Sorting out the differences and similarities among the various open source (OS) security tools is no easy task. In fact, many security practitioners today agree, it can be staggeringly complex. Although automated OS security scanning tools make it easier to find and patch existing vulnerabilities in web applications, thereby reducing the burden on security and development teams, they do require a good deal of management and oversight.
Using OS Tools Effectively
There are a lot of scanning tools on the market today. They are typically used in conjunction with several others, but it is possible to stand up a Security program right away using only OS tools. Many OS cybersecurity tools have been around for years, readily available and with a proven track record. Others are relatively new. But they are all useful and valuable in different ways, which is why organizations need to find the OS security tools that work best for their needs. No matter what the business, it’s important to understand which OS tools are most used (and why) when making a choice—including how they can be used together to establish a robust and effective security program.
Most practitioners agree, the top five OS security tools available today include:[1]
- Kali Linux
- Wireshark
- Sqlmap
- Open Vulnerability Assessment Scanner (open VAS)
- Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)
ZeroNorth Delivers Two Top Tools
Getting an AppSec program up and running quickly, one that scales with your business, is now easier than ever with ZeroNorth DevSecOps Quick Start. Two of the top five OS tools today, Open VAS and ZAP, are both residents within the ZeroNorth DevSecOps platform. The Quick Start product is ideal for engineering and security teams who need a quick, easy and cost-effective way to jumpstart their AppSec program.
The ZeroNorth platform includes the OS AppSec tools necessary to test proprietary and third-party code, built-in and ready to run. These OS tools can be centrally managed and scheduled to run throughout the SDLC based on policies defined by the business.
It’s worth noting, however, OS AppSec tools on their own are not enough. A viable AppSec program requires a SaaS platform, like that of ZeroNorth, to ensure:
- OS AppSec tools are easy to use
- AppSec is integrated throughout the SDLC
- Meaningful insights are delivered
- AppSec scales with the business
ZeroNorth Quick Start seamlessly connects the CI/CD DevOps pipelines with OS AppSec tools, including the top two Open VAS and ZAP. The platform then configures them to scan the required application component, such as source code repositories, build artifacts, URLs, IP addresses and containers based on organizational policies. This means developers don’t need to learn how to invoke or maintain AppSec tools because ZeroNorth removes all the complexity and manual work needed to connect, configure, orchestrate and maintain the OS AppSec tools within DevOps pipelines. This ability makes the entire process transparent and friction-free for developers.
This is what ZeroNorth Quick Start looks like, a fast and cost-effective way to integrate OS security scanning and to simplify remediation and reduce risk:
- Ready to run—a wide range of OS tools, including the top two Open VAS and ZAP, quickly ramp up scanning coverage across business-critical applications.
- AppSec visibility—analytics, dashboards and reports deliver a single source of truth on security risk for the application portfolio, from executive view to granular details.
- DevSecOps orchestration—seamless integration and orchestration of AppSec tools within DevOps pipelines offers consistent, repeatable scanning at scale, without changing existing workflows or impeding productivity.
- AppSec remediation—aggregation, deduplication and compression of vulnerabilities streamlines findings for triage and prioritization.
- AppSec program governance—central management happens through policies, reports, SLAs and best practices.
- Transparent to developers—Scans are initiated directly through CI/CD tools, so developers don’t have to learn how to invoke or oversee each tool.
- Friendly outputs—tickets are prioritized and integrated with the developers’ tools of choice for easy DevSecOps remediation.
- Ready to scale—Integration with leading commercial AppSec tools available to expand coverage at technology and business needs change.
To learn more about the ZeroNorth DevSecOps Quick Start product, contact us anytime.
