Free security scan
Free website security scan
A free scan is the fastest way to catch visible launch blockers before real users arrive. Here is what it should check, what it cannot prove, and what to do with the results.
Short answer
A free website security scan checks your public live URL for common launch mistakes: exposed secrets, public files, HTTPS problems, missing security headers, risky routes, and obvious misconfigurations. It is a fast first pass before launch, not a full security audit. After the scan, fix high-severity exposure first, then manually test auth, database access, admin flows, and anything that handles sensitive data.
Key takeaways
- A free website security scan should check your public URL for exposed secrets, public files, HTTPS issues, missing security headers, and obvious risky routes.
- A scan is useful before launch because it catches mistakes that are visible from the outside and easy to miss during a product build.
- Free scans cannot prove your authorization, database rules, or business logic are safe. Those need manual checks.
- Treat leaked private keys, public .env files, and exposed admin surfaces as launch blockers.
- The best next step after a scan is to fix high-severity findings, rescan, then verify auth and data access manually.
What a free website security scan should check
The most useful free scan is narrow but concrete. It should inspect the live site the way a normal visitor or attacker would, then report what is publicly visible.
Exposed secrets
Private API keys, service keys, tokens, and credentials accidentally bundled into the frontend.
Public sensitive files
.env files, .git folders, source maps, config files, or build artifacts that should not be reachable.
HTTPS and certificate behavior
Whether the site loads securely, redirects correctly, and presents a valid certificate.
Security headers
Browser protections such as HSTS, Content Security Policy, X-Content-Type-Options, and framing protection.
Risky public structure
Open admin routes, confusing robots.txt or sitemap behavior, and other obvious public exposure.
For a deeper walkthrough, see how to scan your website for vulnerabilities.
What a free scan cannot prove
The scan can only inspect what your app exposes externally. That is valuable, but it is not the whole security picture.
It cannot verify your database rules
If you use Supabase, Firebase, or another backend, the scanner cannot log into your project and prove your row-level or document-level policies are correct. Start with what is Row Level Security and the Supabase RLS checklist.
It cannot understand your business logic
A scanner cannot know that only the account owner should edit a subscription, approve a payout, or view a workspace. Those rules need manual testing.
Use a scan as the first pass
A free scan is best used to catch obvious exposure quickly. Fix what it finds, rescan, then add manual checks before launch.
How to use the results before launch
Fix exposed private keys first
Rotate the key, remove it from the frontend, move it server-side, and redeploy.
Block public sensitive files
A reachable .env or .git folder is a launch blocker. Remove it from public hosting and confirm it returns 404.
Add missing baseline headers
Use the HTTP security headers checklist to decide which protections fit your app.
Rescan after fixing
A finding is not fixed until the live site no longer exposes the problem.
Finish with manual auth and data tests
Create two users and confirm each can only access their own data.
Frequently asked questions
- How can I run a free website security scan?
- Use a hosted scanner that only needs your public URL. It will fetch the live site, inspect the public surface, and check for exposed secrets, public files, HTTPS problems, missing security headers, and obvious risky routes. GuardMint offers a free first scan from /scan with no signup required for the first score.
- What does a free website security scan check?
- A good free scan checks browser-visible secrets, public .env or config files, exposed source maps, HTTPS and certificate behavior, important security headers, robots and sitemap issues, and common public routes that should not be open. It should also explain what each finding means.
- Can a free security scan find every vulnerability?
- No. External scans can only see what your live site exposes publicly. They cannot log into your database, read private source code, understand your business rules, or prove that one user cannot access another user's data. Pair the scan with manual checks for auth, permissions, and database policies.
- Is it safe to scan my own website?
- Scanning a website you own or are authorized to test is fine. A launch-readiness scanner like GuardMint reads public pages and files without exploiting or breaking into the app. Do not scan systems you do not own or have permission to test.
Related resources
Best website security scanner for startups
How founders should choose a website security scanner before launch: what matters, what to avoid, and when a scanner is enough.
Read moreHow to check if your web app is secure
A practical guide to checking whether a web app is secure enough to launch, combining automated scans with manual auth and data checks.
Read moreHow to scan your website for vulnerabilities
A plain-English guide to scanning a web app for common security issues before launch — what a scan checks, what it can't, and how to read the results.
Read moreRun a free scan now
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