BASIC SYNTAX
nikto -h [host] [options]
COMMON FLAGS
| Flag | Description |
|---|
| -h [host] | Target host or IP |
| -p [port] | Target port (default 80) |
| -ssl | Force SSL/HTTPS scan |
| -Tuning [n] | Scan type tuning code |
| -o [file] | Save output to file |
| -Format [fmt] | Output format (txt/csv/html/xml) |
| -id [user:pass] | HTTP authentication |
| -useragent [ua] | Custom user-agent string |
| -timeout [sec] | Request timeout |
| -maxtime [sec] | Max scan duration |
EXAMPLES
Basic HTTP scan
nikto -h 10.10.16.10
Specific port
nikto -h 10.10.16.10 -p 8080
HTTPS scan
nikto -h 10.10.16.10 -ssl
HTTPS on port 443
nikto -h 10.10.16.10 -p 443 -ssl
Tuning — interesting files only
nikto -h 10.10.16.10 -Tuning 1
Tuning — misconfigs + injection
nikto -h 10.10.16.10 -Tuning 24
Save to HTML file
nikto -h 10.10.16.10 -o results.html -Format html
Save to text file
nikto -h 10.10.16.10 -o nikto.txt
WHAT NIKTO CHECKS
Nikto tests for 6,700+ potentially dangerous files/programs, outdated server software, version-specific problems, and server configuration issues. It is not a stealth tool — all requests are logged by the target.
LIMITATIONS
Nikto generates significant noise and will be flagged by IDS/IPS. It checks for known issues only — it will not find custom application vulnerabilities, logic flaws, or authentication bypasses. Use Burp Suite for deeper web app testing.