Top 14 OSS Application Security Tools by Use Case

Best OSS application security tools for every need

In the last year alone, nearly 8 out of 10 organizations experienced a breach. This statistic indicates a distressing rise in the frequency of attacks and the number of vulnerable organizations. It also underscores the need for application security (AppSec) tools, especially open-source solutions, which are generally flexible, cost-effective, and extensible.

In this article, we’ll look at the top 14 open-source application security tools—including SCA, secrets scanning, and application security testing tools—to help you streamline the critical process of securing your apps from threats and vulnerabilities.

What are application security tools?

Application security tools are solutions that automate application security measures in order to protect software applications from vulnerabilities that could compromise their availability and confidentiality.

To empower developers to detect and mitigate software security risks fast, AppSec tools include specialized features that help teams fix potential code and OSS vulnerabilities right within their integrated development environment (IDE) and source code management (SCM) systems.

They also facilitate cross-team collaboration among development, operations, and security teams, ensuring that all hands are on deck to enforce security controls throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). By adopting AppSec tools, organizations can become more resilient in the face of evolving security risks.

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Core features of a good OSS AppSec tool

There are many OSS AppSec tools on the market. So how do you know which are the best fit for your organization? Below are six key features to look out for in your ideal OSS application security tools.

1. Seamless deployment and customization

A tool that deploys slowly or is complex to set up and utilize will slow down software release cycles. Choose OSS AppSec tools that deploy in minutes and have user-friendly interfaces to improve usability.

Pro tip

Though OSS tools are generally customizable, extending the functionalities of some of these tools can be costly or introduce performance overheads. Instead, look out for tools that offer straightforward customization options to seamlessly incorporate all the functionalities you need.

2. Integration and multi-language support

For performance and extensibility reasons, many modern applications are developed using multiple languages. Be sure to choose a tool that supports all languages in your software, and check that the tool integrates easily into your development workflows. This will facilitate agile software development and shift-left security.

3. Real-time scanning and alerting

Real-time scanning and alerting involves continuously monitoring and reporting on your software and code files while they are being accessed and executed. This feature gives DevSecOps teams near-instantaneous visibility into code and patches, shortening the attack window if there are vulnerabilities present.

4. Comprehensive and accurate scan results

A security solution is only as good as its ability to correctly identify security issues in your software environment and provide you with actionable insights on how to resolve them. Select a tool that gives you detailed results with low false positives out of the box, which will speed up remediation and minimize alert fatigue.

5. Up-to-date vulnerability and compliance information

New Common Vulnerability and Exposures (CVEs) and new regulatory standards—such as HIPAA, ISO, NIST, PCI DSS, and GDPR—keep emerging as the threat landscape evolves. Named vulnerabilities and new regulations share a common goal: to better protect sensitive data and IT infrastructure. Remember: A tool that keeps up with the most recent compliance and vulnerability data is much more likely to detect security risks as they unfold, safeguarding your organization from breaches, compliance violations, and associated fines and lawsuits.

6. Maintenance and community support

OSS projects are driven by community contributions; be sure that the tool you choose has an active user community to offer you timely support. It should also provide you with regular updates and recommendations for configuration fixes.

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Top OSS application security tools

AppSec tools cut across various aspects of application security, covering use cases like code and secrets scanning, application security testing, software composition analysis, runtime vulnerability management, and compliance management. Below is a list of the top 14 tools, classified by use case.

Top OSS software composition analysis tools

Software composition analysis (SCA) tools help in the detection of known vulnerabilities and license compliance issues in open-source components. Below are our top picks.

1. OWASP Dependency-Check

This tool is optimized to detect common vulnerabilities in software dependencies, including the OWASP Top 10. Once Dependency-Check finds a dependency in your software environment, it scans for the dependecy’s Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) identifier and links to its associated CVE entries, helping you identify third-party vulnerabilities on the fly.

