Scan Modes - Strix — ContextQMD

Strix offers three scan modes to balance speed and thoroughness.

Quick

bash

strix --target ./app --scan-mode quick

Fast checks for obvious vulnerabilities. Best for:

CI/CD pipelines
Pull request validation
Rapid smoke tests

Duration: Minutes

Standard

bash

strix --target ./app --scan-mode standard

Balanced testing for routine security reviews. Best for:

Regular security assessments
Pre-release validation
Development milestones

Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour

White-box behavior: Uses source-aware mapping and static triage to prioritize dynamic exploit validation paths.

Deep

bash

strix --target ./app --scan-mode deep

Thorough penetration testing. Best for:

Comprehensive security audits
Pre-production reviews
Critical application assessments

Duration: 1-4 hours depending on target complexity

White-box behavior: Runs broad source-aware triage (semgrep, AST structural search, secrets, supply-chain checks) and then systematically validates top candidates dynamically.

<Note> Deep mode is the default. It explores edge cases, chained vulnerabilities, and complex attack paths. </Note>

Choosing a Mode

Scenario	Recommended Mode
Every PR	Quick
Weekly scans	Standard
Before major release	Deep
Bug bounty hunting	Deep