Do you know what SAST is? In an initial analysis, this term can cause doubt in many people, especially those who do not have deep knowledge regarding the issues of the technological universe.
However, this concept is critical because it contributes to improving application security. Through SAST,unauthorized persons or even crakers are prevented from invading systems to gain access to relevant information (including confidential information) of your company.
Given this, we can say that SAST is fundamental to optimize the information security of your business systems. This tool is able to ensure the confidentiality of the data, that is, only authorized persons will have access to your enterprise information.
It is also worth mentioning that ensuring the confidentiality of information is very important, as it is one of the four general principles of Information Security.
Thinking about the relevance of this theme, in this content we will explain in detail what SAST is,we will highlight the importance of this functionality and inform you about the main steps to run SAST in your organization. Stay with us.
What is SAST?
Static Application Security Testing (SAST) is a term derived from The English language and, translating into our language, means static evaluation of the source code.
Through SAST it becomes possible to examine the application, check for problems with the source code, and observe conditions that may indicate security vulnerability.
In addition, through it you will also be able to check for the presence of problems in advance, which will help prevent against various security flaws.
What is the importance of SAST?
When considering the definition presented earlier, we can say that Static Application Security Testing has several benefits. Among the main ones are:
- identification of vulnerabilities in the system prior to the implementation of the tool;
- ensuring compliance with decoding guidelines and standards without having to run the code;
- provide detailed information so that your company's engineering team can fix the system problems.
What are the main steps to run SAST?
Knowledge of the key steps to run SAST is critical to implementing this security measure used to evaluate source code. If your company follows the necessary steps, it is possible to ensure more efficiency throughout the process.
Among the main steps needed to perform the watch are:
- development of the scanning infrastructure and implementation of the tool: at this time it is necessary to deal with issues related to licensing, access control and know the necessary resources (servers, databases, etc.). to implement the platform;
- customize the tool:Work on the functionality so that it can meet the needs of your enterprise. It is important to consider this issue in order to develop protections against additional security vulnerabilities;
- prioritization and integration of applications:Once the tool is ready, it is necessary to integrate between applications,especially if you have a large volume of programs. If your business has many applications, it is important to prioritize those that present the most risks;
- governance and employee training:through good governance it is possible to ensure that development teams are using the scanning tools of the appropriate systems. Employee training is essential for each employee to use the systems appropriately.
What is the difference between SAST and DAST?
There aren't many secrets on this topic. SAST refers to the analysis and evaluation of the static aspect of the source code. At this point the code is reviewed and there is also the verification and early evaluation of any failures.
DAST, in turn, refers to the interactive and dynamic evaluation of the application in the testing phase. It works within the application itself and is able to identify potential security vulnerabilities in source code at the time a particular application is launched according to an automated test.
Given these two concepts presented earlier, we can say that SAST and DAST contribute to improve the security of applications.
On this topic, it is also worth mentioning that bugScout provides the most complete platform in the vulnerability detection market. It enables the union of SAST and IAST, which ensures versatility and more security in identifying any security flaws in applications through source code analysis.
As we can see, SAST is a fundamental concept for optimizing cybersecurity in enterprises. For this reason, we try to present this concept and the steps necessary for the implementation so that you can benefit from this tool in the best possible way.
Did you like this content where we explain what SAST is and how it can increase the security of your applications? Contact us now! We are willing to help you clarify your doubts regarding this relevant topic. Don't miss this great opportunity