Many users wonder what a web site scanner is. Is it good or is it evil? Does it help or harm? We decided to get to the bottom of this question and help you understand how to use the product for good and how to protect yourself from the same.
Main Features
Webscanner is a program that identifies vulnerabilities in applications and websites. With its help, you can look at your resource from a different perspective, see the weaknesses and work through them. It is such a diagnostic center, helping to fight various web “diseases”.
The main functions include:
- Analyzing vulnerabilities in real time.
- Checking connected ports and devices.
- Analyzing the operating system.
- Checking network resources.
- Report generation.
Using a web robot you open the door to the closed part of sites and applications. This helps to optimize their work, improve quality and security.
Vulnerability scanner operating principle
It is difficult to define a single principle of operation of the scanner, as the system has a multifunctional basis that allows for complex analysis work. The scanner can function on the basis of different principles, depending on the type of check and methods of using the results obtained.
Parsing what a website vulnerability scanner is, it is worth distinguishing several groups that differ in the principle of operation.
- WVS (Web Vulnerability Scanner) scans web applications.
- Mobile application analyzers.
- Multifunctional universal products.
- Modules for working with the site source code.
All of them analyze a particular product, find weaknesses and interpret them into a report.
What the vulnerability scanner does
A website security scanner is a reliable assistant that allows you to determine the nature of the problem and choose the best solution. Among the vulnerabilities that the scanner can calculate:
- Errors in the coding process.
- Erroneous configuration of SSL/TLS, services and other components.
- Outdated software, detection of weak passwords, data integrity in active stage and other process violations.
- Incorrect configuration of filters leading to attacks on the server.
- Lack of proper protection of the operating system, which opens the possibility of fraudulent actions against the resource.
As you understand, the main action of the scanner is to identify the problem. He finds the “disease” of the resource, and opens it.
What are the scanners
Depending on what you need a web site scanner for, there are several categories:
- Web scanners.
- Script scanners.
- Exploit scanners.
- Injection automations.
- Debuggers.
It is important to choose the right tool based on the tasks at hand. You can use a number of online products freely available, or get premium services to effectively create a secure environment.
How to detect web site scanning
You’ve learned how a web vulnerability scanner works, now it’s time to talk about its “dark side”. Unauthorized use of scanners allows you to use the obtained data to identify weaknesses and build a strategy for further attack on them. This is an unpleasant fact, but you can fight it. To effectively counteract it, it is necessary to identify this type of scanning. You can do this yourself, or using a bot scanner sites.
If you check it yourself, it is enough to replace the IP address using an online proxy checker. If you see a large number of requests with “404 error” or other types of errors, there is a high probability that your resource is being monitored.
Using a bot scanner you can analyze incoming traffic, and determine the presence of web spider sites. It will show the presence of parasitic traffic, you will be left to identify its origin and block it.
Checking a resource manually is a complex and labor-intensive process. In addition, there is a risk of missing the moment of attack, revealing weaknesses and getting an attack on the resource. To prevent this from happening, you should use more modern methods of protection.
How to increase site security
For protection, you can use mobile proxies, constant manual checks, analyzing incoming traffic, etc. On the other hand, you can use special protection from scanners. It will help prevent negative actions towards your resource, protect personal data. An integrated approach will help to ensure effective protection in different conditions of use. Such protection independently finds unauthorized connections and instantly blocks them. Since the search for vulnerabilities by ill-wishers occurs in order to attack them, it is important to carry out all the necessary actions to prevent the attack.
