Bandit review
A focused, open-source SAST tool for Python teams that want configurable scanning.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Bandit is an open-source static-analysis security tool for Python code from PyCQA. It parses Python files into an abstract syntax tree and applies security-focused test plugins to identify patterns such as unsafe subprocess usage, weak cryptography, hardcoded passwords, insecure deserialization, and framework misconfiguration. It is suited to Python teams that want a lightweight command-line scanner they can run locally, in pre-commit, or in CI/CD workflows. Linux and macOS are listed platforms, and a Visual Studio Code extension is maintained by the Bandit authors.
Its strongest fit is configurable scanning within an existing Python workflow. Teams can select tests, define exclusions, adjust plugin settings, and compare results with a baseline to suppress known findings. Bandit also supports reports in JSON, SARIF, HTML, CSV, XML, and YAML, giving teams options for code-scanning workflows and downstream reporting. Integrations include GitHub Actions, pre-commit, Visual Studio Code, Jenkins, Ruff, and Flake8. Custom security checks can be added through entry points, which gives Python-focused teams a path to extend the default plugin set.
Bandit is narrower than a broad application-security platform. Its verified scope is Python source patterns, so teams working across multiple programming languages may need another tool alongside it. The listed capabilities emphasize local analysis, CI/CD integration, baseline management, and reporting rather than pull-request scanning or autofix. Choose Bandit when Python coverage, open-source access, configurable checks, and straightforward workflow integration are the priorities. Consider an alternative when the main requirement is broader language coverage or built-in pull-request remediation workflows.
Bandit pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free, open-source AST-based scanning for Python source code
- Baselines, exclusions, test selection, and custom plugin support
- Works with CI, pre-commit, editors, and multiple report formats
- Where it doesn't
- Focused on Python rather than broader language coverage
- Pull-request scanning is not part of the listed feature set
- Autofix is not part of the listed feature set
Bandit fact sheet, pricing and score →
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