Pros	Cons
Multiple output formats: Outputs results in JSON, HTML, XML, and other formats Integration: Supports build systems like Maven, npm, and Gradle	False negatives: Can only identify vulnerabilities listed in the NVD, which may not always be up-to-date, resulting in false negatives

2. Retire.js

Retire.js detects outdated and vulnerable JavaScript libraries in software apps and recommends up-to-date or more secure alternatives to enable instantaneous vulnerability remediation.

Pros	Cons
Deployment options: Can be deployed via a Grunt plugin, CLI, or browser extension, ensuring flexibility Real-time scanning: Automatically scans for vulnerabilities every time it detects new code changes	Limited coverage: For JavaScript software only Limited integration: Offers limited CI/CD and GitHub integration capabilities

Top secrets scanning tools

Secrets Scanning tools scan code repositories to prevent the accidental release of secrets like API keys, tokens, and passwords into codebases, commit histories, and config files. The top three are:

1. GitHub secret scanning

GitHub secret scanning automatically scans GitHub code repositories and commits histories for known types of secrets. It uses pattern recognition techniques and alerts repository administrators when leaked secrets are detected.

Pros	Cons
Alerting and auditing: Alerts on leaked secrets and allows administrators to monitor remediation efforts Collaboration with service providers: Works closely with service providers to validate and revoke leaked secrets	No cross-repository support: For GitHub only

2. GitGuardian

GitGuardian scans public and private repositories for exposed secrets. Among other features, It has an alerting function and seamlessly integrates with CI/CD pipelines.

Pros	Cons
Cross-platform support: Integrates with GitLab, GitHub, and Bitbucket Customization: Lets users define custom rules for secrets detection Reporting and alerting: Offers a centralized dashboard for interacting with scan results	Limited features: Offers advanced features in the paid edition only Cost: Higher-tier plans can be costly

3. TruffleHog

TruffleHog runs high-entropy scans on Git repositories and other version control systems to detect various types of secrets, making it a favorite among security engineers and developers.

Pros	Cons
Historical scanning: Scans commit histories to identify leaked secrets in previous versions; can be helpful if the secrets are still in use User friendly: Is easy to use and integrate, which is critical in agile workflows	False negatives: Runs high-entropy scans, which may leave some secrets undetected Output formats: Outputs results in JSON format only

Top SAST tools

Static application security testing tools assess application source code and binaries for coding errors and vulnerabilities that can be exploited in attacks. Here are the top three OSS SAST tools:

1. SonarQube

SonarQube performs code security and quality assurance checks on application source code. During every merge or pull request, SonarQube checks your code against an expansive ruleset, empowering DevSecOps teams to get real-time feedback on bugs and vulnerabilities.

Pros	Cons
Historical analysis: Lets you track resolved and unresolved vulnerabilities from previous scans Integration: Integrates with CI/CD pipelines and a number of DevOps platforms, including GitHub Actions, CircleCI, Jenkins, and Azure DevOps Language support: Supports 29+ programming languages and frameworks	Limited features: Open-source version offers only rudimentary code security features and does not cover all known vulnerabilities Customization challenges: Extending its functionalities can be difficult

2. Bearer

Bearer CLI provides a set of tools for assessing software source code, analyzing data flows, and managing API risks. It enables real-time vulnerability scanning and generates compliance reports.

Pros	Cons
Multi-language support: Supports JavaScript, Ruby, Java, and TypeScript API security: Assesses apps for API for authentication and authorization failures	Integration: Supports MAC and Linux-based systems only Complexity: Uses a CLI; ideal for expert users only

3. Brakeman

Brakeman is a static scanner for Ruby on Rails apps. Brakeman runs at all stages of the SDLC, can scan web pages before they go live, and discovers potential security risks before they are exploitable.

