Tool Review: HCL AppScan

HCL AppScan is a comprehensive security assessment tool for identifying web application threats and vulnerabilities. Personally, I have been using this tool for the last 8 years and this provides me with enough confidence to review this tool.

Undoubtedly, HCL AppScan is a complete suite to provide security to software applications. This blog provides you with all the available options (HCL AppScan Suite), how to use it, pros and cons of this tool.

Available Options - HCL AppScan Suite

AppScan Standard	Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) desktop tool Scan web applications for vulnerabilities
AppScan Source	Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tool deployed on-premise Identify vulnerabilities in the development phase
AppScan Enterprise	Offer SAST, DAST, IAST, and risk-management capabilities Help in achieving enterprise compliance
AppScan on Cloud (ASoC)	No need to install it on the local desktop Offers services of SAST, DAST, IAST, and SCA

Usage

Just provide the URL of the target. The tool will scan the whole application and provide a set of vulnerabilities.

For authenticated scans, this tool crawls the whole application and provides a set of vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities may be categorized on the basis of OWASP Top 10, CWE, etc..

You need to use manual techniques also to verify the vulnerabilities for false positives. Although, you can follow the steps mentioned by the HCL AppScan tool to review issues.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Scan the whole website by just providing the URL
• Compliance check (e.g. Web Application OWASP Top 10 2021, CWE)
• Updated vulnerability database
• Reliable results

Cons

• False positives are high
• Expensive tool