OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)

OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)

ZAP is an open-source web application security scanner used to find vulnerabilities in web apps. It offers automated and manual tools to scan APIs, access control weaknesses, injection flaws, XSS, and other issues.
OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) image
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OWASP Zed Attack Proxy: Open-Source Web App Security Scanner

ZAP is an open-source web application security scanner used to find vulnerabilities in web apps. It offers automated and manual tools to scan APIs, access control weaknesses, injection flaws, XSS, and other issues.

What is OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)?

OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is an open-source web application security scanner used to find vulnerabilities in web applications. It provides automated and manual tools to scan APIs, access control weaknesses, injection flaws, cross-site scripting, insecure configuration issues, and more.

Key features of ZAP include:

  • Automated scanner detects vulnerabilities like SQL injection, XSS, XXE, SSRF, etc.
  • Manual tools for exploring APIs and testing access controls
  • Built-in fuzzing capabilities for input boundaries and injection points
  • Can scan modern JS heavy apps and REST APIs
  • Integrates with browsers as an intercepting proxy
  • Generates security reports from scans
  • Plugin architecture for extensive extensibility
  • Completely free and open source

ZAP is very popular for contextual manual testing paired with some automated tests. It provides an approachable interface for developers without extensive security expertise. The active development community also keeps it updated with latest vulnerabilities and attack methods.

OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) Features

Features

  1. Spidering and crawling of web applications
  2. Passive scanning for analysis of requests and responses
  3. Active scanning for vulnerability detection
  4. AJAX spidering for crawling of modern web apps
  5. Variety of attack tools for penetration testing
  6. Extensible via add-ons for advanced functions
  7. Built-in proxy for traffic inspection and modification
  8. Automated and manual testing options
  9. Command line and GUI interfaces
  10. Authentication tools for session management
  11. Integrations with CI/CD pipelines
  12. APIs for integration with other tools
  13. Exporting of reports in various formats

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Easy to use interface

Powerful scanning capabilities

Active community support and development

Cross-platform compatibility

Extensible and customizable via plugins

Integrates well with other tools

Helps identify a wide range of vulnerabilities

Cons

Can generate false positives

Limited default policies for authentication

Requires expertise to leverage advanced features

Not as feature rich as commercial products

Lacks official technical support services


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