Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Netsparker VS HCL AppScan

Compare Netsparker VS HCL AppScan and see what are their differences

Netsparker logo Netsparker

Netsparker is a tool for scanning web sites for security vulnerabilities.

HCL AppScan logo HCL AppScan

Fast, Accurate, Agile Application Security Testing
  • Netsparker Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-12-21
  • HCL AppScan Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-25
  • HCL AppScan
    Image date //
    2024-11-18
  • HCL AppScan
    Image date //
    2024-11-18
  • HCL AppScan
    Image date //
    2024-11-18
  • HCL AppScan
    Image date //
    2024-11-18

HCL AppScan is a suite of application security testing platforms, technologies, and services that help organizations detect and remediate vulnerabilities throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Powerful static, dynamic, interactive, and open-source scanning engines (DAST, SAST, IAST, SCA, API) quickly and accurately test code, web applications, APIs, mobile applications, containers, and open-source components with the help of AI and machine learning capabilities. Centralized dashboards provide visibility, oversight, compliance policies, and reporting. HCL AppScan’s scanning engines are maintained by expert security researchers and are continuously updated to remain current with recent technologies, vulnerabilities, and attack vectors. With HCL AppScan, organizations can manage their application security posture and reduce risk across their entire software supply chain.

Netsparker features and specs

  • Comprehensive Scanning
    Netsparker offers deep and thorough scanning capabilities, capable of identifying a wide range of security vulnerabilities across web applications, including SQL Injection, XSS, and more.
  • Automation
    The tool supports automation for recurring scans, which helps in continuously monitoring web applications for vulnerabilities without requiring extensive manual intervention.
  • Accuracy and Proof-Based Scanning
    Netsparker employs Proof-Based Scanning technology, which not only identifies vulnerabilities but also validates their existence, reducing false positives and making it easier to act on findings.
  • Integrations
    It integrates well with various CI/CD pipelines and other development tools like Jenkins, Jira, and GitHub, facilitating seamless incorporation into existing workflows.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The platform boasts an intuitive and easy-to-navigate user interface, which simplifies the process of setting up scans, viewing results, and managing vulnerabilities.
  • Reporting and Compliance
    Netsparker offers detailed and customizable reporting features, which are particularly useful for compliance and auditing purposes. Reports can be tailored to meet specific compliance requirements like PCI-DSS, HIPAA, etc.
  • Team Collaboration
    Netsparker includes features for team collaboration, allowing multiple users to work together in identifying and addressing security issues more efficiently.

Possible disadvantages of Netsparker

  • Cost
    Netsparker can be expensive for small to medium-sized businesses, especially when compared to other web vulnerability scanners in the market.
  • Resource Intensive
    The scanner can be resource-intensive, potentially slowing down web applications during scans, especially for larger applications with many endpoints.
  • Initial Setup Complexity
    While the user interface is user-friendly, the initial setup and configuration can be complex, requiring a fair amount of time and technical expertise.
  • Overwhelming Features
    The wide range of features and settings can be overwhelming for new users or smaller teams who may not need all the advanced functionalities.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    Netsparker primarily operates as an online service, and its capabilities when offline are limited, which could be a constraint for organizations operating in restricted or high-security environments.

HCL AppScan features and specs

  • Comprehensive Security Testing
    HCL AppScan offers a wide range of security testing capabilities, including static, dynamic, and interactive application security testing, providing a holistic approach to identifying vulnerabilities.
  • Compliance Reporting
    The tool features built-in compliance reporting that helps organizations ensure they adhere to various industry standards like OWASP Top 10, GDPR, HIPAA, and others.
  • Scalability
    HCL AppScan is suitable for organizations of all sizes, offering solutions that scale from small businesses to large enterprises with complex application landscapes.
  • Ease of Integration
    The platform integrates easily with various DevOps tools and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, enabling seamless security testing within existing development workflows.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    HCL AppScan features an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it accessible for both novice and experienced users.
  • Shift Left
    Developers write more secure code from the start with software that easily integrates into IDEs and CI/CD pipelines, accurately finds vulnerabilities, and provides fix recommendations.
  • Achieve Continuous Security
    DevOps can automate testing throughout the SDLC with customizable sliders to balance speed and accuracy as well as incremental scanning to focus tests on only the new code being added.
  • Focus on the Fix
    Auto-fix capabilities, machine learning for reduced false positives, and auto issue correlation help not just find vulnerabilities but prioritize them for remediation.
  • Unparalleled Visibility and Oversight
    Maintain a real-time security picture with centralized dashboards, aggregated scan results and customizable lenses for risk posture and compliance.

Possible disadvantages of HCL AppScan

  • High Cost
    The software can be relatively expensive, making it less accessible for smaller organizations or startups with limited budgets.
  • Resource-Intensive
    Running comprehensive scans can be resource-intensive, potentially slowing down development environments or requiring additional infrastructure.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    While the interface is user-friendly, fully leveraging all features and capabilities of HCL AppScan can require significant training and expertise.
  • False Positives
    Like many security testing tools, HCL AppScan can sometimes generate false positives, which can consume valuable time to investigate and resolve.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    The tool's support for mobile application security testing lags behind some of its competitors, which may be a drawback for organizations focusing heavily on mobile app development.

