Scan Modes - Strix

Strix offers three scan modes that control the depth, thoroughness, and speed of penetration testing. Choose the mode that best fits your use case.

Overview

Set the scan mode with the --scan-mode or -m flag:

strix --target example.com --scan-mode <mode>

Available modes:

quick - Fast CI/CD checks
standard - Routine security testing
deep - Thorough security reviews (default)

Quick Mode

strix --target example.com --scan-mode quick

Characteristics

Speed

characteristic

Fastest execution time, typically completing in 5-15 minutes for small to medium applications.

Coverage

characteristic

Basic vulnerability coverage focusing on common, high-impact issues:

SQL injection
XSS (Cross-Site Scripting)
Authentication bypass
Critical misconfigurations

Depth

characteristic

Surface-level testing with limited exploration:

Fewer endpoints tested
Minimal fuzzing iterations
Basic static analysis
Limited agent spawning

LLM Configuration

characteristic

Optimized for speed:

Reduced reasoning effort
Fewer iterations per agent
Faster decision-making

Best For

Commit checks - Quick validation of code changes
Pull request gates - Fast feedback during code review
Development builds - Rapid security checks during active development
Continuous Integration - Daily or per-commit automated scans
First-pass screening - Initial triage before deeper testing

Example Use Cases

# Quick PR check
strix --target ./feature-branch --scan-mode quick --non-interactive

# Fast API endpoint test
strix --target https://api.example.com --scan-mode quick

# CI pipeline integration
strix --target . --scan-mode quick --instruction "Focus on authentication" --non-interactive

Trade-offs

Advantages:

Fast feedback loop
Lower LLM API costs
Suitable for frequent runs
Good signal-to-noise ratio

Limitations:

May miss complex vulnerabilities
Limited code path coverage
Fewer attack vectors explored
Less thorough static analysis

Standard Mode

strix --target example.com --scan-mode standard

Characteristics

Speed

characteristic

Balanced execution time, typically completing in 15-45 minutes for small to medium applications.

Coverage

characteristic

Comprehensive vulnerability coverage including:

All OWASP Top 10 categories
Business logic flaws
Authorization issues (IDOR, privilege escalation)
Session management vulnerabilities
API security issues
Sensitive data exposure

Depth

characteristic

Thorough testing with reasonable exploration:

Most endpoints tested
Multiple fuzzing strategies
Comprehensive static analysis
Moderate agent spawning

LLM Configuration

characteristic

Balanced configuration:

Standard reasoning effort
Good iteration depth
Thoughtful decision-making

Best For

Weekly security scans - Regular security health checks
Feature branch testing - Testing new features before merge
Staging environment audits - Pre-production security validation
Regular security reviews - Periodic assessment of running applications
Bug bounty preparation - Initial testing before public programs

Example Use Cases

# Weekly security check
strix --target https://staging.example.com --scan-mode standard

# Feature branch review
strix --target ./new-feature --target https://staging.example.com --scan-mode standard

# Regular API audit
strix --target https://api.example.com --scan-mode standard --instruction-file ./api-test-cases.md

Trade-offs

Advantages:

Good balance of speed and depth
Comprehensive OWASP coverage
Reasonable LLM costs
Suitable for regular use

Limitations:

May not catch subtle vulnerabilities
Limited time for complex attack chains
Moderate resource consumption

Deep Mode (Default)

strix --target example.com --scan-mode deep
# or simply:
strix --target example.com

Characteristics

Speed

characteristic

Thorough execution, typically completing in 45 minutes to 2+ hours depending on application complexity.

Coverage

characteristic

Maximum vulnerability coverage:

All vulnerability types
Complex attack chains
Subtle business logic flaws
Advanced exploitation scenarios
Deep code analysis
Complete API surface testing

Depth

characteristic

Exhaustive testing with maximum exploration:

All discovered endpoints tested
Extensive fuzzing campaigns
Deep static and dynamic analysis
Aggressive agent spawning
Multi-step attack scenarios

LLM Configuration

characteristic

Maximum capability:

High reasoning effort
Deep iteration depth (up to 300 iterations)
Thoughtful, methodical approach
Extended thinking time

Best For

Pre-release audits - Final security validation before production
Compliance requirements - Meeting security audit standards
Security certifications - Preparation for SOC 2, ISO 27001, etc.
Critical applications - High-value or sensitive systems
Initial security baseline - Comprehensive first assessment
Bug bounty programs - Finding everything before researchers do

Example Use Cases

# Pre-production audit
strix --target ./source-code --target https://staging.example.com --scan-mode deep

# Comprehensive security review
strix --target https://app.example.com --scan-mode deep --instruction-file ./security-requirements.md

# White-box audit for compliance
strix --target https://github.com/company/critical-app --target https://prod.example.com --scan-mode deep

Trade-offs

Advantages:

Most thorough security coverage
Finds complex vulnerabilities
Best for critical applications
Comprehensive reporting

Limitations:

Longest execution time
Higher LLM API costs
Significant resource usage
Not suitable for frequent runs

Comparison Table

Feature	Quick	Standard	Deep
Typical Duration	5-15 min	15-45 min	45-120+ min
OWASP Top 10 Coverage	Partial	Complete	Complete+
Code Analysis Depth	Basic	Thorough	Exhaustive
Fuzzing Iterations	Low	Medium	High
Agent Spawning	Minimal	Moderate	Aggressive
Max Iterations per Agent	~50	~150	~300
Reasoning Effort	Low	Medium	High
API Cost	$	$$	$$$
Best Use Case	CI/CD	Regular testing	Pre-release

