Scanning is a fundamental process in web security assessments, enabling you to find and fix vulnerabilities in your web applications. Acunetix offers several ways to initiate these scans, and this guide will walk you through launching a new scan using the “New Scan” button, ensuring you understand how to scan using Acunetix effectively.
| Important Pre-Scan Authorization Notice Before you begin, it’s critical to understand the ethical and legal considerations of web vulnerability scanning. Never scan a website without explicit permission. Unauthorized scanning can lead to your IP address and Acunetix scan activity being logged, and may have legal repercussions. If you are not the sole administrator, always inform other administrators before running a scan. Be aware that aggressive scans might cause website instability or crashes, potentially requiring a server restart. Ensure you have the necessary authorization and understanding before proceeding with how to scan using Acunetix. |
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Step-by-Step Guide to Launching a Scan
After you have successfully configured your Targets within Acunetix, you are ready to initiate vulnerability scans. Follow these steps to launch a new scan:
1. Access the New Scan Feature
To begin, locate the “New Scan” button in the Acunetix header. Click this button to start the process of setting up your new scan. This is your first step in learning how to scan using Acunetix and accessing its powerful scanning capabilities.
Image showing the “New Scan” button location in the Acunetix user interface header.
2. Select Your Scan Targets
Once you click “New Scan,” you will be presented with a list of your configured targets. Use the checkboxes provided to select each target that you wish to include in the current scan. You can select single or multiple targets depending on your assessment needs. This target selection is crucial for defining the scope of your Acunetix scan.
Image displaying the target selection screen with checkboxes in Acunetix, allowing users to choose websites for scanning.
3. Configure Your Scan Settings
After selecting your targets, click the “Scan” button, typically found in the upper right-hand corner of the target selection window. This action will take you to the scan configuration options, where you can customize the scan to meet your specific requirements. Understanding these settings is key to mastering how to scan using Acunetix for different scenarios.
Screenshot of the scan configuration page in Acunetix, highlighting options for scan profiles, reports, and scheduling.
4. Finalize and Initiate the Scan
In the configuration area, you can now:
- Choose a Scan Profile: Select a pre-configured scan profile that suits your needs. Refer to the Default Scan profiles documentation for detailed information on each profile.
- Select a Report Type: Choose the type of report you want Acunetix to generate after the scan. Learn more about report options in the Types of Acunetix reports documentation.
- Schedule the Scan: Decide when you want the scan to run. Acunetix allows you to schedule scans for immediate execution or at a later time. Consult the Acunetix documentation for instructions on scheduling different scan types.
- Authorization Confirmation: Finally, and crucially, check the “I confirm that I am fully authorized to scan the selected target” checkbox. Then, click “Create Scan” to finalize and schedule your scan.
The scan will start automatically according to the schedule you defined. To monitor progress and review results, navigate to the Scans page and select the relevant target from the scan list. For detailed guidance on analyzing scan findings, see the Reviewing scan results document. By following these steps, you’ve successfully learned how to scan using Acunetix and initiated your web vulnerability assessment.
