Introduction to Invicti Platform

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Invicti Platform

Why you need to secure your web applications

Website security remains one of the most overlooked aspects of enterprise security, yet it should be a top priority for every organization. Hackers increasingly target web applications—shopping carts, forms, login pages, dynamic content, and more—that are accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world. Vulnerable web applications provide attackers with easy entry points to backend corporate databases and enable illegal activities through compromised sites. Attacked websites can be exploited to host phishing pages, distribute malicious content, abuse bandwidth, and cause liability issues for their owners.

Hackers regularly use a variety of attack methods such as SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Directory Traversal, Parameter Manipulation (including URL, cookies, HTTP headers, and web forms), Authentication Attacks, Directory Enumeration, and many other exploits. The hacking community shares zero-day vulnerabilities through exclusive forums and underground websites, making it critical for organizations to stay ahead by securing their web applications.

Web applications are designed to let users retrieve and submit dynamic content, often including sensitive personal data. If these applications are not properly secured, the entire database and sensitive information are at risk. Research from Gartner shows that 75% of cyber-attacks target web applications.

Why are web applications vulnerable?

Web applications are publicly accessible 24/7 to users and hackers alike.
Firewalls and SSL cannot prevent web application attacks because public access is necessary.
Web apps typically have direct access to backend data like customer databases.
Custom-built applications tend to have less thorough testing than off-the-shelf software, making them more vulnerable.
Even with well-configured firewalls and updated systems, web applications remain a critical attack vector.
Attacks occur on port 80, which must stay open for normal business, so traditional network defenses offer no protection.

Regular, automated vulnerability scanning is essential to identify exploitable weaknesses and protect your web assets.

The need for automated web application security scanning

Manual auditing of web application security is complex, time-consuming, and requires expert knowledge. Hackers constantly discover new ways to exploit vulnerabilities, which means security teams must keep up with emerging threats to safeguard applications effectively.

Automated scanning allows developers and security teams to focus on building and improving applications while a dedicated tool continuously hunts for new attack vectors. Invicti Platform’s automated scanner can quickly map your entire web application, simulate hacker tactics, and identify vulnerable components.

Additionally, Invicti’s scanner can assess the application’s underlying code to detect hidden vulnerabilities that might not be visible from the outside but can still be exploited.

Invicti Platform vulnerability management

Invicti Platform is an advanced automated web application security testing tool that audits your applications for vulnerabilities like SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting, and other common security issues. It scans any website or web application accessible via HTTP/HTTPS protocols using a web browser.

Invicti excels at testing both off-the-shelf and custom web applications, including modern technologies like JavaScript, AJAX, and single-page apps. Its sophisticated crawler discovers almost every accessible file—critical because anything not found cannot be tested.

How Invicti Platform works

Deep Crawl: Invicti thoroughly maps your entire website, following all links—including those generated by JavaScript and those found in robots.txt and sitemap.xml files.

Invicti IAST: If enabled, this unique sensor provides detailed insight into the web application’s backend by listing all files and code components, including those not visible to the crawler, such as configuration files.
Automated Scanning: After crawling, Invicti performs extensive vulnerability checks on each page, simulating hacker inputs to detect weaknesses.

Detailed Results: Vulnerabilities are reported with full context, including HTTP responses, affected parameters, and if Invicti IAST is enabled, detailed code-level information like stack traces and exact source lines.
Comprehensive Reporting: Generate reports tailored to executives, developers, or compliance needs such as PCI DSS and ISO 27001.

Invicti IAST

Invicti’s patented Invicti IAST enhances detection accuracy and reduces false positives by combining black-box scanning with detailed feedback from sensors embedded in the application code. This approach is more effective than black-box or source code analysis alone.

Supports PHP, .NET, and Java applications.
Can be installed in pre-compiled .NET and Java assemblies without needing source code or recompilation.
Provides actionable information such as vulnerable source code lines, SQL queries, and stack traces.
Detects hidden files and backdoors that crawlers cannot find.
Identifies configuration issues and misconfigurations that expose sensitive information.
Significantly improves detection of SQL Injection vulnerabilities, including in SQL INSERT statements.
Tests for arbitrary file creation/deletion vulnerabilities.