ZAP

ZAP, or Zed Attack Proxy, is an open-source web application security testing tool maintained by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). It is designed to help developers and testers find security vulnerabilities in web applications during development and testing cycles. ZAP functions as a man-in-the-middle proxy, allowing users to observe and alter traffic between a browser and a target application, and to instrument requests for testing.

Key features include an intercepting proxy, an automated scanner, passive vulnerability assessment, and an active vulnerability scanner. It also provides a spider for crawling applications, a fuzzing component, authentication support, and reporting tools. ZAP can be extended with a marketplace of add-ons and supports a programmable API for automation and integration with CI/CD pipelines. It supports scripting and customization through languages such as Java and Python, enabling custom scanners and workflows.

The tool is cross-platform and written in Java, available with a graphical user interface as well as a headless mode suitable for automated tests. It offers a REST-like API and a variety of integrations with build systems, IDEs, and test frameworks. Typical usage includes identifying common web vulnerabilities such as injection flaws, cross-site scripting, and insecure misconfigurations, in a controlled, ethical security assessment.

As an OWASP project, ZAP is released under the Apache License 2.0 and benefits from an active community of contributors and users. Documentation, tutorials, and plugin extensions are maintained on the official ZAP website.