Question 1

Is GeekWala really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Anonymous scanning (paste a lock file, get results) has no account requirement and no scan limits. The free account tier adds projects, scan history, and a dashboard with 50 scans/month and 200 packages across 5 projects. EPSS and KEV enrichment is included at every tier — exploitation signals aren't a paid feature.

Question 2

Can I use multiple free tools together?

Accepted Answer

Yes — and you should. Each tool has strengths the others lack. Run npm audit in CI for instant feedback, use Dependabot for automated PRs, and use GeekWala for cross-ecosystem prioritization. These tools don't conflict. They complement each other.

Question 3

Do free scanners miss vulnerabilities?

Accepted Answer

Data source quality matters more than price. GeekWala uses OSV (the same database Google uses for their vulnerability scanning), plus NVD, GHSA, and CISA KEV. npm audit uses the GitHub Advisory Database. pip-audit uses OSV. These are the same data sources that paid tools query. The gap between free and paid isn't in detection — it's in prioritization, automation, and enterprise features like SSO and audit logging.

Question 4

What's the difference between SCA and a vulnerability scanner?

Accepted Answer

Software Composition Analysis (SCA) is the industry term for tools that identify open-source components in your codebase and check them for known vulnerabilities. All 7 tools in this guide are SCA tools. Some (Trivy, OWASP Dependency-Check) also do additional scanning beyond dependency analysis.

Question 5

How often should I scan?

Accepted Answer

Every CI build should include your ecosystem-native scanner (npm audit, pip-audit, etc.) — it's fast and free. Run a full cross-ecosystem scan weekly at minimum. EPSS scores change daily as new exploit data emerges. A finding at EPSS 0.1 last week could spike to 0.8 this week. Scheduled scans (GeekWala Pro or a cron job with Trivy) catch these changes between deploys.

For detailed scanning strategies, see Automated Dependency Scanning: How to Stop Manually Checking for Vulnerabilities.

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Every ecosystem has a free scanner. Only one adds exploitation signals to every finding.

Scan your dependencies across 8 ecosystems with EPSS + CISA KEV prioritization → — upload any lock file, see which vulnerabilities are being actively exploited, and prioritize real threats. No account needed.