.NET Dependency Audit CLI: Fast, Zero-Dependency SCA for NuGet
Audit direct and transitive C# dependencies in .NET projects, detect vulnerabilities in the Google OSV database, and validate lockfile integrity—without external packages or API keys.
The Problem with Traditional SCA Tools in .NET
Why do tools like Snyk or heavy enterprise scanners introduce friction into .NET DevSecOps pipelines?
Traditional Tools
(Snyk / Heavy Scanners)-
Heavy SDK & Tooling Requirements
Requires installing full .NET SDK, MSBuild components, or proprietary CLI binaries just to audit dependencies.
-
Mandatory SaaS Accounts & Secret Tokens
Enforces commercial cloud registrations, secrets management in CI/CD, and sending project manifests to SaaS servers.
Kevlar-CheckDeps
(.NET Audit)-
Zero .NET SDK Installation Needed
Executes strictly on Python 3.11+ stdlib, parsing XML/JSON static project manifests locally.
-
Direct Batch Queries to Google OSV DB
Sends POST batch requests (/v1/querybatch) to audit up to 1,000 NuGet packages without API keys.
Quick Usage Guide & Practical Example
How to run local scans, export executable reports, and integrate Kevlar into your CI/CD pipeline.
Full Local Scan
Audit direct and transitive .NET dependencies querying Google OSV DB:
$ python kevlar.py --tech dotnet --path ./ --all --vuls
Export HTML / SARIF
Generate interactive HTML dashboards or standard SARIF v2.1.0 reports:
$ python kevlar.py --tech dotnet --path ./ --all --vuls --output report.html
$ python kevlar.py --tech dotnet --path ./ --all --vuls --output report.sarif
CI/CD Build Breaking
Fail CI/CD pipelines automatically if severe vulnerabilities are detected:
$ python kevlar.py --tech dotnet --path ./ --all --vuls --fail-on-vulns "critical:1,high:2"
Quick Comparison Matrix
Compare Kevlar-CheckDeps with common alternatives in the .NET ecosystem.
| Feature / Criterion |
Kevlar-CheckDeps
Featured
|
dotnet list package | Snyk CLI | OWASP Dep-Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Execution Speed |
⚡
Ultra-fast
(Multi-threaded & OSV Batch)
|
Medium NuGet REST API | Slow SaaS Cloud Analysis | Very Slow Full NVD Download |
| External Dependencies |
Zero
(Python 3.11+ Std Lib)
|
Requires .NET SDK | Requires CLI Binary | Requires Java JRE |
| API Keys / Accounts |
Not Required
(Public Google OSV)
|
Not Required |
Mandatory
(Account & Token)
|
Optional (NVD Key) |
| Code & Manifest Privacy |
100% Local Execution
|
Local NuGet Queries | Manifests Sent to SaaS | 100% Local Execution |
| Lockfile Checksum Audit |
Yes
(SHA-512 Hash Audit)
|
No | No | No |
| Cost & License |
Free & Open Source
(Apache 2.0 License)
|
Free (Bundled in SDK) | Freemium / Commercial | Free & Open Source (Apache 2.0) |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Quick answers to common questions about .NET dependency auditing.