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Fiddler VS OpenVAS

Compare Fiddler VS OpenVAS and see what are their differences

Fiddler logo Fiddler

Fiddler is a debugging program for websites.

OpenVAS logo OpenVAS

The Open Vulnerability Assessment System (OpenVAS) is a framework of several services and tools...
  • Fiddler Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19
  • OpenVAS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-22

Fiddler features and specs

  • Comprehensive Debugging
    Fiddler allows for detailed HTTP/HTTPS traffic inspection and debugging, making it invaluable for diagnosing and troubleshooting web applications.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing flexibility to developers working in different environments.
  • Custom Scripting
    Supports custom scripts using FiddlerScript, enabling advanced functionalities and automation of repetitive tasks.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Provides an intuitive and easy-to-use interface that helps users navigate and utilize its features effectively.
  • Web Debugging Proxy
    Acts as a proxy server that captures traffic between your computer and the internet, which is essential for debugging web applications.

Possible disadvantages of Fiddler

  • Learning Curve
    May require a period of learning and adaptation for users new to the tool or those who are not familiar with HTTP/HTTPS concepts.
  • Resource Intensive
    Can be resource-heavy, especially when capturing and storing large amounts of traffic data, which may slow down your computer.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    Although it can work with mobile devices, setup can be cumbersome and less straightforward compared to desktop debugging.
  • Documentation and Community
    While there is good documentation available, it may not cover all niche use cases, and community support can be hit or miss.
  • SSL Decryption
    Decrypting HTTPS traffic requires additional setup and can introduce security risks if not handled properly.

OpenVAS features and specs

  • Open Source
    OpenVAS is an open-source vulnerability scanning tool, which means it is free to use and the source code is available for customization.
  • Comprehensive Scanning
    It offers comprehensive vulnerability scanning capabilities, including a wide range of tests for network vulnerabilities, web application security, and compliance checks.
  • Regular Updates
    The tool receives regular updates, ensuring that it keeps up with the latest vulnerabilities and security threats.
  • Community Support
    OpenVAS has a strong community of users and developers who contribute to its development and provide support through forums and other channels.
  • Integration Capabilities
    OpenVAS can be integrated with other security tools and systems, enhancing its utility in a broader security infrastructure.

Possible disadvantages of OpenVAS

  • Complex Setup
    Setting up OpenVAS can be complex and time-consuming, requiring a fair amount of technical expertise.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running OpenVAS can be resource-intensive, potentially requiring significant CPU and memory, especially during large-scale scans.
  • False Positives
    Like many vulnerability scanning tools, OpenVAS can generate false positives, which can result in additional effort to validate findings.
  • User Interface
    The user interface can be less intuitive compared to some commercial vulnerability scanners, potentially increasing the learning curve for new users.
  • Limited Real-Time Capabilities
    OpenVAS is more focused on periodic scanning rather than real-time vulnerability detection and management.

Analysis of Fiddler

Overall verdict

  • Fiddler is considered a good tool, particularly for developers and QA engineers who require a comprehensive and reliable solution for HTTP and HTTPS debugging. Its user-friendly interface and extensive documentation make it accessible, even for those who may not have extensive experience with web development tools.

Why this product is good

  • Fiddler by Telerik is a well-regarded web debugging tool that allows users to monitor, manipulate, and reuse HTTP requests. It's especially popular among developers and testers for its ease of use, robust feature set, and detailed analysis capabilities. It supports various platforms and is versatile enough for debugging tasks such as performance testing, security testing, and web session manipulation. Additionally, Fiddler offers extensive customization through its scripting capabilities, which lets users tailor it to their specific needs.

Recommended for

  • Web Developers
  • QA Engineers
  • Software Testers
  • Network Administrators
  • Anyone needing to debug and analyze HTTP/HTTPS traffic

Analysis of OpenVAS

Overall verdict

  • OpenVAS is a good choice for those seeking a reliable and free vulnerability management solution. However, users should be prepared for a potentially steep learning curve and the need for manual configuration to tailor the scanner to their specific environment.

Why this product is good

  • OpenVAS is a comprehensive open-source vulnerability scanner that is widely respected within the cybersecurity community. It provides extensive scanning capabilities, a regularly updated database of vulnerabilities, and supports a wide range of network protocols. The tool is versatile and can be integrated with other software for enhanced security operations. It is well-suited for detecting vulnerabilities in the network and identifying security issues that need to be addressed.

Recommended for

    OpenVAS is ideal for small to medium-sized organizations looking for a cost-effective vulnerability scanning solution. It's also suitable for cybersecurity professionals who have the technical expertise to configure and maintain the scanner, as well as enthusiasts or students who are keen on learning more about vulnerability management using open-source tools.

