Preparing for Your First Scan

Preparing for Your First Scan

Before initiating any security scan, establishing a safe and legal testing environment is paramount. The golden rule of security testing states: only scan applications you own or have explicit written permission to test. For learning purposes, OWASP provides several intentionally vulnerable applications perfect for practicing with ZAP. OWASP WebGoat, Damn Vulnerable Web Application (DVWA), and OWASP Juice Shop offer realistic vulnerabilities in controlled environments. Installing one of these applications locally ensures you have a legal target while learning ZAP's capabilities.

Setting up a local vulnerable application provides the ideal learning environment. For beginners, OWASP Juice Shop offers modern vulnerabilities in a realistic e-commerce application. Download and run Juice Shop using Docker with a simple command: docker run -d -p 3000:3000 bkimminich/juice-shop. This creates a target application at http://localhost:3000 that you can safely scan without legal concerns. The application includes various vulnerability types, from basic injection flaws to complex business logic issues.

Understanding ZAP's user interface before starting helps navigate the tool effectively. The main window divides into several panels: the Sites tree showing discovered content, the History tab displaying all requests and responses, the Active Scan tab monitoring ongoing scans, and the Alerts tab listing discovered vulnerabilities. The footer displays real-time information about ZAP's activities. Familiarizing yourself with these sections prevents confusion during your first scan.