[opensourcedex]

Nettacker is a free, open source threat detection & response project written in Python and released under Apache-2.0. It has 5,585 GitHub stars, 1,176 forks and 249 open issues, and was last pushed 5 days ago. On this registry it ranks #7 of 12 tracked projects in Threat Detection & Response, with 5 head-to-head comparisons available.

What is Nettacker?

OWASP Nettacker is an open-source, Python-based automated penetration testing and information-gathering framework for cyber security professionals and ethical hackers who need to run reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and network security audits efficiently.

What it is

OWASP Nettacker is a modular automation framework published under the Apache-2.0 licence and maintained as an OWASP project, with documentation hosted at nettacker.readthedocs.io and a project page at owasp.org/nettacker. It is written in Python and distributes as a Docker image, owasp/nettacker, on Docker Hub. The framework automates port scanning, service detection, subdomain enumeration, network mapping, vulnerability scanning, and credential brute-force testing, and it is aimed at networks, web applications, IoT devices, and APIs.

The concrete problem it solves is repeatable reconnaissance. Instead of writing and re-running one-off scripts for each discovery task, an operator composes a scan from Nettacker modules — port scanning, directory discovery, subdomain enumeration, vulnerability checks, credential brute-forcing — and runs them against a mixed target list in parallel. Each module is implemented separately, so the operator controls which checks execute. Results from past scans are stored in a built-in database, which turns reconnaissance from a one-time snapshot into something that can be compared over time.

Key capabilities

  • Modular architecture: every task, from port scanning to directory discovery and credential brute-forcing, is a separate module giving per-task control over what runs.
  • Multi-protocol scanning across HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SSH, SMB, SMTP, ICMP, TELNET, and XML-RPC, with multithreaded parallel execution.
  • Report export in HTML, JSON, CSV, and plain text.
  • Built-in database with drift detection, storing prior scans for search and comparison against current results to surface new hosts, open ports, or vulnerabilities in CI/CD pipelines.
  • Three interfaces: CLI, REST API, and Web UI, covering both programmatic integration and interactive scan definition.
  • Evasion techniques including configurable delays, proxy support, and randomized user-agents to reduce detection by firewalls and IDS systems.
  • Flexible target input: single IPv4 addresses, IP ranges, CIDR blocks, domain names, and full HTTP/HTTPS URLs, mixed in one command or loaded from a file with -l/--targets-list.

Who uses it and how

  • Penetration testers automating reconnaissance, misconfiguration checks, service discovery, and vulnerability scanning to make engagements repeatable.
  • Bug bounty hunters scaling subdomain enumeration, directory brute-forcing, and default credential checks across many targets.
  • Security teams mapping internal and external attack surface by enumerating exposed hosts, ports, subdomains, and services.
  • Network assessment teams scanning IP ranges or entire CIDR blocks, or all subdomains of an organisation, in parallel using the multithreaded modules.
  • CI/CD and continuous assessment pipelines using the scan database to detect drift between runs.

Getting started

Nettacker ships as the Docker image owasp/nettacker, which is the deployment path highlighted in the README alongside the Python codebase. Operators run it through the CLI, the REST API, or the Web UI, with setup and usage documented at nettacker.readthedocs.io.

How it compares

No comparable tools are named in the available facts, and no list of paid products it replaces is provided. It stands alone in this registry.

When to use it — and when not to

A self-hoster has to operate the scanning stack itself, including the built-in database that stores scan history and powers drift detection, and has to expose and secure whichever of the CLI, REST API, or Web UI interfaces are enabled. Anyone without explicit written permission from the owners or administrators of the target systems should not run it at all; the README carries a prominent disclaimer to that effect, and the evasion features exist for authorised testing, not for avoiding consent. The project also carries 249 open issues and the README offers no packaged installer beyond the Docker image and the Python source, so teams wanting a managed service with vendor support should look elsewhere.

project readme (upstream, from github) — read inline

OWASP Nettacker

Build Status Apache License Twitter GitHub contributors Documentation Status Ask DeepWiki repo size Docker Pulls

DISCLAIMER

  • THIS SOFTWARE WAS CREATED FOR AUTOMATED PENETRATION TESTING AND INFORMATION GATHERING. YOU MUST USE THIS SOFTWARE IN A RESPONSIBLE AND ETHICAL MANNER. DO NOT TARGET SYSTEMS OR APPLICATIONS WITHOUT OBTAINING PERMISSIONS OR CONSENT FROM THE SYSTEM OWNERS OR ADMINISTRATORS. CONTRIBUTORS WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ILLEGAL USAGE.

