What are the top web app security tools?

3 Penetration Testing Tools

Penetration testing tools are software tools that simulate malicious attacks on web applications, using various techniques and methods to exploit vulnerabilities and gain access to sensitive data and systems. They can help developers and administrators assess the security posture of web applications, as well as discover and prioritize the most critical and high-risk security issues. Penetration testing tools can also help validate the effectiveness of security controls and countermeasures, as well as provide recommendations and remediation steps. Some examples of penetration testing tools are Metasploit, Kali Linux, and Nmap.

4 Web Application Firewalls

Web application firewalls are software or hardware devices that monitor and filter the incoming and outgoing traffic between web applications and the internet, blocking or allowing requests based on predefined rules and policies. They can help developers and administrators protect web applications from common and emerging web attacks, such as denial-of-service, cross-site scripting, and SQL injection. Web application firewalls can also help reduce the attack surface and exposure of web applications, as well as provide logging and auditing capabilities. Some examples of web application firewalls are ModSecurity, Cloudflare, and AWS WAF.

5 Security Scanners

Security scanners are software tools that scan web applications and their components, such as URLs, pages, forms, and APIs, for security vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. They can help developers and administrators automate the security testing process, as well as generate comprehensive and actionable reports and alerts. Security scanners can also help integrate security into the development lifecycle, as well as comply with security standards and regulations. Some examples of security scanners are Acunetix, Netsparker, and Qualys.

6 Security Monitoring Tools

Security monitoring tools are software tools that collect and analyze data from web applications and their environments, such as servers, networks, and databases, for security events and incidents. They can help developers and administrators detect and respond to security threats, such as unauthorized access, data leakage, and malware. Security monitoring tools can also help provide visibility and insight into the security status and performance of web applications, as well as support forensic and incident response activities. Some examples of security monitoring tools are Splunk, ELK Stack, and Datadog.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?