning, extensive reconnaissance, ease of use, or open-source flexibility. Explore these Arachni alternatives to find the best fit for your security auditing workflow.