Prowler
CIS benchmarks and security checks for AWS, Azure and GCP cloud environments.
External Tool
This open-source tool is maintained externally. View the source on GitHub to learn more or run it yourself.
Browse security tools →What's next with Prowler?
Choose how you want to get started.
Use it free
Open the official tool or demo — no account needed.
Self-host it
Run the open-source version on your own infrastructure.
What is Prowler?
Prowler is an open-source cloud security platform designed to automate security and compliance checks across multiple cloud environments. Its primary purpose is to detect vulnerabilities, enforce compliance with industry standards, and provide real-time monitoring for cloud infrastructure. Used by DevOps teams, cloud architects, and security professionals, Prowler addresses the complexity of managing security across distributed cloud ecosystems like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Kubernetes. By integrating thousands of pre-defined security checks and compliance frameworks, it simplifies the process of identifying risks, prioritizing remediation, and maintaining regulatory adherence. The tool is particularly valuable for organizations seeking to reduce manual overhead in cloud security while ensuring scalable, cost-effective protection.
How it works
Prowler is a cloud-native security tool that leverages automation to assess and enforce security policies across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It acts as a centralized platform for continuous compliance monitoring, enabling users to detect misconfigurations, insecure APIs, and other vulnerabilities in real time. The tool is built to address the challenges of managing security across diverse cloud providers and infrastructure-as-code pipelines. Its AI-driven analysis prioritizes risks based on severity, helping teams focus on critical issues while maintaining compliance with frameworks like CIS, ISO 27001, and GDPR. Prowler supports over 10,000 security checks across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, GitHub, and Microsoft 365. It integrates with CI/CD pipelines via GitHub Actions and provides remediation guidance for detected issues. The platform also offers customizable dashboards for real-time monitoring and audit-ready reporting.
How to use it
- 1Install Prowler via its GitHub repository or package managers. 2. Configure access credentials for cloud providers and repositories. 3. Run scans using CLI commands or the web interface to assess target environments. 4. Review results in the dashboard, prioritize findings, and apply remediation steps. Practical tips include scheduling regular scans, leveraging automation for compliance checks, and using the CLI for granular control over scan parameters.
What it can do
- cloud security scanner
Use cases
Assumptions and limitations
Assumptions
- source: https://github.com/prowler-cloud/prowler
- license: Apache-2.0 — free to use
- privacy: Self-hosted — you control your data
Limitations
- Requires manual remediation for detected issues
- Learning curve for advanced configuration and custom policy creation
- Resource-intensive scans may impact performance on large-scale infrastructures
- Limited native support for non-cloud services like on-premises systems
- Dependent on accurate cloud provider API access and permissions
Understanding the result
CIS benchmarks and security checks for AWS, Azure and GCP cloud environments.
Tool details
- Clearly flagged when a network request is needed.
- No account, no sign-up, and no tracking of your content.
- Powered by (Apache-2.0).
- Built with
- (prowler-cloud/prowler)
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Runs locally
- No — requires a network request
- Verification
- Not yet verified
- Input
- Query
- Output
- Text
Built with prowler-cloud/prowler. OpenToolVault provides the discovery and browser interface while crediting the original project maintainers.
- Built with
- License
- Apache-2.0
Open-source project
OpenToolVault is an independent directory. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by this project.
References
- / — GitHub Repository
Upstream project · GitHub
- Apache-2.0 License
Upstream project
Frequently asked
What cloud platforms does Prowler support?
Prowler supports AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, GitHub, Microsoft 365, and Oracle Cloud. It also integrates with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform and AWS CloudFormation for comprehensive coverage.
How does Prowler prioritize security risks?
Prowler uses a risk-based scoring system that evaluates vulnerabilities based on severity, exploitability, and potential impact. It categorizes findings into critical, high, medium, and low risks, allowing users to focus on the most urgent issues first.
How do I run a security scan using Prowler CLI?
Install Prowler via pip or Docker. Then execute commands like `prowler --cloud aws --format json` to scan AWS environments. Use flags like `--exclude` to skip specific services or regions, and redirect output to a file for analysis.
How does Prowler compare to AWS Config or Azure Security Center?
Prowler offers broader multi-cloud support and customizable compliance frameworks, whereas AWS Config and Azure Security Center are limited to single-cloud environments. Prowler’s open-source nature allows deeper customization, while cloud-native tools like AWS Config integrate more seamlessly with proprietary ecosystems.
What should I do if Prowler fails to authenticate with my cloud provider?
Verify that your credentials have the necessary permissions (e.g., IAM roles with read-only access). Check for expired tokens or incorrect region settings. If using AWS, ensure the `awscli` is configured correctly. For Azure, validate the service principal credentials and subscription ID.