This Cyber Security Scanning Portal is designed to automate vulnerability assessments, detect security threats, and streamline security audits for web applications. It provides a centralized platform for security experts and development teams to proactively identify, document, and mitigate potential risks. Working on this project significantly enhanced my understanding of secure software practices, penetration testing methodologies, and scalable infrastructure design.

Features

• Automated Vulnerability Detection: Uses OpenVAS to identify common vulnerabilities (e.g., SQL injection, XSS, CSRF).
• Comprehensive Reporting: Generates detailed reports outlining identified vulnerabilities, potential impacts, and remediation steps.
• Real-Time Alerts: Sends notifications via email or Slack whenever critical vulnerabilities are found.
• Role-Based Access Control: Ensures only authorized personnel can access sensitive scan results or configure system settings.
• CI/CD Integrations: Integrates with existing pipelines for continuous security checks throughout the development lifecycle.

Tech Stack

• Backend: Ruby on Rails for robust and modular server-side logic.
• Frontend: Vue.js 3 for a responsive, interactive user interface.
• Database: PostgreSQL to store scan data, reports, and user information.
• Scanning Tool: OpenVAS for comprehensive network vulnerability scanning.
• Deployment: Optionally containerized (e.g., Docker) or hosted on cloud services.

Implementation

Backend

• Developed using Ruby on Rails for rapid development and maintainable code structure.
• Integrates directly with OpenVAS to schedule scans, retrieve results, and store them in the database.
• Provides RESTful APIs for the frontend to consume and display scan data.

Frontend

• Built with Vue.js 3 for a modern, reactive UI and easy component-based development.
• Displays live scan progress, dashboards with visualizations, and detailed vulnerability reports.
• Implements user-friendly data visualization for vulnerability trends over time.

Security & Compliance

• Follows OWASP Top 10 guidelines to ensure platform security.
• Implements SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit.
• Includes authentication and authorization features to protect against unauthorized access.

Deployment

• Can be containerized using Docker to ensure consistent environment setup.
• Deployed on cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or others) with load balancing and auto-scaling to handle multiple, simultaneous scans.
• Integrates with CI/CD tools (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, etc.) to run security checks automatically at every code commit.

How It Works

1. Project Setup: Users log in and register a new project by specifying target domains or IP addresses.
2. Configure Scan: Users choose scanning parameters, including scan depth, schedule, and notifications.
3. Scanning & Analysis: OpenVAS runs the scans, and Rails processes and stores the findings in PostgreSQL.
4. Reporting & Alerts: Detailed vulnerability reports are generated, and alerts are sent if high-severity issues are discovered.
5. Remediation Tracking: Users mark issues as resolved, add notes, and schedule follow-up scans to confirm fixes.

Challenges Faced

• Integrating OpenVAS seamlessly with Ruby on Rails and handling large scan outputs.
• Ensuring the portal itself is secure from potential attacks, given it handles sensitive vulnerability data.
• Maintaining scalability and performance, especially during concurrent, intensive scans.

Future Enhancements

• Adding support for additional scanning tools or plugins to expand coverage.
• Introducing collaboration features like shared workspaces and real-time collaboration for security teams.
• Implementing advanced analytics with machine learning for anomaly detection and proactive threat hunting.