Best Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software of 2024

Use the comparison tool below to compare the top Static Application Security Testing (SAST) software on the market. You can filter results by user reviews, pricing, features, platform, region, support options, integrations, and more.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software Overview

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) software is an automated security testing tool that scans a program's source code for vulnerabilities and risks. It does this by analyzing the application's code for weaknesses in the logic and potential areas where malicious actors could exploit the system. The goal of SAST is to identify areas where additional security measures could be implemented to protect against potential attacks or data breaches.

SAST works by looking at the source code of a program, such as a web application or a mobile app, from both a structural and functional perspective. Structurally, it looks at how coding components are put together and how they interact with each other, while functionally it examines how the coding elements fit into the bigger picture of what’s being accomplished with the source code. During its analysis, SAST looks for various types of vulnerabilities such as injection points, authentication bypasses, improper validation checks, input/output sanitation errors, server-side request forgeries (SSRFs), unhandled exceptions, buffer overflows, and more.

Once SAST has identified any potential risks associated with an application’s source code it then provides detailed reports listing all vulnerabilities found along with actionable steps that can be taken in order to mitigate them. By using these reports developers can adjust their coding techniques accordingly to eliminate known risks before launch or update their existing applications if necessary to reduce the likelihood of a breach occurring in real-world use cases. Additionally, many organizations have begun incorporating SAST into their software development lifecycle (SDLC) processes to ensure that any new features added meet current security standards before releasing them publicly into production environments.

Overall static application security testing provides an effective way of protecting systems from malicious attack vectors and data breaches as well as providing assurance that any new features added do not introduce previously unknown vulnerabilities into production applications when released on live servers.

What Are Some Reasons To Use Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software?

1. Static application security testing (SAST) software provides debugging capabilities that allow developers to pinpoint issues in code early on in development. This can help catch potential security vulnerabilities before an application is released.
2. SAST tools provide detailed analysis of the source code, allowing developers to detect potential weaknesses such as unvalidated inputs, access control flaws, or cryptography issues.
3. By providing visual diagrams and reports, SAST software allows developers to quickly identify areas of the code base that need to be addressed from a security perspective.
4. Automation capabilities provided by many SAST solutions enable frequent scans for updated versions of applications with minimal effort required from developers and IT professionals alike.
5. Many modern SAST solutions also integrate well with both bug-tracking systems and DevOps pipelines, making it easy for developers to monitor and address any identified vulnerabilities over time in a more streamlined fashion than ever before possible.

The Importance of Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software

Static application security testing (SAST) software is an important tool for organizations to identify and address potential security vulnerabilities in their code. Through scanning source code and other compiled artifacts, SAST tools can detect a wide variety of flaws, including buffer overflows and cross-site scripting. By finding such issues before they become exploitable, these tools help organizations reduce the risk that their applications will be compromised by malicious actors.

Traditional manual code reviews are laborious and often limited in scope; additionally, often times teams write up extensive analysis documents which may or may not be acted upon correctly due to lack of integration with development processes. On the other hand, SAST has advantages over manual review because it allows quick scalability of testing efforts as well as automation that extends beyond someone’s experience or knowledge boundaries. It also requires minimal maintenance or updating since most SAST solutions keep track of current industry standards automatically while highlighting any deviations from them immediately. This way developers can focus on actually resolving issues instead of simply understanding what they are dealing with.

Moreover, SAST provides visibility into vulnerabilities within applications throughout each stage of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). Since automated scans occur more frequently than manual review sessions might enable, identifying security bugs early on allows developers time to fix any identified issues before release — thus reducing costs associated with fixing flaws once applications are deployed. Additionally, running a scan every time changes are made allows for quick feedback about specific components on whether there were newly introduced vulnerabilities as a result of said update/change — reducing risks related to unfixed flaws when releasing updates.

Overall, leveraging static application security testing software helps organizations quickly identify potential weaknesses in their applications while providing insight into pending actions needed to secure them against cyber threats before they can cause significant damage to an organization's reputation or bottom line—making SAST an integral part in any organization's overall cybersecurity strategy.

