OWASP Damn Vulnerable Web Sockets (DVWS) vs Xtreme Vulnerable Web Application (XVWA): Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

OWASP Damn Vulnerable Web Sockets (DVWS): A deliberately vulnerable web application that uses WebSocket communication to provide a training environment for learning about WebSocket-related security vulnerabilities..

Xtreme Vulnerable Web Application (XVWA): XVWA is an intentionally vulnerable PHP/MySQL web application designed for security education, containing multiple common web vulnerabilities for hands-on learning and practice..

Both serve the Cyber Range Training market but differ in approach, feature depth, and target audience.

OWASP Damn Vulnerable Web Sockets (DVWS) is open-source with 356 GitHub stars. Xtreme Vulnerable Web Application (XVWA) is open-source with 1,745 GitHub stars. Vendor maturity, funding stage, and team size can be important factors when evaluating long-term viability and support quality.

OWASP Damn Vulnerable Web Sockets (DVWS) and Xtreme Vulnerable Web Application (XVWA) serve similar Cyber Range Training use cases: both are Cyber Range Training tools, both cover Mysql, PHP, Education. Review the feature comparison above to determine which fits your requirements.