What is Nikto?
Nikto is a free, open-source tool that scans web servers to find security problems. It checks for outdated software, misconfigurations, and known vulnerabilities by sending many test requests to the server.
Let's break it down
- Free / open-source: Anyone can download, use, and look at the program’s code without paying.
- Tool: A software program that helps you do a specific job.
- Scans web servers: It talks to a website’s underlying computer (the server) and examines how it responds.
- Security problems: Mistakes or old software that could let a hacker break in.
- Outdated software: Programs that haven’t been updated to the latest, safer versions.
- Misconfigurations: Settings that are wrong or left insecure.
- Known vulnerabilities: Flaws that security researchers have already discovered and documented.
Why does it matter?
Knowing what weaknesses a web server has lets you fix them before attackers exploit them, keeping data safe and maintaining trust with users.
Where is it used?
- Penetration testing: Security professionals run Nikto to see what a hacker could discover.
- Compliance audits: Companies use it to prove they meet security standards required by regulations.
- Bug bounty programs: Researchers use it to locate issues they can responsibly disclose for rewards.
- Internal IT checks: Organizations run it regularly on their own servers to catch new problems early.
Good things about it
- Completely free and regularly updated by the community.
- Simple command-line interface; easy to start even for beginners.
- Fast scanning; can check many common issues in a short time.
- Supports a large list of plugins, covering thousands of known vulnerabilities.
- Works on most operating systems (Linux, Windows, macOS).
Not-so-good things
- Generates a lot of traffic, so it’s easily detected by intrusion-detection systems.
- Focuses only on known issues; it won’t find brand-new or custom vulnerabilities.
- Can produce false positives, requiring manual verification.
- Doesn’t test authentication mechanisms or deeper application logic, so it’s not a complete security scanner.