Features Offered by Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software

1. Code Analysis – SAST software offers code analysis, which enables developers to quickly and accurately identify potential vulnerabilities in their code before releasing it into production. This allows them to harden their applications from security threats such as injection attacks, cross-site scripting (XSS), buffer overflows, directory traversal, etc.
2. Automated Testing – SAST can automate the process of scanning source codes for any existing flaws or errors that may be present while development is still underway. This makes it easier for developers to identify security loopholes and fix them before they become of a problem or outright exploit.
3. Compliance Standards Verification - Many companies need to comply with specific standards or regulations when developing apps and services. With automated testing tools offered by SAST providers, companies are able to verify whether their applications meet regulatory requirements set forth in various compliance standards such as PCI-DSS, NIST 800-53r4, ASVS 4th Edition STIGs, etc.
4. Dynamic Testing Integration – In order to succeed at providing effective application security testing strategies and staying ahead of modern threats; static application security testing needs to be integrated with dynamic application security testing (DAST). Through this integration, static tests like those performed by AST software can be augmented by dynamic tests run at runtime on live systems and networks; thus ensuring a comprehensive approach to identifying weaknesses in applications before deployment into production environments.
5. Remediation Support - The vulnerability scan results provided by SAST solutions help organizations troubleshoot issues quickly on a timeline that's feasible for business operations without causing disruptions due disruptions caused by manual reviews of the code base which tend to take considerable time and resource investments with no guarantee that all the issues would have been identified tracked down intravelopment cycles.

Types of Users That Can Benefit From Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software

• Developers: Developers can use SAST software to identify security issues in their code before the app is released, ensuring that any vulnerabilities are addressed prior to launch.
• Security teams: Security teams can leverage SAST software to automate parts of their security testing process and catch any potential weaknesses faster than manual verification.
• QA professionals: Quality assurance professionals can use SAST software to detect logic errors and other defects in application code, improving the overall quality of applications.
• Risk management specialists: Risk management specialists can benefit from SAST software by analyzing the results of automated tests to determine potential areas of vulnerability or risk within an application's environment.
• Business owners/decision makers: Business owners and decision makers benefit from SAST software because it helps them assess applications for potential risks and prioritize resources for resolving those risks quickly.
• Compliance teams: Compliance teams use SAST software to verify that applications meet regulatory standards (e.g., HIPAA) or industry standards (e.g., Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).

How Much Does Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software Cost?

The cost of static application security testing (SAST) software can vary widely depending on the features, complexity and scale of your application. Some open-source solutions are available for free, while commercial software packages range from hundreds to thousands of dollars in licensing fees. It is important to assess the level of protection you need and make sure that whichever solution you choose matches those needs before making a purchase.

Commercial SAST solutions generally include several pricing models such as flat fee or subscription-based plans as well as custom plans tailored to specific customer needs. The most basic packages provide basic vulnerability scanning along with reporting capabilities whereas more advanced options may include additional security tools like data flow analysis or API testing, enabling organizations to find complex flaws in their applications that are difficult or impossible for humans to spot. Additionally, some vendors may offer specialized training and ongoing technical support services for an additional fee.

Before investing in SAST solutions, it’s important to understand how much coverage is necessary for protecting your business and its valuable information assets. Depending on the complexity of your applications and desired level of protection, prices can also vary greatly between vendors so it pays to shop around before committing to one vendor over another.

Risks To Be Aware of Regarding Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software

• False Positives: SAST can generate false positives, which are incorrect warnings or findings of potential vulnerabilities when there are none. This can lead to wasted resources investigating issues that don't exist.
• False Negatives: On the other hand, SAST may miss some real vulnerabilities, resulting in a false sense of security.
• Scalability Challenges: As applications become more complex and larger SAST technologies tend to experience performance issues and scalability challenges.
• Limited Coverage: Although SAST covers a large portion of code within an application, it tends to exclude external components such as libraries and APIs integrated with the system.
• Difficulty Interpreting Results: Without adequate training on how to interpret the results provided by a SAST tool, you could spend more time than necessary trying to make sense of them. Additionally, interpreting findings accurately is key for making good decisions about prioritization and remediation actions.

Types of Software That Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software Integrates With

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) software can integrate with a wide variety of other types of software. These include Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) solutions, cloud infrastructure solutions, application development frameworks and IDEs, version control systems, and DevOps automation tools. Through integrations with these different types of software, SAST automates the process of scanning code for vulnerabilities during development or deployment. This helps to ensure that security tests are run as frequently as possible throughout the entire SDLC. In addition to providing more comprehensive testing coverage without manual intervention, integrations with other types of software also reduce false positives and enable developers to quickly identify issues within their code before they become major problems.

What Are Some Questions To Ask When Considering Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software?

1. What languages does the software cover?
2. Does it integrate with existing development and testing processes?
3. Does it provide real-time feedback to developers?
4. Is there a requirement for code instrumentation?
5. How is detected security vulnerabilities reported?
6. Is the solution adaptable to fast-changing applications?
7. Are false positives effectively filtered out or minimized?
8. How often is the SAST software updated with new rulesets and other content to be in line with industry best practices and standards (e.g., OWASP)?
9. Is there training available for users of the SAST software, either online or in person?
10. How much does it cost and are there any additional charges involved with supporting its use or maintenance over time?