Nikto vs Nuclei: Which AI Virtual Receptionist tool is Best in 2025?

Nikto is an open-source web server and CGI scanner written in Perl, included in Kali Linux, designed for identifying vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in web applications. Pre-installed on Kali, it performs fast, automated scans to detect outdated software, missing security headers, dangerous files, and potential exploits like XSS or SQL injection. Using LibWhisker for HTTP requests, Nikto supports SSL, proxies, cookies, and evasion techniques, with a pluggable database of over 6,700 checks. It outputs reports in HTML, CSV, JSON, or XML, making it ideal for penetration testers, security analysts, and DevOps teams.

Nuclei is a cutting-edge, open-source vulnerability scanner pre-installed in Kali Linux (version 3.4.4), designed for rapid and accurate security testing. This template-based vulnerability scanner for penetration testing uses YAML templates to detect CVEs, misconfigurations, and exposed services across web apps, APIs, and networks. With over 8,000 templates and support for protocols like HTTP and TCP, Nuclei is a leading network vulnerability assessment tool for cybersecurity professionals, offering zero false positives and CI/CD integration for DevOps workflows.