Web application · Open source (Apache 2.0)

OWASP ZAP

ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) is a free, open-source web application security scanner, originally an OWASP flagship project and now stewarded by the Software Security Project. Like Burp, it works as an intercepting proxy so you can inspect and modify HTTP/HTTPS traffic, and it adds automated passive and active scanning to find common web vulnerabilities such as XSS, SQL injection and insecure configuration. It is popular for both manual testing and automated security testing in CI/CD.

Last updated: 6 August 2026

What OWASP ZAP is actually used for

ZAP is used both interactively and as automation. A tester proxies their browser through ZAP to map an app and manually probe requests, while ZAP passively flags issues in the background. An automated active scan then actively attacks discovered endpoints to surface likely vulnerabilities. Because it is free, scriptable and has a Docker image and API, teams wire it into CI/CD to run baseline scans on every build. It is the go-to open-source alternative to Burp for organisations that want an unrestricted, automatable scanner.

Platforms

Linux · Windows · macOS

Licence

Open source (Apache 2.0)

Commands worth knowing

Automated Scan (Quick Start)

Point ZAP at a URL to spider and passively/actively scan it in one step.

Manual Explore (proxy browser)

Browse the app through ZAP so it records requests for testing.

Spider / AJAX Spider

Crawl the site (AJAX spider for JavaScript-heavy apps) to discover endpoints.

Active Scan

Actively attack discovered URLs to detect injection and other flaws.

docker run -t zaproxy/zap-stable zap-baseline.py -t https://example.com

Run a passive baseline scan in CI/CD from the official container.

Enable HUD

Use the in-browser Heads-Up Display to test without switching to the desktop UI.

The legal line

Run ZAP only against web applications you own or are explicitly authorised to test. Active scanning sends real attack payloads and can alter data or disrupt the app, so unauthorised use is an offence under the IT Act 2000. Passive-only scanning is safer, but still requires that you are permitted to route the target's traffic through ZAP.

What OWASP ZAP is bad at

Automated scans generate false positives and miss business-logic and access-control flaws that need a human. The active scanner can be destructive on production systems. Coverage of complex single-page and heavily authenticated apps requires careful configuration. Like all DAST tools, it tests the running application only, not source code.

Alternatives, and when to pick them

Tool	Pick it when
Burp Suite	You want the industry-standard commercial toolkit with a deeper manual workflow.
Nikto	You want a quick web server misconfiguration check rather than full app scanning.
Nuclei	You want fast, template-based checks in an automation pipeline.
Wapiti	You want a lightweight command-line black-box web scanner.
Acunetix / Netsparker	You want a commercial DAST product with polished reporting.

Where we teach it

Ethical Hacking Course (6 months) — web application security module

We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a reseller for the vendors of any tool on this site.

OWASP ZAP — FAQs

Is OWASP ZAP better than Burp Suite?

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ZAP is fully free and open source, with strong automation and CI/CD support, which many teams prefer. Burp Professional has a more refined manual workflow and extension ecosystem. Many testers learn ZAP first and use whichever fits the engagement.

Is ZAP still an OWASP project?

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ZAP began as an OWASP flagship project. Its core team later moved stewardship to the Software Security Project, but it remains free, open source under Apache 2.0, and community-driven.

Can I run ZAP in a CI/CD pipeline?

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Yes. ZAP provides official Docker images and packaged scripts such as the baseline and full-scan scans, plus an API, so teams commonly run automated security scans on each build.

ZAP ka active scan production par chalana safe hai kya?

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Nahi, active scan real attack payloads bhejta hai aur data badal ya app crash kar sakta hai. Production par sirf passive scan ya proper authorisation ke saath, staging par active scan chalayein.

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