Installing Nikto on Various Unix Server Distributions

Nikto is a popular open-source web server scanner used by security professionals to detect potential vulnerabilities. Below is a detailed guide on how to install Nikto on various Unix server distributions, including Debian-based systems, Red Hat-based systems, and others like macOS and FreeBSD.

You can read more info on nikto's official website : https://cirt.net/Nikto2

1. Debian-Based Systems (Ubuntu, Debian)

Step-by-Step Installation:

1. Update Package List: Open a terminal and execute the following command to update your package list:

sudo apt-get update

1. Install Nikto: Install Nikto using the apt-get command:

sudo apt-get install nikto -y

Verification: Check the installation by running:

nikto -Version

2. Red Hat-Based Systems (CentOS, Fedora, RHEL)

Step-by-Step Installation:

1. Enable EPEL Repository: For CentOS and RHEL, enable the Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) repository first:
   sudo yum install epel-release -y


   Fedora users can skip this step as the EPEL repository is not required.

2. Install Nikto: Install Nikto using the yum or dnf command (for Fedora):
   sudo yum install nikto -y


   or

   sudo dnf install nikto -y


Verification: Check the installation by running:

3. Arch Linux

Step-by-Step Installation:

1. Use Pacman: Install Nikto directly from the community repository using pacman:
   sudo pacman -S nikto


Verification: Verify the installation by running:

4. macOS

Step-by-Step Installation:

1. Install Homebrew: If not already installed, you can install Homebrew, a package manager for macOS, by running:
   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2. Install Nikto: Once Homebrew is installed, you can install Nikto using Homebrew:
   brew install nikto


Verification: Check if Nikto was installed successfully:

5. FreeBSD

Step-by-Step Installation:

1. Install from Ports Collection: You can install Nikto from the FreeBSD Ports Collection. First, navigate to the Nikto port directory:
   cd /usr/ports/security/nikto/


   Then, compile and install the port:

   make install clean


Verification: Verify that Nikto is correctly installed by running:

Post-Installation Steps

After installing Nikto, it's advisable to:

• Update Nikto's plugin and database: Nikto can be updated with the latest vulnerability database and plugins by running:
  nikto -update

• Run an initial test: Test your Nikto installation by scanning a test website (ensure you have permission):

nikto -h http://testsite.com

This guide should help you install Nikto on various Unix-based server distributions, ensuring you're equipped to start securing your web servers effectively.