Fiddler videos

Fiddler On The Roof, Faith on Film review

More videos:

  • Review - FIDDLER ON THE ROOF WEST END REVIEW | Georgie Ashford
  • Review - Fiddler on the Roof Review

OpenVAS videos

How to find Exploits with OpenVAS

More videos:

  • Review - Vulnerability Analysis with OpenVAS | Scanning and Reconnaissance
  • Review - Vulnerability Identification and Remediation Cybrary Lab | Ep. 3 Kali Linux, OpenVAS, + more

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Fiddler and OpenVAS)
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Security
36 36%
64% 64
Web Application Security
0 0%
100% 100
Monitoring Tools
41 41%
59% 59

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Fiddler and OpenVAS

Fiddler Reviews

Top 10 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools (2023)
Next right up is Fiddler. It is one of the most powerful and popular web debugging proxy tools. it can debug and troubleshoot endlessly. What you would come to like is that Fiddler is free and has lots of plug-ins you can use. Knowing it captures, analyze and record HTTP traffic between your device and the server, handling any embedded issues becomes easy.
12 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools
Fiddler is a cross-platform web debugging proxy. It can help manipulate web sessions, inspect HTTPS traffic, and monitor traffic between your computer and the Internet.
Source: geekflare.com
Comparing Charles Proxy, Fiddler, Wireshark, and Requestly
Fiddler is another popular web debugging proxy that runs on Windows. It provides developers with a range of features, such as HTTP/HTTPS traffic capturing, request modification, and performance testing. In addition to these features, Fiddler has a scripting engine called FiddlerScript, which allows for customizing the tool’s behavior. This scripting engine enables developers...
Source: dev.to
73 Best SEO tools 2021 – The Most Epic List You Shouldn’t Miss
The answer is simple – if you are looking for an SEO site tool that won’t freeze your browser (a common problem with most plugins), then Fiddler is your ultimate debugging tool.

OpenVAS Reviews

Best Burp Suite Alternatives (Free and Paid) for 2023
The primary reason businesses use OpenVas is to perform comprehensive security testing of their IP addresses. This tool performs a port scan of an IP address to find any open services. Once listening services are found, they are tested for known vulnerabilities and misconfiguration using a large database of 53000 NVT checks. The results are compiled into a report that...
Burp suite alternatives
It is an open vulnerability assessment system is a software framework of services and tools offering vulnerability scanning and vulnerability assessment. The aim of OpenVAS protocol ia to be well documented to assist the developers. all products of OpenVAS are free, most components are licensed under the GNU, general public license. Its Plugins are written in NASL (Nessus...
Source: www.educba.com
10 Best Tenable Nessus Alternatives For 2021 [Updated List]
Verdict: OpenVAS is an open-source web application security scanner that will help you accurately detect vulnerabilities. It is easily configurable and can be tuned accordingly if you want to perform large-scale scans. Its use of updated data feeds makes it extremely efficient in detecting almost all types of vulnerabilities.
Best Nessus Alternatives (Free and Paid) for 2021
OpenVAS receives updates daily, which broadens the vulnerability detection coverage. It also helps in risk assessment and suggests countermeasures when the vulnerabilities in an application or network is detected.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenVAS seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Fiddler mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Fiddler yet. Tracking of Fiddler recommendations started around Mar 2021.

OpenVAS mentions (6)

  • Link CVE to installed applications?
    Otherwise your on the right path checkout the open source Greenbones OpenVAS (this was Nessus before they closed source and became corporate) or Project Discovery Nuclei. Source: about 2 years ago
  • What should I be doing as the sole sysadmin for a company to keep up with security?
    Personally, I was lucky enough to get a license to Nessus for my own scanning, however you can use OpenVAS for some free to scan. Scanners aren't 100% correct no matter where you go but it'll give you some things to look at. OpenVAS. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Wanting to protect my own homelab
    Https://openvas.org/ OpenVAS is free and fairly capable. It might struggle cpu on a pi... Might need quite a bit of ram, but I'm hoping you've got some beefier kit in your stack. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Free nessus equivalent?
    Maybe OpenVAS would fill the bill. It’s been on my list of things to check out. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Internal Vulnerability Scanning
    OpenVAS - https://openvas.org Try it first, its free, just download a prebuilt VM and you're off and running. I found it valuable for my clients. Source: almost 4 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Fiddler and OpenVAS, you can also consider the following products

Charles Proxy - HTTP proxy / HTTP monitor / Reverse Proxy

Nessus - Nessus Professional is a security platform designed for businesses who want to protect the security of themselves, their clients, and their customers.

Proxyman.io - Proxyman is a high-performance macOS app, which enables developers to view HTTP/HTTPS requests from apps and domains.

Burp Suite - Burp Suite is an integrated platform for performing security testing of web applications.

Postman - The Collaboration Platform for API Development

Acunetix - Audit your website security and web applications for SQL injection, Cross site scripting and other...