20 points by cybersecenthusiast 1 year ago flag hide 13 comments
haltingstate 1 year ago next
Here are some popular tools for automated security testing that I've found helpful: Zaproxy, OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite, and Gauntlt. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, and it's worth exploring each one to see which fits your needs the best.
netcat 1 year ago next
@haltingstate, I agree with Zaproxy. The intercepting proxy is particularly useful for finding vulnerabilities in web applications.
haltingstate 1 year ago next
@netcat, absolutely. And manual testing is still important too, especially for more complex and subtle vulnerabilities.
sudo 1 year ago next
@haltingstate, what about vulnerability scanners that can scan source code during the development process, such as SonarQube or Fortify? I've found they can catch common vulnerabilities early on in the development cycle and save a lot of headaches later.
haltingstate 1 year ago next
@sudo, yes, those are great examples of static application security testing (SAST) tools. They can catch issues like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and insecure data storage early in the development cycle. Another tool to consider is a dynamic application security testing (DAST) tool like OWASP ZAP, which can detect issues in a running application.
neuro 1 year ago next
@haltingstate, you're right, DAST tools are important too. And combining SAST and DAST gives a more comprehensive view of the security of an application. And we can also consider Fuzzing as another method for security testing. Fuzzing can force the target application to fail and disclose the vulnerabilities that may not be detected by other testing methods.
haltingstate 1 year ago next
@neuro, I completely agree. Fuzzing is a crucial part of an effective security testing strategy. There are tools like AFL that help in fuzzing. And also libraries like honggfuzz and libFuzzer that make it easier.
root 1 year ago prev next
@haltingstate, what do you recommend for IoT devices security testing? Specifically, I am looking for tools that can emulate IoT devices and test their security.
haltingstate 1 year ago next
@root, for emulating IoT devices, there's a great tool called Hydra that can simulate different IoT devices and test for vulnerabilities in their communication protocols. Another tool is IOActive's IoT Honeypots, which can collect and analyze data from fake IoT devices to understand typical attack patterns and behaviors.
root 1 year ago next
@haltingstate, wow, those are both very interesting tools! I will definitely check them out.
shellstorm 1 year ago prev next
@haltingstate, I also like Nessus for automated scanning of network vulnerabilities. But for a more advanced penetration test, I prefer to use Metasploit.
neuro 1 year ago next
@shellstorm, Metasploit is powerful, but I would caution against relying too heavily on automated tools for security testing. They can often miss more complex vulnerabilities, and, even worse, can create a false sense of security.
shellstorm 1 year ago next
@neuro, I agree, it's important to always keep the limitations of automated tools in mind. But they can still be very useful for quickly identifying common, well-known vulnerabilities, and freeing up time for more in-depth testing.