How Scan Modes Work

LLM Configuration

Each scan mode configures the LLM differently:

# Internal configuration (simplified)
quick_config = {
    "max_iterations": 50,
    "reasoning_effort": "low",
    "agent_spawn_threshold": "high"
}

standard_config = {
    "max_iterations": 150,
    "reasoning_effort": "medium",
    "agent_spawn_threshold": "medium"
}

deep_config = {
    "max_iterations": 300,
    "reasoning_effort": "high",
    "agent_spawn_threshold": "low"
}

Agent Behavior

Quick Mode Agents:

Focus on high-probability vulnerabilities
Make faster decisions with less exploration
Spawn fewer specialized sub-agents
Terminate earlier when no obvious issues found

Standard Mode Agents:

Balance speed and thoroughness
Explore multiple attack vectors
Spawn sub-agents for specialized tasks
Continue testing until reasonable coverage

Deep Mode Agents:

Exhaustively explore all possibilities
Chain multiple attack techniques
Spawn many specialized sub-agents
Continue until maximum iterations or complete coverage

Choosing the Right Mode

Decision Flow

Guidelines

Use Quick when:

You need fast feedback (< 15 minutes)
Testing code changes frequently
Running in CI/CD pipelines
Doing initial vulnerability screening
LLM API costs are a concern

Use Standard when:

You need balanced coverage
Testing new features or releases
Running weekly/monthly security scans
Preparing for internal security reviews
You have 30-60 minutes available

Use Deep when:

You need maximum security assurance
Preparing for production release
Meeting compliance requirements
Application handles sensitive data
You have 1+ hours available
Cost is less important than thoroughness

Combining with Other Options

Quick + Non-Interactive (CI/CD)

strix --target . --scan-mode quick --non-interactive

Fast, automated security gate for continuous integration.

Standard + Instructions (Focused Testing)

strix --target example.com --scan-mode standard --instruction "Focus on API authorization"

Balanced scan with specific focus area.

Deep + Multi-Target (Comprehensive Audit)

strix --target ./source --target https://staging.example.com --target https://prod.example.com --scan-mode deep

Thorough white-box testing across multiple environments.

Performance Considerations

Resource Usage

Mode	CPU	Memory	Network	LLM API Calls
Quick	Low	Low	Moderate	~50-100
Standard	Medium	Medium	High	~150-300
Deep	High	High	Very High	~300-1000+

Cost Estimation

LLM API costs vary by provider, but relative costs:

Quick: $0.50 -$ 2 per scan
Standard: $2 -$ 8 per scan
Deep: $8 -$ 30+ per scan

Actual costs depend on your LLM provider, model selection, and target complexity.

Advanced Configuration

While you can’t directly configure scan mode parameters, you can influence behavior:

Custom Instructions for Quick Mode

Make quick scans more focused:

strix --target example.com --scan-mode quick --instruction "Only test authentication endpoints for SQL injection and XSS"

Environment Variables

Some environment variables affect all modes:

# Increase timeout for complex targets
export LLM_TIMEOUT=600

# Adjust reasoning effort (overrides mode defaults)
export STRIX_REASONING_EFFORT=xhigh

strix --target example.com --scan-mode standard

Troubleshooting

Scan Takes Too Long

Problem: Deep scan exceeds time budget Solutions:

Use standard or quick mode instead
Provide focused instructions to limit scope
Target specific endpoints rather than entire application

Not Finding Expected Vulnerabilities

Problem: Quick scan misses known issues Solutions:

Use standard or deep mode for better coverage
Provide specific instructions about where to look
Run white-box testing with source code access

High LLM Costs

Problem: Deep scans consuming too much API budget Solutions:

Use deep mode only for production releases
Use standard mode for regular testing
Use quick mode for CI/CD
Consider local LLM models for cost reduction

Commands

Modes

Output

​Overview

​Quick Mode

​Characteristics

​Best For

​Example Use Cases

​Trade-offs

​Standard Mode

​Characteristics

​Best For

​Example Use Cases

​Trade-offs

​Deep Mode (Default)

​Characteristics

​Best For

​Example Use Cases

​Trade-offs

​Comparison Table

​How Scan Modes Work

​LLM Configuration

​Agent Behavior

​Choosing the Right Mode

​Decision Flow

​Guidelines

​Combining with Other Options

​Quick + Non-Interactive (CI/CD)

​Standard + Instructions (Focused Testing)

​Deep + Multi-Target (Comprehensive Audit)

​Performance Considerations

​Resource Usage

​Cost Estimation

​Advanced Configuration

​Custom Instructions for Quick Mode

​Environment Variables

​Troubleshooting

​Scan Takes Too Long

​Not Finding Expected Vulnerabilities

​High LLM Costs

​See Also

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Quick Mode

Characteristics

Best For

Example Use Cases

Trade-offs

Standard Mode

Characteristics

Best For

Example Use Cases

Trade-offs

Deep Mode (Default)

Characteristics

Best For

Example Use Cases

Trade-offs

Comparison Table

How Scan Modes Work

LLM Configuration

Agent Behavior

Choosing the Right Mode

Decision Flow

Guidelines

Combining with Other Options

Quick + Non-Interactive (CI/CD)

Standard + Instructions (Focused Testing)

Deep + Multi-Target (Comprehensive Audit)

Performance Considerations

Resource Usage

Cost Estimation

Advanced Configuration

Custom Instructions for Quick Mode

Environment Variables

Troubleshooting

Scan Takes Too Long

Not Finding Expected Vulnerabilities

High LLM Costs

See Also