Ten Best Network Security Scanning Tools

In today’s world, network security needs no introduction or explanation. We all know that the term network security means securing any computer network so that nobody accesses, manipulates or malfunctions the network in any way. Therefore, we have rules, policies and instructions concerning computer network monitoring and security.

Network scanning is integral to the maintenance and security of the network and refers to a process of detecting and identifying network vulnerabilities and failures in order to prevent others from unauthorized access to or monitoring of a network. There are currently a number of network vulnerability scanning tools, some free and some paid, on the market. These features are diverse. Let us search ten best scanning tools in the network, highlighting features that differentiate them from others…

The most important features are

• Uses Advanced Threat Protection, the cloud based filtering service that provides protection against unknown malware, robust zero-day protection and protection from harmful links in real time.
• Scans vulnerability and threat perimeter networks.
• Checks for misconfigurations of all forms of network security.
• Detects problems, such as improperly designed proxy servers, weak passwords, weak SNMP network strings, TLS / SSL cipher, etc.
• Detects anonymous FTP entry, DNS zone shift, DNS cache poisoning, etc..
• Does port scanning, IP protocol scanning.
• Provides an in-depth report.

OpenVAS

The key features.

• It’s an open source network scan tool.
• Many components of this GNU General Public License licensed tool.
• Full network scan, Web server scans, web-based applications, etc.
• Open Vulnerability Assessment Language (OVAL) can be used for writing vulnerability tests.
• Its customized smart scan makes it a powerful scanning tool for the network.
• The testing engine is constantly updated with Network vulnerability checks.
• Identifies all forms of security problems on all computers, servers, etc.

Wireshark

The remarkable features-

• Open source scanning tool widely used as network analyzer.
• Runs on every platform.
• Looks for issues online and performs offline analysis.
• Helps view traffic on the network and follow stream network.
• Displays the TCP stream build session and includes tshark.
• Network monitoring is performed on a microscopic level.
• A big disadvantage with Wireshark is that it has suffered from remote security.

Nessus

Key features

• Widely used scanners in Nessus Home, Nessus Professional, and Nessus Manager / Nessus Cloud are available in three models.
• While a commercial software, a free version with limited features is available.
• Provides timely vulnerability analysis that avoids hacker infiltration.
• Detects problems that allow remote data hacking.
• Has a web-based interface, architecture of the client server and conduct remote and local controls.
• Comes with built-in plugins, 70,000 plugins and utilities, including device installation, malware detection, web app testing etc.

Acunetix

The features-

• Fully automated scanning vulnerability tool.
• Detects, records over 50,000 known vulnerabilities and network malfunctions.
• Does routers, firewalls, switches, load balancers etc. safety evaluation.
• Discovers the available ports and operating services.
•  Looks for issues like incorrectly configured Proxy server, weak passwords, weak SNMP group lines, TLS / SSL keys, etc.

Nikto

Features-

• An open source scanner that checks various programs and files on web servers.
• Checks HTTP / HTTPS / HTTPd servers, multiple web server ports and also searches for server settings.
• Gives full support for HTTP proxy.
• Automatically updated scanning features.
• Rapid checks, recognizes unusual network activity and detects network programs that can use network traffic in the least possible time for malicious activities.
• Provides detailed and personalized XML, HTML and CSV reporting.
• Outdates Server Version Looks.

Angry IP Scanner

The features-

• Open source testing platform for the network.
• Scans IP address and scans port as well.
• Facilitates detailed reports in various formats-XML, CSV, Txt etc.
• Detailed report with hostname, device name, netBIOS, MAC address, working group information, etc.
• Works with multi-threaded search methods, including separate thread scanning for each IP.

Qualys Freescan

The features-

• Open source testing platform for the network.
• Provides an extensive scan for IPs, URLs and local servers.
• Makes vulnerability monitoring, security controls for web applications and SCAP controls.
• Detects all kinds of network problems and helps to find security fixes to fix problems.
• The negative thing about this scanner is that it only provides 10 free scans and therefore cannot be used regularly.

Retina Network Security Scanner

The key features-

• vulnerability scanner, measures risks based on optimum network, OS and applications performance.
• Free scanning tool with a web-based scanning vulnerability console that offers central scanning.
• Also includes Windows, Firefox and Adobe security patch.
• Requires a Windows server that offers up to 256 IPs free security patches.
• Scans performed using the user’s credentials offer users the option of selecting the type of document delivery.
• Works on several platforms provide compliance reporting.

SoftPerfect Network Scanner

The features-

• Network Scanner Freeware.
• Advanced scan capabilities, including highly efficient IPv4/IPv6 Scanning multi-thread.
• Collects local and external IP address information.
• Performs and shuts down activities like remote wake-on-LAN.
• Scans all network phones.
• Identifies the working condition of all network devices.
• Collects and provides in the LAN some sort of data-hostname, device name, MAC address, etc.

Some better tools

There are other good scanning tools available on the network such as Nmap, Nexpose, Metasploit Framework, Fiddler, Advanced IP Scanner, GFI LanGuard, Snort etc.