Which tool detects vulnerabilities by sending random input strings to an application?

The choice of a fuzzer is accurate because a fuzzer is specifically designed to test applications by sending a wide range of random, unexpected, or malformed input strings to identify vulnerabilities. This technique can uncover security weaknesses such as buffer overflows, memory leaks, and other issues that could be exploited by attackers.

Fuzzing helps to reveal how the application behaves under unexpected conditions, allowing developers to address these vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in a real-world attack. Its proactive approach to security testing is essential for ensuring robust software that can handle a variety of input scenarios gracefully.

In contrast, vulnerability scanners systematically analyze code or systems for known vulnerabilities, but they do not employ the same tactic of using random inputs. Port scanners focus on identifying open ports and services running on a network, while sniffers capture network traffic but do not test applications for vulnerabilities through input manipulation. Each serves a different purpose in the security landscape, but the fuzzer is uniquely positioned to discover vulnerabilities that are not easily detected by other methods.