2018-01-19_0-45-07

OWASP Nettacker is an open-source, Python-based automated penetration testing and information-gathering framework designed to help cyber security professionals and ethical hackers perform reconnaissance, vulnerability assessments, and network security audits efficiently. Nettacker automates tasks like port scanning, service detection, subdomain enumeration, network mapping, vulnerability scanning, credential brute-force testing making it a powerful tool for identifying weaknesses in networks, web applications, IoT devices and APIs.

Key Features

  • Modular architecture - Each task — like port scanning, directory discovery, subdomain enumeration, vulnerability checks, or credential brute-forcing - is implemented as its own module, giving you control over what runs.
  • Multi-protocol & multithreaded scanning - Supports HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SSH, SMB, SMTP, ICMP, TELNET, XML-RPC, and can run scans in parallel for speed.
  • Comprehensive output - Export reports in HTML, JSON, CSV, and plain text.
  • Built-in database & drift detection - Stores past scans in the database for easy search and comparison with current results: useful to detect new hosts, open ports, or vulnerabilities in CI/CD pipelines.
  • CLI, REST API & Web UI - Offers both programmatic integration and a user-friendly web interface for defining scans and viewing results.
  • Evasion techniques - Enables configurable delays, proxy support, and randomized user-agents to reduce detection by firewalls or IDS systems.
  • Flexible targets - Accepts single IPv4s, IP ranges, CIDR blocks, domain names, and full HTTP/HTTPS URLs. Targets can be mixed in a single command or loaded from a file using the -l/--targets-list flag.

Use Cases

  • Penetration Testing
    Automate reconnaissance, misconfiguration checks, service discovery, and vulnerability scanning to support efficient and repeatable penetration testing workflows.

  • Recon & Vulnerability Assessment
    Map live hosts, open ports, services, default credentials, and directories, then perform credential brute-forcing or fuzzing using built-in or custom wordlists.

  • Attack Surface Mapping
    Discover exposed hosts, ports, subdomains, and services quickly using built-in enumeration modules—ideal for both internal and external assets.

  • Bug Bounty Recon
    Automate and scale common reconnaissance tasks like subdomain enumeration, directory brute-forcing, and default credential checks to speed up finding targets.

  • Network Vulnerability Scanning
    Efficiently scan IPs, IP ranges, or entire CIDR blocks or all subdomains of the organisation in parallel using a modular, multithreaded approach for large-scale network assessments.

  • Shadow IT & Asset Discovery
    Use historical scan data and drift detection to uncover unmanaged or forgotten hosts, open ports/services, and subdomains appearing over time.

  • CI/CD & Compliance Monitoring
    Integrate Nettacker into pipelines to track infrastructure changes and detect new vulnerabilities via stored scan history and comparison features.

Links

Quick Setup & Run

CLI (Docker)


# Basic port scan on a single IP address:
$ docker run owasp/nettacker -i 192.168.0.1 -m port_scan
# Scan the entire Class C network for any devices with port 22 open:
$ docker run owasp/nettacker -i 192.168.0.0/24 -m port_scan -g 22
# Scan all subdomains of 'owasp.org' for http/https services and return HTTP status code
$ docker run owasp/nettacker -i owasp.org -d -s -m http_status_scan
# Display Help
$ docker run owasp/nettacker --help

Web UI (Docker)

$ docker-compose up

Thanks to our awesome contributors!

OWASP Nettacker is an open-source project, built on the principles of collaboration and shared knowledge. The vibrant OWASP community contributes to its development, ensuring that the tool remains up-to-date, adaptable, and aligned with the latest security practices. Thanks to all our awesome contributors! 🚀

Awesome Contributors

Adopters

We’re grateful to the organizations, community projects, and individuals who adopt and rely on OWASP Nettacker for their security workflows.

If you’re using OWASP Nettacker in your organization or project, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to add your details to the ADOPTERS.md file by submitting a pull request or reach out to us via GitHub issues. Let’s showcase how Nettacker is making a difference in the security community!

See ADOPTERS.md for details.

Google Summer of Code (GSoC) Project

  • ☀️ OWASP Nettacker Project is participating in the Google Summer of Code Initiative
  • 🙏 Thanks to Google Summer of Code Initiative and all the students who contributed to this project during their summer breaks:

Supporters

OWASP Nettacker is supported by Sorena AI, a compliance and GRC platform that helps security teams streamline assessments, evidence collection, risk management, and regulatory workflows.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nettacker free to use?

Nettacker is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. There is no licence fee and no seat count — you can self-host it or, where the project offers one, pay a vendor for a managed version instead.

What does Nettacker do?

Automated Penetration Testing Framework - Open-Source Vulnerability Scanner - Vulnerability Management

What is Nettacker written in?

Nettacker is primarily written in Python. Its source is publicly available at https://github.com/OWASP/Nettacker, and it has 5,585 GitHub stars.