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Bhawesh Chaudhary
Bhawesh Chaudhary

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πŸš€ Introducing Astra v1.1 – Local, Powerful, and Now Even More Flexible

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 you’re tired of bloated, cloud-reliant scanners, Astra is for you.

🌐 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.

πŸ” What’s New in Astra v1.1?

Version 1.1 builds on the foundation of Astra with new scanning modes, improved usability, and better performance tuning. Here’s what’s new:

βœ… 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.

πŸ› 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.

🚦 Use Cases

1. Scan a Domain:

python3 astra.py apple.com --verbose
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2. Scan a CIDR Range:

python3 astra.py --cidr 192.168.1.0/24 --first-300 --first-2-per-cidr
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3. Limit Resources on Large Scans:

python3 astra.py facebook.com --first-1000 --max-ips 100 --timeout 2.0
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4. Export to File:

python3 astra.py apple.com --output results.json --output-format json
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🧰 Why Choose Astra?

  • πŸ”’ Privacy First: Runs locally. No third-party API calls required.
  • βš™οΈ Highly Customizable: Scan any range of ports, control IP selection, and tune timeouts.
  • πŸ’‘ Transparent Output: Know exactly what's happening with verbose logs and structured results.
  • 🧩 Open Source: Modify, contribute, or build on top of Astra β€” your tool, your rules.

πŸ”§ 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
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πŸ™‹β€β™‚οΈ FAQs

Is Astra legal to use?
Yes, only with permission. Unauthorized scanning is illegal.

Does it support UDP or IPv6?
Not yet β€” but it’s on the roadmap.

Can I contribute?
Absolutely! Fork the repo, check out DEVELOPER.md, and submit a pull request.


🎯 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?

πŸ”— Get Astra on GitHub

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