Sam BishopMany applications may seem to offer a smooth experience to users but are vulnerable to many potential security threats that could spoil their integrity and public conception. Well, you must think, even after doing in-depth security testing, how can applications be likely to be exploited?
The simple answer is there are certain vulnerabilities and flaws that only take place when an application is up and ready.
To avoid the exploitation of such vulnerabilities, dynamic application security testing (DAST) is performed.
In this blog, you will get a simplified explanation of DAST, its job, benefits, some cons, and tools. Let’s begin!
What is DAST?
Dynamic application security testing is a security method that is performed when the application is live. It detects security flaws and vulnerabilities that appear when the application is operational, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), external XML entities (XXE), and cross-site request forgery (CSRF).
How does DAST Work?
Dynamic application security testing works by replicating realistic attacks in the live application to evaluate how the app responds to security threats. A DAST tool examines how the application handles various requests and inputs, detecting issues such as security misconfigurations, validation errors, and other potential security weaknesses.
Pros of DAST
Let’s check out what advantages dynamic application security testing offers.
- Identifies vulnerabilities in real-time
- No source code access is required
- Extensive testing capabilities
- Improves risk management
- Supports continuous integration
- Detects configuration issues
- Helps in meeting standard compliance requirements
Cons of DAST
Here are certain cons of DAST that you need to bear in mind while deploying DAST for security testing.
- Potential performance impact
- Complex to configure
- Less effective for non-web applications
- Risk of false positives and false negatives
- Narrow scope of detection
Top 6 DAST Tools
Here’s a list of some of the most chosen and innovative DAST tools. Check them out to select an ideal tool for your security testing requirements.
- ZeroThreat
- OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
- Burp Suite
- Acunetix
- Netsparker
- Veracode Dynamic Analysis
How to Implement DAST?
Learning an ideal method of implementing dynamic application security testing is pretty important to effectively optimize it for robust security. Let’s check it out.
Define Testing Scope
Determine what kind of apps and which areas of application are critical and need to be detected.
Select a Tool
Choose an ideal DAST tool that aligns well with your security requirements. You can select the one from the above-mentioned section.
Integrate with CI/CD
Embed the tool into your build pipeline for automated scans.
Configure the DAST Tool
Set up the DAST tool by configuring it to interact with your application. Consider particular URLs, authentication details, and other parameters for detailed evaluation.
Perform Initial Scan
Perform an initial scan to set a baseline for your application’s security posture.
Key Takeaways
Performing dynamic application security testing is indispensable to ensure there are no vulnerabilities in the application’s operational condition. This not only helps ensure that the app is offering the desired user experience but also maintains trust among users. We hope that this blog helped you with the required insights into DAST and its optimization to achieve the required security for your apps.
