Cybersecurity
Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
Definition
Static Application Security Testing (SAST) is a white-box method of testing that analyzes an application's source code, byte code, or binary code for security vulnerabilities without executing the program.
Why It Matters
SAST can identify vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle, often right in the developer's IDE. This makes it a key tool for "shifting left" and finding issues before they are even checked into the codebase.
Contextual Example
A developer writes a line of code that is vulnerable to SQL injection. A SAST tool, integrated into their development environment, immediately highlights the line and flags it as a potential security risk, providing instant feedback.
Common Misunderstandings
- SAST is like a spell checker for security vulnerabilities.
- It can have a high false positive rate, but it is excellent at finding certain classes of bugs, like SQL injection and cross-site scripting.