Open-Source Security · CERT-Polska

Artemis

Artemis is a modular Python-based vulnerability scanner developed by CERT Poland that automates security assessment and report generation for web applications. It is actively maintained, BSD-licensed, and designed for large-scale scanning operations with human-readable output suitable for notifying organizations.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/CERT-Polska/Artemis

1.2k

GitHub stars

140

Forks

Python

Primary language

BSD-3-Clause

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	CERT-Polska/Artemis
Owner	CERT-Polska
Primary language	Python
License	BSD-3-Clause — OSI-approved
Stars	1.2k
Forks	140
Open issues	46
Latest release	v3.6.0 (2025-02-24)
Last updated	2026-07-08
Source	https://github.com/CERT-Polska/Artemis

What Artemis is

A Python vulnerability scanner featuring modular architecture, automated report generation, Docker deployment, and integration with tools like Nuclei. It supports custom user-agent configuration, dependency management via pip-tools, and CI-driven code quality checks via pre-commit.

Quickstart

Get the Artemis source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/CERT-Polska/Artemis.git2cd Artemis3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Large-scale vulnerability notification campaigns

Designed to power CERT scanning activities at scale; the README documents hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities notified. Automated report generation makes outreach to affected organizations feasible.

Modular security assessment workflows

Extensible architecture allows custom module development (documented in the project). Separate modules repository (Artemis-modules-extra) for non-BSD-compatible additions supports flexibility.

Web security scanning with human-readable output

Generates vulnerability reports formatted for non-technical stakeholders (e.g., exposed .git, outdated CMS versions). Suitable for organizations needing both scan capability and compliance communication.

Implementation considerations

Docker-based deployment; ensure container runtime and orchestration capability before adoption.
Requires Python 3 environment and dependency management via pip-tools; pin versions via requirements.txt for reproducibility.
Development workflow uses pre-commit hooks and unittest-parallel (not standard unittest) to avoid PID 1 subprocess issues with Go binaries like Nuclei.
Module customization documented but requires understanding the modular architecture; custom modules must comply with BSD 3-Clause licensing.
Configuration via .env file; review CUSTOM_USER_AGENT and other settings for compliance with target organization policies before scanning.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Need guaranteed production-grade SLAs — README explicitly states 'Artemis is experimental software, under active development - use at your own risk.' Not suitable if production uptime guarantees are required.
Require proprietary modules without BSD licensing — Core project enforces BSD 3-Clause; additional modules may require review of the separate Artemis-modules-extra repository. Licensing constraints may limit integration of certain tools.
Minimal operational overhead desired — Docker-based deployment and multi-component architecture (web, backend, etc.) require container orchestration. Docker Compose setup implies moderate infrastructure complexity.
Vendor support or professional services mandatory — Open-source project with community support (Discord server) but no indication of commercial support offerings. Requires in-house expertise for troubleshooting and customization.

License & commercial use

BSD 3-Clause License (permissive OSI license). Commercial use, modification, and distribution are permitted under standard BSD 3-Clause terms: retain copyright notice, provide license copy, and disclaim warranty.

BSD 3-Clause is a permissive license allowing commercial use without explicit permission. However, confirm that any additional modules from Artemis-modules-extra are also compatible with your license requirements. No commercial support from maintainers is documented; reliance is on community and in-house expertise.

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

Security considerations

As a vulnerability scanner, Artemis itself acts as a security tool; no specific security posture (e.g., vulnerability disclosure policy, security audit status) is documented. Consider: (1) Scanner behavior is configurable (e.g., user-agent); ensure compliance with target policies. (2) Experimental status means no guarantee of correctness or completeness of vulnerabilities detected. (3) Custom modules must be reviewed for security; license contribution terms require BSD 3-Clause compliance. (4) Docker deployment isolates the scanner; review container image security practices during build.

Alternatives to consider

OpenVAS

Mature, widely-deployed vulnerability scanner with larger community, commercial support options, and longer track record. However, heavier resource footprint and less focused on report generation/notification workflows.

Nessus

Industry-standard proprietary vulnerability scanner with extensive plugin library, vendor support, and compliance reporting. Requires licensing; not open-source, so no customization without vendor approval.

Zed Attack Proxy (OWASP ZAP)

Open-source web application security scanner with strong community and modular design. More focused on dynamic testing and penetration testing than large-scale notification campaigns; lighter weight than Artemis.

Software development agency

Build on Artemis with DEV.co software developers

Start with the official documentation and quick-start guide. For custom module development or deployment at scale, consult Devco's DevOps and custom software services to architect your scanning infrastructure.

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Artemis FAQ

Can I use Artemis in production without vendor support?

Yes, but with caveats. The README warns it is 'experimental software, under active development – use at your own risk.' Community support (Discord) is available; no commercial SLA exists. Deploy in non-critical or monitored contexts first.

Can I add modules with non-BSD licenses?

The core Artemis project strictly enforces BSD 3-Clause. A separate Artemis-modules-extra repository exists for modules with incompatible licenses. Review the license of any additional module before integration.

How do I customize scanning behavior?

Configuration is managed via .env file (auto-generated from env.example). Custom modules can be written per the documentation. For large-scale customization, fork the repo or use the modules-extra repository.

What is the operational overhead to deploy at scale?

Requires Docker infrastructure, dependency management (pip-tools), and understanding of modular architecture. CERT Poland runs hundreds of thousands of scans, indicating scalability; however, your deployment complexity depends on infrastructure, monitoring, and reporting integration.

Software developers & web developers for hire

DEV.co helps companies turn open-source tools like Artemis into production software. Our software development services cover the full lifecycle — architecture, web development, integration, and maintenance — delivered by software developers and web developers who ship. Engage our software development agency to implement or customize it for your open-source security stack.

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