Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Scanning production systems without permission represents the most serious mistake beginners make. Even well-intentioned security testing can disrupt services or trigger legal consequences. Always verify authorization before scanning, even for systems you believe you own. When in doubt, create isolated test environments rather than risk scanning unauthorized targets.

Overlooking passive scanning results focuses attention solely on active scan findings. ZAP's passive scanner identifies issues like missing security headers, information disclosure, and insecure cookies during normal browsing. These findings often indicate systemic security weaknesses worth addressing. Review passive scan alerts alongside active scan results for comprehensive security assessment.

Trusting automated results blindly without verification leads to wasted effort on false positives or missed vulnerabilities. Automated scanning provides excellent coverage but requires human intelligence for accuracy. Verify High-risk findings manually by attempting to exploit them (safely in your test environment). This verification process builds practical security skills while ensuring report accuracy.