Analysis of Netsparker

Overall verdict

  • Netsparker is considered a robust and effective solution for web application security scanning. Its comprehensive feature set, ease of use, and detailed reporting make it a strong contender in the vulnerability scanning space. However, the investment may be significant for smaller organizations, so it's best suited for entities that can leverage its full capabilities.

Why this product is good

  • Netsparker, now a part of Invicti, is regarded as a reliable tool for web application security due to its accuracy in identifying vulnerabilities such as SQL Injection, XSS, and other OWASP Top 10 threats. It offers automated web vulnerability scanning with proof-based scanning technology that reduces false positives. This makes it a favored choice for security professionals looking for efficient and precise results.

Recommended for

    Netsparker is recommended for medium to large enterprises that require thorough and automated web application security testing. It's particularly beneficial for organizations with a strong focus on security compliance and those that demand high accuracy in vulnerability scanning results. Additionally, it is suitable for security teams that can benefit from reduced false positives to optimize their workflow.

Analysis of HCL AppScan

Overall verdict

  • HCL AppScan is considered a good choice for organizations looking for effective application security solutions. Its extensive features, user-friendly interface, and strong support infrastructure make it a competitive option in the market. However, like any tool, its effectiveness can depend on specific organizational needs, and it may require the expertise to fully leverage its potential.

Why this product is good

  • HCL AppScan is widely regarded as a robust tool for application security testing. It offers a comprehensive suite of security testing solutions, including static, dynamic, and interactive testing capabilities. The tool is praised for its ability to detect a wide range of vulnerabilities, ease of integration into the development lifecycle, and for providing actionable insights to developers. Additionally, it benefits from continuous updates that keep it aligned with the latest security standards and threats.

Recommended for

  • Large enterprises with dedicated security teams.
  • Organizations looking to integrate security with their DevOps pipelines.
  • Security professionals seeking comprehensive vulnerability coverage.
  • Teams requiring compliance with industry regulations and standards.

Netsparker videos

PHP Type Juggling Vulnerabilities, Netsparker - Paul's Security Weekly #572

More videos:

  • Review - Getting Started with Netsparker Web Application Security Scanner
  • Review - Introduction to Netsparker Web Application Security Scanners

HCL AppScan videos

HCL AppScan: Comprehensive Security Testing (SAST, DAST, IAST, SCA)

More videos:

  • Review - HCL AppScan - Introducing HCL AppScan CodeSweep
  • Review - HCL AppScan on Cloud: Take a Static Analysis Scan Run by Jenkins and Send Findings to Jira
  • Review - HCL AppScan V10x On-Premises Architectural Overview

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Netsparker and HCL AppScan)
Security
100 100%
0% 0
Web Application Security
59 59%
41% 41
Security & Privacy
60 60%
40% 40
Code Analysis
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Netsparker and HCL AppScan

Netsparker Reviews

10 Best Tenable Nessus Alternatives For 2021 [Updated List]
Netsparker is a cloud-based, on-premises web application security scanner that can help you build automated security throughout your entire SDLC. It can be used on any platform and can perform fast, accurate scans on all types of web applications, APIs, and services.
Best Nessus Alternatives (Free and Paid) for 2021
Netsparker is one of the best Nessus alternatives. It is an automated security testing tool that makes it easy for organizations to secure thousands of websites and dramatically reduce the risk of attack. By empowering security teams with unique DAST + IAST scanning capabilities on the market, Netsparker allows organizations with complicated environments to automate their...
Top 4 Open Source Security Testing Tools to Test Web Application
Netsparker uniquely verifies the identified vulnerabilities proving they are real and not false positives, so you do not need to waste hours manually verifying the identified vulnerabilities once a scan is finished.

HCL AppScan Reviews

The Top 11 Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Tools
HCL AppScan CodeSweep Best Features: The solution supports over 30 coding languages and frameworks, allowing for use across various environments. It includes Intelligent Finding Analytics (IFA) that uses AI to filter out 98% of false positives. Security testing options include static, dynamic, interactive, and open-source application testing, along with automatic secrets...
10 Best Tenable Nessus Alternatives For 2021 [Updated List]
Verdict: HCL AppScan features a powerful static application security testing system that can be utilized to catch vulnerabilities while the software is still in its development stage. As such, it is an ideal application scanner for developers who want to build better applications with securely written codes.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Netsparker and HCL AppScan, you can also consider the following products

Acunetix Vulnerability Scanner - Acunetix Vulnerability Scanner is a platform that offers a web vulnerability scanner and provides security testing to users for their web applications.

Checkmarx - The industry’s most comprehensive AppSec platform, Checkmarx One is fast, accurate, and accelerates your business.

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

Appknox - Appknox is a cloud-based mobile app security solution to detect threats and vulnerabilities in the app.

StackPath - Secure Content Delivery Network, DDoS, WAF Service

Coverity Scan - Find and fix defects in your Java, C/C++ or C# open source project for free