I'm excited to announce the release of Astra v1.1, the latest version of my open-source network scanning tool built for security researchers, sysadmins, and curious tinkerers. Astra combines speed, flexibility, and privacy β all without relying on third-party APIs.
If youβre tired of bloated, cloud-reliant scanners, Astra is for you.
π What is Astra?
Astra is a Python-based CLI tool that lets you:
- Scan domains and CIDR ranges
- Identify open TCP ports
- Resolve DNS locally
- Run scans without relying on external APIs (although ipinfo.io integration is optionally supported)
Whether you're probing a bug bounty target, analyzing your own infrastructure, or conducting research in an isolated lab, Astra gives you full control with no data leakage.
π Whatβs New in Astra v1.1?
Version 1.1 builds on the foundation of Astra with new scanning modes, improved usability, and better performance tuning. Hereβs whatβs new:
β New Features:
-
CIDR Scan Enhancements: Now supports selective scanning like
--first-1-per-cidr
,--first-2-per-cidr
, and--first-10-per-cidr
. -
Output Flexibility: Save results in either JSON or CSV using
--output-format
. -
Expanded Port Options: Quickly scan the first 300 or 1000 ports with
--first-300
or--first-1000
. - Improved Verbose Logging: Enhanced logs help you trace what Astra is doing under the hood.
-
Performance Tuning: Fine-tune with
--timeout
,--max-ips
, and per-CIDR controls.
π οΈ Quality of Life Improvements:
- Simplified config setup via ~/.astra/config.json.
- Better help output (-h now clearly documents all flags).
- Graceful handling of invalid domains and empty scan results.
π¦ Use Cases
1. Scan a Domain:
python3 astra.py apple.com --verbose
2. Scan a CIDR Range:
python3 astra.py --cidr 192.168.1.0/24 --first-300 --first-2-per-cidr
3. Limit Resources on Large Scans:
python3 astra.py facebook.com --first-1000 --max-ips 100 --timeout 2.0
4. Export to File:
python3 astra.py apple.com --output results.json --output-format json
π§° Why Choose Astra?
- π Privacy First: Runs locally. No third-party API calls required.
- βοΈ Highly Customizable: Scan any range of ports, control IP selection, and tune timeouts.
- π‘ Transparent Output: Know exactly what's happening with verbose logs and structured results.
- π§© Open Source: Modify, contribute, or build on top of Astra β your tool, your rules.
π§ Installation is Simple
git clone https://github.com/bhaweshchaudhary/Astra.git
cd astra
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # Or venv\Scripts\activate on Windows
pip install -r requirements.txt
python3 astra.py -h
πββοΈ FAQs
Is Astra legal to use?
Yes, only with permission. Unauthorized scanning is illegal.
Does it support UDP or IPv6?
Not yet β but itβs on the roadmap.
Can I contribute?
Absolutely! Fork the repo, check out DEVELOPER.md
, and submit a pull request.
π― Final Thoughts
Astra v1.1 represents a step forward in ethical, private, and powerful network scanning. Whether you're in offensive security, blue team defense, or just exploring your own network, Astra gives you a lightweight yet robust tool to get the job done β no cloud dependencies, no bloat.
Ready to scan like a pro?
π Get Astra on GitHub
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