Securing applications from vulnerabilities starts with analyzing your source code before it becomes a problem. This is where static application security testing (SAST) steps in.
While dynamic application security testing (DAST) focuses on runtime vulnerabilities, SAST provides a comprehensive early-stage analytical approach. By examining your code for potential security flaws at the beginning of development, SAST helps prevent costly breaches and ensures strong application security practices.
Let’s explore what SAST is, how it works, and the tools and steps you can use to integrate it effectively into your workflow.
Often called white-box testing, SAST takes a deep dive into the code structure to catch potential issues like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and insecure cryptography. Unlike DAST, which operates during runtime, SAST tools analyze code in a static state, making it ideal for early-stage detection in the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
By finding and addressing flaws early, SAST software avoids fixes later and ensures stronger, more secure applications. Its ability to integrate into development environments also makes it a go-to for organizations prioritizing proactive security measures.
Here’s how it typically fits into your workflow. You integrate a SAST tool into your development environment, like your integrated development environment (IDE) or CI/CD pipeline. As you write or commit code, the tool scans for vulnerabilities and flags potential issues.
Software composition analysis (SCA) is another common proactive measure, but it focuses on securing external components like open-source libraries. SAST instead identifies vulnerabilities in an application’s source code without running it.
When it comes to securing your code, every stage of development matters. SAST lets you identify vulnerabilities like injection flaws or weak cryptography while still writing your application. This early detection prevents bigger issues and streamlines your development process, saving time and resources.
Static analysis detects potential security vulnerabilities line by line, offering a granular approach to code review. Think about it: Security threats aren’t slowing down, and neither are development timelines. By automating the analysis of large codebases, including those that may be older and not actively maintained, SAST tools help you stay ahead. They work quickly to catch flaws that manual reviews might miss.
Static app security testing also provides an additional layer of confidence for industries such as tech and FinServ, where trust and compliance are essential. It strengthens applications, reduces risks, and protects reputations.
The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) highlights numerous static vulnerabilities that SAST can identify. These include:
Identifying these issues before code execution saves time and lowers the expenses associated with bug fixes during production or post-deployment.
SAST tools scan your application's source code for vulnerabilities, enforce secure coding practices, and enhance the overall security of your software. These tools integrate seamlessly into development workflows and automate code analysis.
Some leading SAST tools include:
Following a structured approach can help you maximize SAST’s benefits. Here are some key steps to implement this process effectively:
Set up the scanning infrastructure: Integrate a SAST tool into your development environment, CI/CD pipeline, or both. This helps you automate scans for consistent quality throughout the development process.
The Legit ASPM Platform acts as the foundation of your application security program, ensuring all your testing, including static analysis, is more effective and efficient. Legit discovers and visualizes all aspects of both applications and the software factory producing these assets, plus all security controls and gaps. Further, it consolidates security findings across all your scanners and tools (i.e., SCA, SAST, DAST, etc.), leveraging AI-driven correlation and risk scoring to fix your most critical issues, first.
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