An unauthenticated scan tests a target the way an anonymous visitor would, with no login. An authenticated scan signs in first, so it can reach pages, functions and host settings behind the login. Use unauthenticated scans for exposure checks and authenticated scans for depth.
Definitions
- Unauthenticated (uncredentialed) scan: no account is provided. It sees public pages and open ports.
- Authenticated (credentialed) scan: the scanner is given an account. NIST SP 800-115 notes that some scanners hold administrator level credentials on individual hosts and can extract vulnerability information from them, while others have no credentials and must work from the network.
For web applications and APIs the same idea applies. A dynamic scanner that cannot log in tests the login page and little else.
What each one can see
| Target | Unauthenticated | Authenticated |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Open ports, service banners | Patch levels, local settings, installed software |
| Web app | Public pages, login form | Account pages, admin screens, user specific functions |
| API | Public routes, error behavior | Routes that need a token, role specific operations |
| Risk of side effects | Low | Higher, because the scanner can change data |
Why not always use credentials?
Credentials add coverage and also add risk.
- The scanner may create, edit or delete records while it tests.
- A scan account with broad rights is a sensitive credential that needs storing and rotating.
- Session handling can break mid scan, so the scanner quietly tests the logged out version of every page.
For that last point, check that the scan really stayed signed in. See the post on DAST authentication setup and login session verification.
Steps for a safe authenticated scan
- Create a dedicated test account with the lowest role that still reaches what you want covered.
- Run against staging or a test tenant with test data.
- Add a second account with a different role if you want to check that one user cannot reach another's data.
- Confirm in the scan log that requests carried a valid session throughout.
- Store the credential in your secrets manager and rotate it after the project.
- Compare the authenticated result with an unauthenticated run to see what the login actually added.
Where it fits with other testing
NIST notes that scanners can have high false positive rates and that findings often need validation. Authentication does not change that. It widens what is tested, and a human or a second method still decides what is real.
Try it yourself
Open the demo and look at how a web target is configured and what the scan reports. Think about which of those pages would be invisible without a login.
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
Quick check
Is an authenticated scan more accurate?
It is more complete, not automatically more accurate. It reaches more of the target, and findings still need validation.
Should an authenticated scan run against production?
Prefer staging with test data. A logged in scanner can modify data, so production runs need a read only account and care.
Safeguard does SBOM and dependency scanning with reachability analysis, and you can try the free scan on a repository.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
