Real-Time Application Security in Practice with DAST

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) is essential for application security and helps identify runtime vulnerabilities. DAST, on the other hand, does not require access to the source code in contrast with static testing and instead operates directly against live applications like a hacker would and simulates an attack approach. This way, security gaps can be uncovered, like:
SQL Injection
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Authentication Issues
💡 Importance of DAST: By concentrating on external threats, DAST unlocks the opportunities for security teams to discover issues that can be overlooked during static code reviews or manual testing. This interaction utilizes real-time and finds on-the-go which could be a reason for runtime vulnerabilities that in most cases will cause breaches.
🎯 Key Technical Insights:
CI/CD Pipeline Integration: Automating DAST in continuous integration pipelines is crucial to catching vulnerabilities early without holding up development.
SAST (Source Code Analysis and DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing): SAST focuses on looking at code-level vulnerabilities; adding DAST to the list ensures a holistic approach for source code analysis as well as runtime.
Unlike SAST, Real-World Testing is a test on web applications and APIs in real time to mimic some of the most prevalent attack types for identifying critical vulnerabilities.
When using DAST as a part of security workflow, you're not only identifying vulnerabilities but improving your capabilities to respond and handle risks as they arise during real-world app usage.