Scanner Detection and Blocking

Modern applications increasingly implement anti-automation measures that detect and block security scanners. ZAP scans triggering Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or rate limiting require adjusted approaches. Randomize user agents through Options > Connection settings. Implement request delays to mimic human browsing patterns. Use ZAP's anti-CSRF token handling to maintain valid sessions during scanning.

IP blocking during extended scans disrupts testing workflows. Distribute scanning across multiple IP addresses if possible. For cloud-hosted applications, coordinate with administrators to whitelist testing IP addresses. Some organizations provide separate testing environments without security controls. When testing production systems, communicate with security teams to prevent incident response activation.

Session termination during scanning often indicates aggressive session management or scanner detection. Configure proper authentication handling through Context settings. Implement re-authentication scripts that detect logout and restore sessions. Some applications terminate sessions after detecting automated behavior patterns—vary request patterns and timing to appear more human-like.