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Open-Source Security · Patrowl

PatrowlManager

PatrowlManager is an open-source security operations orchestration platform that aggregates and coordinates security scans, vulnerability detection, and incident response workflows. It acts as a central hub for managing assets, scheduling operations across multiple engine instances, and relaying findings to third-party tools like TheHive and Splunk.

Source: GitHub — github.com/Patrowl/PatrowlManager
637
GitHub stars
112
Forks
HTML
Primary language
AGPL-3.0
License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

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

FieldValue
RepositoryPatrowl/PatrowlManager
OwnerPatrowl
Primary languageHTML
LicenseAGPL-3.0 — OSI-approved
Stars637
Forks112
Open issues255
Latest release1.4.0 (2020-06-25)
Last updated2026-03-10
Sourcehttps://github.com/Patrowl/PatrowlManager

What PatrowlManager is

Django-based front-end application that communicates with distributed Flask-based PatrowlEngines via JSON API, with asynchronous task execution powered by RabbitMQ and Celery. Normalizes and aggregates scan results from multiple security tools into a unified dashboard and reporting interface.

Quickstart

Get the PatrowlManager source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash
git clone https://github.com/Patrowl/PatrowlManager.gitcd PatrowlManager# follow the project's README for install & configuration

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

Best use cases

Multi-Tool Vulnerability Orchestration

Coordinate and normalize output from multiple vulnerability scanners (NESSUS, OpenVAS, etc.) into a single dashboard; reduces manual result aggregation and enables cross-scanner correlation.

Security Operations Center (SOC) Automation

Automate scan scheduling, alert relay to incident response platforms (TheHive), and create audit trails; improves mean-time-to-response and reduces manual ops toil.

Compliance and Asset-Based Scanning Programs

Manage scan campaigns across asset inventories, track findings state changes, and generate reports for governance; supports continuous compliance monitoring at scale.

Implementation considerations

  • Must deploy and configure PatrowlEngines separately; Manager alone cannot perform scans.
  • Requires message broker (RabbitMQ) and task queue (Celery) infrastructure for async operations and scalability.
  • Database schema and Django migrations must be initialized; review documentation for production-grade deployment patterns.
  • Custom engine development is possible but requires Flask knowledge; integration points via JSON API are normative.
  • Backup and restore procedures for asset inventory and scan results not documented in provided excerpt; clarify data persistence strategy.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

  • Require Vendor Support with SLA Guarantees — Community version has no official SLA. Pro Edition and SaaS available but require commercial engagement; evaluate support terms before production adoption.
  • Need Out-of-Box Enterprise Authentication — Open-source version lacks RBAC, multi-tenancy, Azure AD, LDAP, and SAML. These require Pro Edition; internal authentication story unclear for community builds.
  • Seeking Active, High-Velocity Development — Last tagged release is 1.4.0 (2020-06-25); project shows recent commits but infrequent releases. 255 open issues suggest backlog; unclear release cadence.
  • Minimal Deployment Complexity Required — Requires Python, Django, Flask, RabbitMQ, Celery, and PatrowlEngines setup. Multi-component architecture adds operational overhead; not suitable for minimal setups.

License & commercial use

Released under AGPL-3.0 (GNU Affero General Public License v3.0). Project explicitly states commitment to remaining free and open-source. AGPL is a copyleft license requiring that network-accessible derivative works and modifications disclose source code. Modifications must be released under the same license.

AGPL-3.0 is not a permissive license. Commercial use of the unmodified software is allowed, but any deployment as a network service or modification triggers copyleft obligations. Requires legal review before: (a) hosting as a managed service, (b) creating proprietary customizations, or (c) integrating into closed-source products. PatrOwl Company offers Pro Edition and SaaS; dual-licensing available—contact [email protected] for commercial terms.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

SignalAssessment
MaintenanceModerate
DocumentationAdequate
License clarityClear
Deployment complexityHigh
DEV.co fitGood
Assessment confidenceHigh
Security considerations

Project includes Snyk vulnerability scanning badge and security contact process ([email protected]). AGPL copyleft terms apply—any hosted modification must disclose source. No claim made regarding secure-by-design; users must evaluate threat model, authentication (Pro Edition adds RBAC/AD/LDAP), encryption (not described), and API security independently. Third-party engine integrations inherit their security posture; vet engine providers. Database and message broker security configuration responsibility falls to deployer.

Alternatives to consider

TheHive + Cortex

Incident response and case management focused; Cortex provides job execution and analyzers but less emphasis on vulnerability scanning orchestration. Suitable if primary need is IR and response triage rather than continuous scanning.

Defect Dojo

Vulnerability management and deduplication; lighter-weight than PatrowlManager, stronger release cadence, but narrower scope (findings management vs. full SOC orchestration). Good for smaller teams or scanning-focused workflows.

Splunk + Custom Scripts

Mature SIEM for aggregation and alerting; requires building custom orchestration; higher licensing costs but more enterprise support and authentication options.

Software development agency

Build on PatrowlManager with DEV.co software developers

PatrowlManager is free to deploy on-premise for internal use, but requires AGPL compliance. For production SOCs needing RBAC, multi-tenancy, and vendor support, explore PatrOwl Pro Edition or SaaS. Contact the team at [email protected] for licensing and integration support.

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PatrowlManager FAQ

Can I use PatrowlManager without deploying PatrowlEngines?
No. PatrowlManager is the UI and orchestration layer only. PatrowlEngines perform actual scans. You must deploy one or more PatrowlEngine instances to execute security operations.
Is the open-source version suitable for production SOCs?
Possibly, depending on requirements. Community version lacks RBAC, multi-tenancy, and advanced auth (LDAP, Azure AD). Pro Edition or SaaS recommended for enterprise environments. Requires stable RabbitMQ/Celery infrastructure and careful deployment planning.
Can I modify PatrowlManager for internal use without releasing source?
Not under AGPL-3.0. Any network-accessible modifications must disclose source code. Internal-only modifications require dual-licensing from PatrOwl Company (contact [email protected]) or migration to Pro Edition.
What scanners does PatrowlManager support out of the box?
PatrowlEngines determine scanner support. Community engines availability unknown from provided data. Pro Edition includes ZAP, Nikto, CloudSploit, and others. Consult PatrowlEngines repository and engine documentation.

Software development & web development with DEV.co

Adopting PatrowlManager 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.

Ready to Orchestrate Security Operations?

PatrowlManager is free to deploy on-premise for internal use, but requires AGPL compliance. For production SOCs needing RBAC, multi-tenancy, and vendor support, explore PatrOwl Pro Edition or SaaS. Contact the team at [email protected] for licensing and integration support.