Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Zed Attack Proxy VS Nikto

Compare Zed Attack Proxy VS Nikto and see what are their differences

Zed Attack Proxy logo Zed Attack Proxy

The Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is an easy to use integrated penetration testing tool for finding...

Nikto logo Nikto

Nikto is an Open Source (GPL) web server scanner which performs comprehensive tests against web...
  • Zed Attack Proxy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-16
  • Nikto Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-15

Zed Attack Proxy features and specs

  • Open Source
    Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is open-source software, which means it's free to use and the source code is available for modification and improvement by the community.
  • Active Community
    ZAP has a robust and active community that contributes to its continuous improvement, provides support, and develops plugins and extensions.
  • Ease of Use
    ZAP is designed to be user-friendly, with a simple and intuitive interface, making it suitable for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Comprehensive Toolset
    ZAP offers a wide range of tools and features for automated and manual testing of web applications, including spidering, scanning, proxying, and reporting.
  • Cross-Platform
    ZAP runs on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, providing flexibility for users regardless of their operating system.

Possible disadvantages of Zed Attack Proxy

  • Performance Issues
    ZAP can be resource-intensive, which might lead to performance slowdowns, especially when scanning large applications or using a lot of active scan rules.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic functions are user-friendly, utilizing advanced features and customizations can require a deeper understanding and can be complex for newcomers.
  • Plugin Dependency
    Relying on community-developed plugins can sometimes be problematic if they are not updated in line with the core tool, potentially leading to compatibility issues.
  • Limited Commercial Support
    Since ZAP is open source, it lacks dedicated commercial support, which may be a disadvantage for enterprises requiring guaranteed support services.
  • False Positives
    As with many security scanning tools, ZAP may generate false positives, which requires manual verification and can add to the time and effort required in a security assessment.

Nikto features and specs

  • Open Source
    Nikto is open-source software, allowing for transparency, community contributions, and free usage, which reduces costs associated with web vulnerability scanning.
  • Comprehensive Testing
    Nikto is capable of testing for over 6,400 potentially dangerous files and programs, as well as outdated versions of servers, and version-specific insecure files/programs, providing a wide scope of security checks.
  • Regular Updates
    Nikto's database is regularly updated with the latest vulnerabilities and security threats, ensuring that scans are up-to-date with the most recent security findings.
  • Customization
    Users can customize the scans to match their specific needs by setting various options and parameters, allowing for flexibility in the security testing process.
  • Integration Capability
    Nikto can integrate with other security tools and platforms, enabling a more comprehensive security strategy and allowing it to be part of a broader security testing ecosystem.

Possible disadvantages of Nikto

  • False Positives
    Nikto can produce a significant number of false positives, which can lead to spending additional time and resources verifying the results.
  • Performance Overhead
    Being a thorough scanner, Nikto can consume significant resources and time, especially when scanning large websites or multiple targets, which might impact system performance.
  • Lack of Advanced Reporting
    Nikto's reporting capabilities are relatively basic compared to other commercial tools, which can make it challenging to analyze results and create comprehensive reports for non-technical stakeholders.
  • Limited User Interface
    Nikto primarily relies on command-line interface interactions, which may not be user-friendly for all users, especially those who are not comfortable with command-line operations.
  • Not Stealthy
    Nikto scans are not designed to be stealthy, meaning they can be easily detected by intrusion detection systems (IDS), which might raise alarms and potentially block the scans.

Analysis of Nikto

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Nikto is a useful tool for security professionals and system administrators.

Why this product is good

  • Nikto is a widely-used, open-source web server scanner that performs comprehensive tests against web servers for various vulnerabilities. It checks for dangerous files/CGIs, outdated server software, and other potentially risky items, making it a valuable tool for identifying security issues within web servers.

Recommended for

  • Security professionals who need to audit web servers for vulnerabilities.
  • System administrators aiming to ensure their web servers are up-to-date and free from known security issues.
  • Penetration testers who require a quick assessment of web server vulnerabilities as part of a broader security audit.

Zed Attack Proxy videos

Zed Attack Proxy ZAP Tutorial #6 - Forced Browsing

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Zed Attack Proxy ZAP Tutorial #2 - ein einfacher Angriff
  • Tutorial - Zed Attack Proxy ZAP Tutorial #11 - Kontexte - Authentifikation und mehr

Nikto videos

*NEW* Nikto Operator Bundle | Modern Warfare

More videos:

  • Review - BEFORE YOU BUY NIKTO IN MODERN WARFARE
  • Review - Nikto Operator Bundle - Call Of Duty Modern Warfare

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Zed Attack Proxy and Nikto)
Web Application Security
45 45%
55% 55
Security
37 37%
63% 63
Monitoring Tools
40 40%
60% 60
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Nikto seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time 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.

Zed Attack Proxy mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Zed Attack Proxy yet. Tracking of Zed Attack Proxy recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Nikto mentions (1)

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Zed Attack Proxy and Nikto, you can also consider the following products

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

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

Verimatrix App Security - Verimatrix App Security offers 24/7 protection for Android and iOS applications.

Shodan - Shodan is the world's first search engine for Internet-connected devices.

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

MicroFocus DevInspect - DevInspect is a secure coding tool designed specifically for developers who need agile development but cannot compromise on application security.