awesome-vulnerable-apps vs HackSys Extreme Vulnerable Driver (HEVD): Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
awesome-vulnerable-apps is a free cyber range training tool. HackSys Extreme Vulnerable Driver (HEVD) is a free cyber range training tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best cyber range training fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Security teams building internal cyber ranges or red team labs should use awesome-vulnerable-apps for its curated library of real vulnerable applications; the 1,229 GitHub stars reflect active community maintenance and regular updates rather than abandoned code. This works best for hands-on training where learners need to exploit actual CVEs in isolated environments, not for compliance checkbox exercises or managed security service delivery. Skip it if your team needs guided labs with scoring rubrics or instructor dashboards; awesome-vulnerable-apps is a raw ingredient list, not a packaged training platform.
HackSys Extreme Vulnerable Driver (HEVD)
Kernel security researchers and red teamers building Windows exploitation skills need HackSys Extreme Vulnerable Driver; it's free and has 2,966 GitHub stars because it deliberately packs multiple vulnerability classes into a single driver, letting you practice the full exploit chain without hunting through real-world code. The tool isolates kernel vulnerabilities at teaching scale, so you're not reverse-engineering obfuscated production drivers or waiting for lab access. Skip this if your team needs a sandbox for zero-day triage or incident response simulation; HEVD is purely an offensive learning tool, not a defensive testing platform.
