Cyber threats are much more challenging than ever and web application is probably the most and easy target for them. So web application penetration testing is now more than essential to identify weaknesses in the web application before cyber threats exploit them.
In our opinion, Combining manual and automatic testing techniques for comprehensive web application penetration testing is best. But choosing the right tools is another critical part. Here is why, The purpose of this article is to discuss how to select the best web application penetration testing tools for your organization.
Before choosing the best web application pen-testing tools
The right tool has an impact on the result. For example, a less reliable tool may generate lots of false positives that a tester never wants. There are several factors you need to consider when choosing the best web application penetration testing tools:
- Type of testing: The pentesting tool should be selected based on your web application testing type. The pentesting tool should support various testing types, such as black box, white box, or gray box.
- Usability: A best web application penetration testing tool should have a user-friendly interface. You should be able to launch a new scan without too much effort and quickly navigate to different functions.
- Integration of existing tools: You may already using various web penetration testing tools. The best penetration testing tool should easily integrate existing tools you or your organization already using.
- Reporting capabilities: A best web application penetration testing tool should generate a clear and concise report of the identified vulnerabilities. The tool also should include possible remediation of the issues.
- Technical support: If any issues arise, you should receive technical support from the vendor during the testing process.
- Open source or commercial: Both open source and commercial tools have pros and cons to consider to choose the right tool. You may need to do some extra work to make the open-source tool work properly. Open-source or free tools can be less reliable than commercial tools.
- Cost: Cost is another factor when choosing the best web application testing tools. You should compare features and costs with other tools available in the market to make the right decision. If you have a skilled tester, you may not need highly expensive tools.
Web Application Pentsting Tools to Consider
There are several best web application penetration testing tools available in the market. It depends on many factors which tool is best for you. Let’s see some of the best penetration testing tools in the market:
Burp Suite: Burp Suite is one of the best and our favorite tools for web application penetration testing. Burp Suite has three versions, Free, Professional, and Enterprise. The Professional version is for more technical people, whereas the Enterprise version is a fully-featured scanner. We love the Burp Suite Pro.
Nmap: Nmap is the most popular and open-source network scanner. This tool scans for open ports. But with nmap scripts, the tester can analyze the web application too.
Acunetix: Acunetix is one of the popular commercial web application vulnerability scanners that support black box or white box testing. Be aware, Acunetix may also generate a large number of false positives.
Metasploit: Metasploit is an open-source penetration testing framework that can be used for vulnerability scanning and automated exploitation. There is an also paid version, “Metasploit Pro.”
Nessus: Nessus is a widely used vulnerability scanner. Nessus currently has more than 177000 plugins, and every day new plugins are added. Nessus scanner is customizable to scan network or web applications vulnerabilities.
To Conclude
For web application security, choosing the right tools is critical to identify all vulnerabilities. It is also essential to understand how to eliminate any false positives that automated tools can generate.
Finally, Consider the factors we have discussed to choose the best tool that fits your organization. If you consider hiring a professional to identify vulnerabilities in your web application, RedNode is the right choice as we already have certified cybersecurity experts with the right web application penetration testing tools and skills.
