Qualys VMDR
Risk-based vulnerability management with automated prioritization and patching.
Vuls
Agent-less vulnerability scanner for Linux, FreeBSD, containers, and more
Vuls automatically detects vulnerabilities across Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, macOS, containers, and WordPress sites without agents, delivering regular reports and Slack/email alerts for proactive security management.
Overview
Overview
Vuls is a Go‑based vulnerability scanner designed for system administrators who need continuous, automated security assessments across diverse environments. It supports major Linux distributions, FreeBSD, Windows, macOS, Docker containers, and even WordPress installations, pulling data from NVD, JVN, Red Hat, Debian, Ubuntu, and many other advisory sources.
Capabilities & Deployment
The tool offers fast non‑root scans, root‑enhanced scans, and offline modes, all without installing agents on target hosts. Scans can be run remotely via SSH, locally on the host, or through a central server that receives JSON results over HTTP. Results are viewable via a terminal UI, web UI, or integrated into CI pipelines, with optional Slack and email notifications. Vuls focuses on detection and reporting; remediation must be performed manually.
Integration
Because Vuls produces machine‑readable JSON and supports configuration templates, it fits easily into existing automation frameworks, enabling daily compliance checks, continuous integration testing, and multi‑cloud inventory management.
Highlights
Agent-less scanning across Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, macOS, containers, and WordPress
Fast non‑root and root‑privileged modes with minimal target load
Aggregates vulnerability data from NVD, JVN, vendor advisories, and exploit databases
Flexible deployment: remote SSH, local, or server‑mode with HTTP JSON exchange
Pros
- Broad OS and platform coverage
- No agents required on scanned hosts
- Low performance impact on target systems
- Extensible reporting and alerting options
Considerations
- Does not perform automatic package updates or remediation
- Initial configuration can be complex for large environments
- Requires access to vulnerability data sources (internet or mirrors)
- Learning curve for advanced scan modes and server setup
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Fit guide
Great for
- System administrators managing heterogeneous server fleets
- Teams needing regular, automated vulnerability reporting
- CI/CD pipelines that require daily security checks
- Organizations that prefer agent‑less, low‑impact scanning
Not ideal when
- Environments that require automatic patch deployment
- Users seeking a single‑click GUI with no configuration
- Scenarios with strict offline-only policies lacking vulnerability feeds
- Small setups where a lightweight web‑based scanner suffices
How teams use it
Daily compliance scanning
Automated nightly scans generate reports and Slack alerts, ensuring compliance teams are aware of new CVEs affecting production servers.
CI pipeline security testing
Integrate Vuls into build pipelines to fail builds when newly introduced dependencies contain known vulnerabilities.
Multi‑cloud inventory assessment
Run remote scans across AWS, Azure, and on‑premise instances from a single Vuls server, consolidating results into a unified dashboard.
WordPress site hardening
Detect vulnerable core, theme, and plugin versions, providing actionable findings for site administrators.
Tech snapshot
Go100%
Makefile1%
Dockerfile1%
Frequently asked questions
Does Vuls require an agent on target machines?
No. Vuls operates agent‑less, using SSH or direct command execution to gather package information.
Can Vuls run without internet access?
Yes. Offline mode works with pre‑downloaded vulnerability databases for supported distributions.
Which operating systems are supported?
Linux (most major distros), FreeBSD, Windows, macOS, Docker containers, and WordPress installations.
How are scan results delivered?
Results can be viewed in a terminal UI, a web UI, exported as JSON, or sent via email and Slack notifications.
Does Vuls automatically patch vulnerable packages?
No. Vuls only detects and reports vulnerabilities; remediation must be performed manually.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
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- Watchers
- 12,006
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LicenseGPL-3.0
Repo age9 years old
Last commityesterday
Primary languageGo
Last synced yesterday