Pros	Cons
Actively maintained: Frequent new releases, including in the last few months Rails-focused scanners: Detects Rails-specific vulnerabilities such as improper configuration, making its results more accurate	Rails-specific: For Ruby on Rails apps only Large codebase: May slow down performance

Top DAST tools

Dynamic application security testing tools interact with software apps as end users and attackers would, providing timely insights into potential runtime vulnerabilities. The top three OSS DAST tools include:

1. Wapiti

Wapiti is a web application crawler that injects payloads into software to detect file disclosure issues, XPath injections, subdomain takeovers, and other common vulnerabilities.

Pros	Cons
Multi-protocol support: Performs scans using HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, and more Integration: Provides a command-line interface that integrates easily into various pipelines. Community support: Has an active community that keeps the tool up-to-date and provides usage guidance	Complicated UI: Offers no graphical user interface (GUI); may be difficult to navigate for users who are unfamiliar with command-line tools Limited coverage: Only detects vulnerable scripts and forms; does not scan source code, resulting in omitted vulnerabilities

2. ZAP

Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is an actively maintained project that uses crawlers, dictionary lists, and passive scanning methods to detect OS vulnerabilities.

Pros	Cons
Multiple scanning options: Offers GitHub Actions, Docker package, and command-line scans Extensibility: Has API and daemon modes that help access and extend the tool’s key features Severity ranking: Sorts risks by CVE score and severity level	Runtime scans only: Only works after code deployment

3. Nikto

Nikto scans web servers for common vulnerabilities, including dangerous files, outdated server software, Common Gateway Interface (CGI) vulnerabilities, and misconfigurations.

Pros	Cons
Comprehensive vulnerability database: Has a regularly updated vulnerability database containing 6,700+ known vulnerabilities Integration: Supports NGINX, Apache, Lighttpd, LiteSpeed, and other web servers	False positives and negatives: Users may need to verify reports manually Lacks GUI: Ideal for expert users only

Top pen testing tools

Penetration testing tools look for vulnerabilities in software apps, networks, and IT systems. Unlike DAST tools, which simulate attacks to discover security risks but do not exploit them, pen testers act like actual attackers. Here are the top three:

1. sqlmap

sqlmap exploits SQL injection vulnerabilities in web apps by executing arbitrary SQL commands. It tests for vulnerabilities by attempting to gain unauthorized system access, extract sensitive data, take over databases, and more.

Pros	Cons
Multi-DBMS support: Supports various database management systems (DBMS), including PostgreSQL, SQLite, and MySQL Swift scans: Supports multi-threading for faster vulnerability exploitation Powerful detection engine: Has pre- and post-exploitation capabilities, including database fingerprinting, OS command execution, and detection of data over-fetching issues	Limited coverage: For discovering SQL injection flaws only Command-line tool: Can be complex for beginners

2. Metasploit

Metasploit is a powerful pen tester that offers a suite of tools, including scanners, payloads, exploits, and evasion modules. It is also ideal for developing intrusion detection systems (IDSs), scanning user-supplied input fields, and detecting vulnerable files.

Pros	Cons
Exploit and payload framework: Has a large database of known exploits and payloads, including privilege escalation, reverse shells, and more Multiple interfaces: Offers both GUI and CLI	Potentially vulnerable: Is a popular tool among hackers, presenting serious security risks Complex to use: Requires a steep learning curve

3. w3af

Web Application Attack and Audit Framework (w3af) audits and exploits common vulnerabilities in web apps, including OS commanding, cross-site request forgery (CSRF), XSS, and SQL injection.

Pros	Cons
User-friendly interface: Has an intuitive GUI Scanning options: Uses both active scanning methods (injecting payloads) and passive scanning methods (assessing responses)	Performance impact: Can be quite slow when scanning large files False negatives: May miss some vulnerabilities

OSS AppSec tools are part of a larger security strategy

Amid the shifting threat landscape, the adoption of open-source application security tools will continue to grow. But despite their flexibility and community support, it’s a good idea to use OSS AppSec tools in conjunction with a unified security platform so that no security risks fall through the cracks.

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