In the wake of recent high-profile data breaches, corporations have been increasingly worried about their data’s financial and economic ramifications being stolen. They are aware of the need to identify and mitigate risks in their applications. So they include application security testing, such as Static vs Dynamic application security testing, into their software development processes.
SAST: Static Application Security Testing
Source code access is required since this is a white box testing approach. It examines code before it is deployed to discover all security vulnerabilities, including software defects and weaknesses like SQL injection. To carry out assessments, SAST does not need a running system. A practical security testing approach known as Static Application Security Testing (SAST) may be easily scaled.
It is possible to automate this process, saving you both time and money. Because SAST testing occurs early in the software development cycle (SDLC), potential security flaws may be discovered faster.
A sort of “black-box” testing approach, dynamic application security testing (DAST) does not examine a running program’s source code or architecture but instead evaluates the application from the outside. Using the program, it is searching for a wide variety of vulnerabilities. DAST must operate on a running system to conduct assessments.
DAST: Dynamic Application Security Testing
Dynamic Application Security Testing may identify various security flaws associated with the operational deployment of a software application. In DAST, testers mimic the behaviors of an attacker in order to uncover security flaws that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Static vs Dynamic application security testing detects security flaws in an application that hackers might exploit. An alternative to black-box testing is static application security testing (SAST). SQL injection and other OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities and weaknesses are examined in the source code. In order to uncover security flaws that an attacker may exploit, dynamic application security testing (DAST) uses a black box testing approach.
Static vs Dynamic Application Security Testing
Static vs Dynamic application security testing is a question many companies ask themselves. SAST and DAST, on the other hand, are two alternative ways of testing that have different advantages.
Vulnerabilities may be discovered in various ways, depending on the stage of software development at which they are used. Performing SAST on all source code files should be done often and early in the development process. It is recommended that DAST be conducted in a production-like environment on a running application. To ensure your application is secure, it is recommended that you use both SAST and DAST.
SAST |
DAST |
| Security testing in a white box | Security testing in a “black box” |
| All of this information is available for testing purposes. The software is put through its paces from top to bottom. As a software developer, I use this form of testing. | As a result, the tester is utterly blind to the underlying technologies and frameworks used to construct the application. The application gets put through its paces by a third party. This form of testing is a hacker’s approach to security testing. |
| Source code is required. | A running program is required. |
| A deployed application is not necessary for SAST. Code or binary analysis is carried out without running the program. | DAST does not need the use of binaries or source code. Execution of the application serves as the basis for the analysis. |
| Vulnerabilities are discovered early in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). | In the last stages of the SDLC, vulnerabilities are discovered. |
| The scan may be performed as soon as the code is declared feature-complete. | It is possible to uncover vulnerabilities after the development cycle has been completed. |
Performing a static analysis early in the software development life cycle may help catch defects earlier and save money because of the Whitebox visibility. Using static analysis, errors that would go undetected in a dynamic test may be discovered.
On the other hand, Static analysis cannot identify a vulnerability or weakness that is too subtle to be detected. A dynamic test may find only errors in the code that is really being run. The business must examine these factors while keeping in mind the unique intricacies of its particular scenario. Applications, timeframes, and business resources are just a few things to keep in mind while deciding. For more technology oriented articles, visit our website.
Final Word
Automated testing technologies may significantly impact the return on testing expenditure if used correctly. In some instances, using automated testing tools is the best solution. To speed up the software development lifecycle. It is important to remember that there is no magic bullet for securing the SDLC. Only a combination of both static and dynamic testing can provide complete protection.
Static and dynamic evaluations are ideal for a company. There is a synergistic link between static and dynamic testing with this technique.
