The Basics Of Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

There will always be more to how security testing relates to apps. Security testing happens after application deployment. Every security is flawed, but there is constant space for development.

Businesses benefit from Dynamic application security testing solutions because they check for vulnerabilities that SAST often misses. SAST is essential, but they can only measure some things, even with top-notch security. In this article, we will discuss DAST in detail.

What is Dynamic Application Security Testing?

DAST continuously probes live applications with penetration tests, seeking out possible security holes. Applications on the web now power many crucial business processes. This encompasses private banking institutions and online marketplaces accessible to the general public.

Why Is DAST Important?

Finding security flaws in an application in execution is the primary goal of DAST solutions. By doing so, security flaws in the application's configuration or during execution can be located.

A business application security strategy must include Dynamic application security testing solutions. Among the many benefits of a DAST system are as follows.

Detecting Runtime Issues
To identify problems with an application at both the compile and runtime stages, DAST scanners communicate with the application while it is running.
Low False Positive Rates
To confirm that a vulnerability endangers an application's functionality or security, DAST exploits flaws.
Language Agnostic
DAST solutions conduct black-box assessments of operating programs, which means they apply to applications developed in any language and environment.

How Does DAST Work?

A DAST scanner immediately notifies the user as soon as it detects a vulnerability in an active application. These vulnerabilities could allow attacks such as SQL injections, Cross-Site Scripting, and others.

Unlike SAST tools, DAST ones can operate in a dynamic context, which means they can find runtime errors that SAST ones miss. Using a building as an example, a DAST scanner functions similarly to a security guard.

This guard, nevertheless, goes above and beyond the call of duty by actively trying to breach the building's defenses. A security guard's tactics may include breaking windows or trying to pick locks.

When the guard has finished the inspection, he can return to the building manager and explain how he gained access. Similarly, a DAST scanner will actively seek out vulnerabilities in a live environment, alerting the DevOps team to their location and providing them with the necessary information to remedy them.

Benefits of DAST

When creating application security solutions, SAST is useful for discovering security gaps and vulnerabilities in the code. What follows is a discussion of a few of them.

Memory Usage

There is no way to learn about an application's memory usage from static analysis, also known as SAST. Dynamic testing, on the other hand, is useful for pinpointing the easily exploitable RAM regions.

Furthermore, the testing group can verify whether an app is disclosing important system resources in an ideal world.

Keeping Data Secure

Given the dynamic nature of security threats, it is reasonable to assume that your application uses an encryption mechanism to safeguard critical data.

DAST does far more than verify that an encryption scheme is functioning properly; it actively seeks to crack the algorithm and, in doing so, investigates the potential consequences for company operations if the attackers succeed.

Permissions

DAST investigates the likelihood that malicious code could interact with your app and obtain superuser privileges on a device that has been root-accessed. Because static testing fails to reveal this information, dynamic testing steps in to help.

Performance

The only way to evaluate an app's efficiency is to test it on several devices after development. A dynamic test compares the system's use of the central processing unit and random access memory (RAM) to a predetermined standard.

Injection of Code

A comprehensive security plan must include measures to ensure the integrity of the backend. Attackers can often intercept authentication tokens in transit between the app and the server.

Improving Application Security with DAST

Security breaches have skyrocketed due to application security flaws, especially for web and mobile-heavy companies. Consequently, safeguarding apps and code is of utmost importance for enterprises. Challenges that organizations are currently facing:

Application complexity is increasing due to the move to the cloud and technologies that are native to the cloud.
Because of the decentralized nature of serverless operations and microservices, developers can only use the forest for the trees since they are too busy focusing on their services.
There is a growing potential cyberattack surface due to the proliferation of cloud-deployed applications and the number of lines of code.
As more companies prioritize digital transformation, engineers' expertise in legacy code diminishes due to retirements and job changes.
Composite apps are more common due to open-source and third-party software availability. Consequently, the organization loses control over a large portion of the application code.
Development teams benefit from DevOps approaches' increased velocity but need more time for manual or antiquated security assessments.

DAST Tools and Technologies

OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)

The best for free enthusiasts is OWASP ZAP. An evolving DAST tool, OWASP ZAP is community-driven and actively maintained.

Thanks to its status as an open-source project, it gives users access to extensions and features developed by a large group of people passionate about cybersecurity. Because of this, it is a great option for people who like to work on solutions in groups and who are into open-source technologies.

Acunetix

The greatest for detection of vulnerabilities automation. Acunetix is a full-featured dynamic security testing for applications solutions to automate the process of discovering vulnerabilities.

Its strength is in automating security testing efficiently. Thus, it's perfect for companies that often need scans without human involvement.

Cybalt What is the Difference Between SAST and DAST

Cybalt What is the Difference Between SAST and DAST

How Cybalt Can Help?

Compared to competing Dynamic application security testing solutions, Cybalt stands out for its developer-centric design.
Developers can automatically test APIs and applications for vulnerabilities as part of the build process. Cybalt checks your apps thoroughly.
Scanning any target is now possible with this tool. This includes server-side mobile apps, web apps, internal apps, and APIs (REST, SOAP, GraphQL). Every time you change, submit a pull request or build a project with unit testing, it will immediately begin scanning for vulnerabilities thanks to its seamless integration with your current workflows and tools.

The lightning-fast scanning speeds allow Cybalt to thrive in a fast-paced development setting.