Nikto version 2 contains many enhancements over the first version. Some of the major new features include:
Fingerprinting web servers via favicon.ico files
404 checking for each file type
Enhanced false positive reduction via multiple methods: headers, page content, and content hashing
Scan tuning to include or exclude entire classes of vulnerability checks
Expanded scan database can have multiple positive or negative triggers, to allow AND/OR/NOT for flexible checks
Uses LibWhisker 2, which has its own long list of enhancements
A "single" scan mode that allows you to craft an HTTP request by hand
Updated and greatly enhanced
documentation
Authorization guessing handles any directory, not just the root directory
New HTML report
Basic template engine so that HTML reports can be easily customized
An experimental knowledge base for scans, which will allow regenerated reports and retests (future)
... and countless tweaks/bugfixes/optimizations ...
Features
Uses
rfp's LibWhisker as a base for all network funtionality
Main scan database in CSV format for easy updates
Fingerprint servers via favicon.ico files
Determines "OK" vs "NOT FOUND" responses for file type, if possible
Determines CGI directories for each server, if possible
Switch HTTP versions as needed so that the server understands requests properly
SSL Support (Unix with OpenSSL or maybe Windows with ActiveState's Perl/NetSSL)
Output to file in plain text, HTML or CSV
Plugin support (standard PERL)
Checks for outdated server software
Proxy support (with authentication)
Host authentication (Basic)
Watches for "bogus" OK responses
Attempts to perform educated guesses for Authentication realms
Captures/prints any Cookies received
Mutate mode to "go fishing" on web servers for odd items
Builds Mutate checks based on robots.txt entries (if present)
Scan multiple ports on a target to find web servers (can integrate nmap for speed, if available)
Multiple IDS evasion techniques
Users can add a custom scan database
Supports automatic code/check updates (with web access)
Multiple host/port scanning (scan list files)
Username guessing plugin via the cgiwrap program and Apache ~user methods
