akto
Akto is an open-source API security platform that discovers APIs, tests them for vulnerabilities, and identifies runtime security issues. It includes 1000+ built-in tests covering OWASP Top 10 and allows custom tests to be added.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | akto-api-security/akto |
| Owner | akto-api-security |
| Primary language | Java |
| License | MIT — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 1.5k |
| Forks | 285 |
| Open issues | 328 |
| Latest release | v2.11.8 (2026-07-08) |
| Last updated | 2026-07-08 |
| Source | https://github.com/akto-api-security/akto |
What akto is
Java-based platform with traffic analysis capabilities, CI/CD integration, and business logic test execution. Supports multiple traffic sources (Burp, AWS, GCP, gateways) and stores findings in MongoDB. Deployable via Docker Compose or cloud environments.
Get the akto source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/akto-api-security/akto.gitcd akto# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Deploy MongoDB v5.0.3+ for persistent storage and ensure adequate disk space for traffic and test result logging.
- Integrate traffic sources (Burp, AWS, GCP, gateway proxies) upstream; traffic quality directly impacts API inventory accuracy and test relevance.
- Run Akto in a private subnet (AWS/GCP) with restricted inbound access (port 9090) to prevent unauthorized dashboard access.
- Custom tests require understanding Akto's test library format; plan for security team time to author business-logic-specific tests.
- Allocate 8 GB RAM minimum for Docker deployment; production workloads may require horizontal scaling (not clearly documented).
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Proprietary Legacy API Protocols — If your APIs rely on uncommon or proprietary protocols not covered by HTTP/REST/GraphQL, Akto's traffic-based approach may not capture sufficient data.
- Minimal Engineering Security Resources — Akto requires operational overhead to integrate traffic sources, maintain MongoDB, and interpret test results. Teams without dedicated security engineers may struggle with onboarding and tuning.
- Strict Compliance on Tool Selection — Requires review if your compliance framework mandates specific vendor certifications, SLAs, or commercial support models not documented in the open-source repo.
- Real-Time Critical Response Requirement — If you need sub-second vulnerability detection and auto-remediation, Akto's testing-based model may not meet latency SLAs in high-throughput production environments.
License & commercial use
Licensed under MIT (MIT License), an OSI-approved permissive license.
MIT permits commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution. However, the README references an 'Akto Enterprise edition' for cloud deployments, traffic mirroring, and team features. Verify whether enterprise features require a separate commercial license or if the open-source version fully supports production commercial deployments without restrictions.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Moderate |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
Open-source code allows community security review. Deployment guidance recommends private subnet, restricted inbound ports, and IP-based CIDR filtering. Consider: MongoDB credentials, traffic interception on private networks, and test payload sanitization (not detailed). No formal security audit or CVE history provided in data. Review network isolation, authentication mechanisms, and data retention policies before production use.
Alternatives to consider
OWASP ZAP
Mature, free, open-source API/web security scanner with broad OWASP coverage. Lighter-weight than Akto but less focused on business logic testing and API inventory management.
Burp Suite Community/Professional
Industry-standard penetration testing platform with strong API scanning. Requires manual testing or scripting; better for ad-hoc assessments than continuous CI/CD automation.
Postman API Security (paid SaaS)
Cloud-native, integrates with Postman collections, minimal deployment overhead. Requires vendor lock-in and subscription; integrates traffic from Postman ecosystem only.
Build on akto with DEV.co software developers
Deploy Akto's open-source platform in minutes to discover APIs, automate security testing, and catch vulnerabilities before production. No vendor lock-in—full MIT license.
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akto FAQ
Can Akto test GraphQL and REST APIs?
What is the performance impact of traffic mirroring?
Does Akto support SAML/SSO for team access?
How are false positives managed in the test engine?
Software developers & web developers for hire
Adopting akto is usually one piece of a larger software development effort. As a software development agency, DEV.co provides software development services and web development expertise — pairing senior software developers and web developers with your team to design, build, and operate open-source security software in production.
Secure Your APIs with Akto
Deploy Akto's open-source platform in minutes to discover APIs, automate security testing, and catch vulnerabilities before production. No vendor lock-in—full MIT license.