Website Security Scanning: What to Test and How Often
A practical guide to website security scanning — from automated tools to manual testing — and how to build security scanning into your workflow.
Regular security scanning is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your website. Yet many organizations either don't scan at all or scan once and forget about it. Here's a practical approach to making security scanning a sustainable part of your workflow.
What to scan for
- Known CVEs — Outdated software with published vulnerabilities (WordPress plugins, npm packages, server software)
- Configuration issues — Missing security headers, exposed admin panels, default credentials
- SSL/TLS — Certificate validity, protocol version, cipher suite strength
- Web application vulnerabilities — SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, authentication flaws
- Information disclosure — Exposed error messages, directory listings, sensitive files
Automated vs manual testing
Automated scanning catches the low-hanging fruit: known CVEs, missing headers, SSL issues, and common vulnerability patterns. It's fast, repeatable, and should run continuously. Manual testing (penetration testing) catches what automation misses: business logic flaws, complex attack chains, authentication bypass techniques, and novel vulnerabilities. It's expensive but essential for thorough assessment.
Recommended scan frequency
- Security headers: Weekly (automated, takes seconds)
- SSL/TLS configuration: Weekly (automated)
- Dependency vulnerabilities: Daily via CI/CD pipeline
- Web application scan: Monthly (automated DAST)
- Full penetration test: Annually, or after major changes
- Configuration review: Quarterly
Building scanning into your workflow
The most effective approach integrates scanning into your existing development workflow: 1. CI/CD pipeline — Run dependency checks (npm audit, Snyk, etc.) on every build 2. Pre-deployment — Automated DAST scan against staging environment 3. Post-deployment — External scanner verifies production configuration 4. Ongoing — Scheduled scans for header configuration, SSL, and new vulnerabilities
Communicating your security posture
- Security header grades (from SecurityHeaders.com or equivalent)
- SSL/TLS rating (from SSL Labs)
- Last scan date
- Vulnerability response SLA
This transparency signals to prospects that you actively monitor and maintain your security posture — not just at audit time, but continuously.