Open-Source Security · codingo

VHostScan

VHostScan is a Python-based virtual host discovery tool that identifies subdomains and virtual hosts by performing HTTP/HTTPS scans and reverse lookups. It handles catch-all configurations, dynamic content, and WAF bypass techniques—useful for penetration testers and bug bounty hunters working with HackTheBox and real-world targets.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/codingo/VHostScan

1.3k

GitHub stars

239

Forks

Python

Primary language

GPL-3.0

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	codingo/VHostScan
Owner	codingo
Primary language	Python
License	GPL-3.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	1.3k
Forks	239
Open issues	1
Latest release	1.21 (2018-01-30)
Last updated	2025-08-18
Source	https://github.com/codingo/VHostScan

What VHostScan is

VHostScan performs HTTP(S) virtual host enumeration against target IPs or domains using customizable wordlists, with features for fuzzy-logic content matching, reverse DNS lookups, prefix/suffix manipulation, and WAF headers. Built in Python 3.8+, it supports stdin piping, multiple output formats (normal/grepable/JSON), and SSH tunnel pivoting via port remapping.

Quickstart

Get the VHostScan source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/codingo/VHostScan.git2cd VHostScan3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

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

Best use cases

Penetration Testing & Bug Bounty Recon

Rapidly enumerate virtual hosts and hidden subdomains during initial reconnaissance phases of security assessments. Combines wordlist scanning with reverse lookups to uncover infrastructure often missed by DNS enumeration alone.

Catch-All Detection & Content Fingerprinting

Identify and isolate real virtual hosts in environments with catch-all DNS or dynamic default pages. Fuzzy-logic matching and unique-depth filtering highlight anomalous responses that indicate actual services.

CTF & HackTheBox Challenges

Purpose-built HTB-specific wordlist and support for local port-forwarding scenarios (SSH tunnels) make it ideal for CTF environments where virtual hosting and internal service discovery are key attack vectors.

Implementation considerations

Requires Python 3.8+ and pip; Docker installation recommended to avoid dependency conflicts. Test wordlist accuracy against your target scope before production use.
Fuzzy-logic and reverse-lookup features increase scan time; tune --rate-limit and --unique-depth thresholds based on target responsiveness and WAF behavior.
HTTP status code ignore list (default 404) must be customized per target; catch-all environments may require manual tuning of --ignore-content-length thresholds.
Wordlist selection impacts discovery quality: use --first-hit only for CTF-like scenarios; multi-wordlist mode (-w list1,list2) recommended for real-world assessments.
Output formats (JSON, grepable) aid integration with other security tools; parse JSON output for automated pipeline workflows.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Large-Scale OSINT or Passive Reconnaissance — Tool performs active HTTP requests; not suitable for stealthy, passive-only reconnaissance or situations where traffic must remain undetected. Consider DNS enumeration tools first.
Production Support & SLA Obligations — Last release was January 2018; while recent Git activity exists (August 2025), there is no versioned release cycle or official support channels. Not recommended as a critical dependency in commercial products requiring maintenance guarantees.
Windows-First Development Teams — Python-centric tool with Docker as recommended install path. Teams without Python expertise or Windows-native tooling preference should evaluate native Windows alternatives.
Compliance-Sensitive Environments — GPL-3.0 license requires careful review before integration into proprietary or commercial products. Consult legal/licensing team; commercial use restrictions apply.

License & commercial use

Licensed under GPL-3.0 (GNU General Public License v3.0). This is a copyleft open-source license.

GPL-3.0 carries significant restrictions on commercial use. Any distribution or modification must release derivative code under GPL-3.0 and provide source access to users. Direct use in closed-source security products, SaaS platforms, or proprietary toolchains likely violates terms. **Requires legal review before commercial deployment.** Use for internal security assessments may be permissible; resale or bundling is not without source disclosure.

DEV.co evaluation signals

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

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Moderate
Documentation	Adequate
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Low
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

VHostScan performs active HTTP scanning and reverse DNS lookups; logs and traffic may expose reconnaissance activity. No built-in TLS certificate validation bypass warnings; HTTPS connections rely on system CA store. WAF bypass headers (--waf flag) are basic; sophisticated WAF may still block or rate-limit. Tool does not validate target authorization; operator responsibility to ensure legal testing scope. Supply chain: pip/Docker dependencies not audited in provided data; review requirements.txt before deployment in restricted environments.

Alternatives to consider

Aquatone (Ruby-based)

Full-stack subdomain enumeration and screenshot tool; more comprehensive for visual recon but overkill if only virtual host discovery is needed. Active maintenance vs. VHostScan's stale release cycle.

Subfinder + httpx (Go-based)

Modern Go stack for large-scale subdomain discovery and HTTP probing. Faster, more actively maintained, and no GPL licensing constraints. Lacks VHostScan's fuzzy-logic and catch-all tuning.

Burp Suite Intruder + Proxy

Commercial, interactive, and integrated; better for iterative virtual host testing and request interception. Higher cost and steeper learning curve; limited to manual/rule-based approaches vs. VHostScan's wordlist automation.

Software development agency

Build on VHostScan with DEV.co software developers

VHostScan excels at subdomain enumeration and catch-all detection for security assessments. Evaluate its GPL-3.0 licensing and stale release cycle against your commercial use and maintenance requirements. Contact Devco for guidance on licensing strategy and alternative tooling.

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VHostScan FAQ

Can I use VHostScan in a commercial security product?

Not without legal review and likely source disclosure. GPL-3.0 is a copyleft license; commercial bundling or SaaS use requires either relicensing from the author or releasing your entire product under GPL-3.0. Consult your legal team.

Does VHostScan support API or programmatic access?

No official Python API is documented. Tool is CLI-driven; integration requires parsing JSON output or shelling out to the binary. Stdin/stdout piping is the primary programmatic interface.

How does fuzzy-logic help with dynamic content?

Fuzzy-logic compares response body similarity (not hashes) across discovered hosts, isolating real vhosts from catch-all pages with timestamp or random content. Adjust --unique-depth and run --fuzzy-logic together for best results.

What is the performance impact of reverse lookups?

Reverse lookups add DNS queries per discovered IP; disable with --no-lookups if targeting a single domain or if DNS latency is high. Default behavior is enabled; tune --rate-limit to avoid resolver throttling.

Custom software development services

Need help beyond evaluating VHostScan? DEV.co is a software development agency offering software development services and web development for teams of every size. Our software developers and web developers build custom software, web applications, APIs, and open-source security integrations — and maintain them long-term.

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