Vigilance vs Black Duck
Black Duck. Lists the open-source parts inside your software and flags the ones with known bugs. Vigilance finds the update that gained a hidden power, before you install it.
The Catch Black Duck Cannot Make
Black Duck flags open-source parts with known bugs. A brand-new attack is not on that list yet. Vigilance keeps no list. It compares the version you trust with the version you install. It reports any file that can suddenly do more.
A real one: axios, March 2026
axios is one of the most-installed packages on the internet. In release 1.14.1, its package.json gained a hidden install step. That step pulls down a remote-control program. Black Duck had nothing to flag, because no CVE existed. One command sees it:
vigi diff --old ./axios-1.14.0 --new ./axios-1.14.1
HEADS UP. 1 file changed. package.json can now run a hidden helper on install and reach the network.
Run both. Black Duck checks the file against a list. Vigilance checks the file itself, listed or not. See them side by side below.
Side by Side
| Question | Black Duck | Vigilance |
|---|---|---|
| Finds a part with a known bug | Yes | No |
| Lists every part in a release | Yes | No |
| Spots a new file that can run commands | No | Yes |
| Spots a file that can suddenly do more than before | No | Yes |
| Runs on the machine after install, not just in CI | No | Yes |
| Works with no internet | Needs updates | Pro |
Which One Do You Need?
Use both. Black Duck finds problems somebody already reported. A new attack has no report on the day it ships, and that is the one Vigilance catches.
Known Risk versus New Risk
A bug or a bad package someone already reported, with a name and a number. Most tools work here.
A file that gained a capability it never had, that no report covers yet. Vigilance works here.
Common Questions
Is Vigilance a Black Duck Alternative?
Yes, for one job. Vigilance shows the file that gained a new capability, on your own machine. Many teams run it next to Black Duck.
What Does Vigilance Do That Black Duck Does Not?
Vigilance can spot a file that can do more than the version before, and on Pro run with no internet at all.
What Does Black Duck Do That Vigilance Does Not?
Black Duck finds known bugs that already have a name and a number. Vigilance does not.
Does Vigilance Need the Internet or a Cloud Account?
The Free plan runs online. Pro runs fully offline, with no cloud account.
Try It on Your Own Software.
Show it the version you run today and the one you are about to install.
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