Best Free Online Tools to Check
Website Security (Updated)
Keeping your website secure is no longer optional – it’s a responsibility. Cyber attacks today are fast, automated, and constantly evolving. Hackers use massive scanning networks to look for vulnerable sites, outdated plugins, weak configurations, unsecured APIs, and unprotected admin panels. Whether you run a small blog or a business website, regular security checks are essential.
Thankfully, there are powerful free online security tools that help you scan your website instantly, detect vulnerabilities, identify malware, check blacklist status, analyze SSL issues, and more. In this guide, we explore the best free tools used by cybersecurity professionals – all trusted, reputable, and safe for any business.
Everything here is written from real-world experience performing website security audits at Codeila. Each tool is explained in a simple, practical way, so even beginners can use it the right way.
Why You Should Regularly Scan Your Website for Security Issues
Websites get hacked for simple reasons – outdated software, weak passwords, vulnerable plugins, or misconfigurations. And because attackers rely on automated tools, every website gets scanned constantly, even the small ones.
Regular security scans help you:
- Detect malware before visitors see it
- Identify vulnerabilities in plugins and themes
- Verify whether your site is on Google’s blacklist
- Check SSL and encryption issues
- Prevent SEO spam and hidden redirects
- Monitor your domain reputation
- Ensure compliance and safe browsing status
It doesn’t matter if you’re a small startup or a large company – a hacked website costs reputation, time, and money. These tools help you find problems early, before they turn into a full breach.
The Best Free Tools to Check Website Security
Below is a curated list of professional-grade tools used by cybersecurity analysts worldwide. All are free, reliable, and safe.
1. Google Safe Browsing – Security Status Check
Google Safe Browsing is one of the most accurate ways to detect whether your website has malware, phishing content, or harmful scripts. Google continuously scans billions of URLs daily, making this tool extremely reliable.
Official Link:
Google Transparency Report – Safe Browsing
What It Checks:
- Malware infections
- Phishing pages
- Dangerous redirects
- SEO spam injections
- Blacklisted URLs
How to Use:
Simply enter your website URL. If your site is safe, you’ll see a green confirmation. If not, Google lists the exact problem and affected URLs.
2. VirusTotal – Multi-Engine Malware Detection
VirusTotal is one of the most powerful free security tools available. It scans your website using more than 70 malware engines and URL reputation systems.
Official Link:
VirusTotal Website Scan
What It Checks:
- Malware infections
- Injected malicious JavaScript
- Phishing behavior
- Suspicious redirects
- Domain reputation
Why It’s Powerful:
If even one engine detects suspicious activity, it’s a red flag. VirusTotal is often the first place professionals check.
3. Sucuri SiteCheck – Website Malware & Vulnerability Scanner
Sucuri’s free scanner is one of the most trusted tools for website owners. It scans for common vulnerabilities, malware patterns, infected files, and outdated CMS versions.
Official Link:
Sucuri SiteCheck Scanner
What It Checks:
- Malware and blacklist status
- Outdated WordPress version detection
- Injected spam or malicious links
- Defacement
- Security misconfigurations
4. Qualys SSL Labs – Deep SSL / TLS Security Testing
If you want to test your SSL security in detail, SSL Labs by Qualys is the industry standard. It provides an A+ to F grade and highlights every weakness in your SSL configuration.
Official Link:
SSL Labs SSL Test
What It Checks:
- Certificate strength
- TLS versions and cipher suites
- HTTPS configuration errors
- HSTS status
- Protocol vulnerabilities
Why It Matters:
Poor SSL configuration leaves your website vulnerable to attacks like POODLE, BEAST, MITM attacks, and weak encryption.
5. Mozilla Observatory – Web Security Headers Check
Mozilla Observatory evaluates your site’s security headers – one of the most overlooked but critical parts of modern web security.
Official Link:
Mozilla Observatory
What It Checks:
- X-Frame-Options
- Content-Security-Policy
- Strict-Transport-Security
- Referrer-Policy
- X-XSS-Protection
Why It’s Important:
Security headers protect your site against XSS, clickjacking, content injection, and data theft.
6. Pentest-Tools Website Scanner
Pentest-Tools offers a powerful free scanner that detects high-impact vulnerabilities like SQL Injection, XSS, LFI, and RFI.
Official Link:
Pentest-Tools Scanner
What It Checks:
- Common vulnerabilities (OWASP Top 10)
- Weak server configurations
- Outdated CMS components
- Insecure cookies
- Directory exposure
Their free option is limited but still extremely useful.
7. UPGuard Web Scan – Security Risk Score
UPGuard is used by enterprises to evaluate overall digital risk. Its free scanner provides a high-level security score and highlights major weaknesses.
Official Link:
UPGuard Free Web Scan
What It Checks:
- Server configuration issues
- SSL mistakes
- Reputation problems
- Weak DNS settings
8. Detectify Free Domain Scan
Detectify is a platform built by ethical hackers. Its domain scan gives a quick overview of exposed services and possible vulnerabilities.
Official Link:
Detectify
What It Checks:
- Exposed admin panels
- Open ports
- DNS issues
- Subdomain takeover risks
9. SiteGuarding Free Scanner
SiteGuarding runs a fast and detailed malware scan, especially effective for WordPress sites.
Official Link:
SiteGuarding Scanner
What It Detects:
- Hidden spam links
- Malicious PHP files
- Unknown admin accounts
- Database injections
10. OWASP ZAP Online (Free Web Vulnerability Scan)
OWASP is the most respected cybersecurity foundation in the world. Their online ZAP scanner is perfect for detecting vulnerabilities in a safe, non-intrusive way.
Official Link:
OWASP ZAP
What It Checks:
- OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities
- Broken authentication
- Insecure redirects
- Injection flaws
- Security misconfigurations
Bonus Tools
● SecurityHeaders.com
● MXToolbox Blacklist Checker
● URLScan.io
How to Use These Tools for a Full Website Security Audit (Step-by-Step)
Here’s a simple way to use the free tools above to build a full security audit workflow:
- Start with Google Safe Browsing to check blacklist status.
- Scan with VirusTotal for malware signatures.
- Use Sucuri for general vulnerabilities and spam detection.
- Test SSL with SSL Labs.
- Analyze headers with Mozilla Observatory.
- Look for high-impact issues with Pentest-Tools.
- Check DNS and exposure using UPGuard.
- Inspect risky services through Detectify.
This combination covers everything: malware, vulnerabilities, SSL, DNS, headers, server configuration, exposed admin panels, and phishing risks.
What to Do If a Tool Finds a Problem
Finding a security issue doesn’t mean your website is completely compromised, but it does mean you should fix it as soon as possible. Here’s what to do:
- Update your CMS, plugins, and themes
- Remove unused or outdated plugins
- Reset all passwords and enable 2FA
- Scan your site for backdoors
- Clean malicious files and restore from backups if necessary
- Fix SSL configuration issues
- Enable a firewall to block future attacks
If you’re not sure where to start or the issue seems serious, you can reach out to the security team at
Codeila
for a professional cleanup or penetration test.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to be a security expert to protect your website. Free online tools give you instant visibility into problems that hackers exploit every day. Regular scanning is the simplest – and smartest – way to keep your website safe, maintain your SEO ranking, and protect your visitors.
But remember: tools only tell you what’s wrong. Fixing issues and hardening your website requires action, consistency, and expertise.
If you want a full, human-led security audit or penetration test, the team at
Codeila
is ready to help.