Don’t Treat DAST Like Dessert
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Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), sometimes referred to as “pentesting in a box”, tests running code for a variety of issues that can’t easily be found by analyzing code with static scanning tools. DAST tools are platform and language agnostic—as long as you have a website or API they can connect to, they’ll get the job done, and find real vulnerabilities in the same places an attacker would.
Many teams think of DAST as almost an afterthought, just the dessert you may or may not order just before the software is released. But modern DAST solutions offer powerful insights necessary for a well-balanced security posture.
Why organizations sometimes restrict DAST scans
Before we get into suggestions on why and how to run DAST scans more frequently, let’s talk about why many organizations have limited their DAST scans. Typically, these reasons include:
- Time constraints. DAST scans can be time-consuming, especially in large applications. Many teams struggle to balance comprehensive security testing with the need to meet tight release deadlines.
- Misconceptions. Some believe that DAST is only part of QA or external pentesting processes.
- Manual intervention. Some DAST solutions require manual validation or configuration adjustments, adding extra work to already busy teams.
Despite these challenges, there are ways to integrate DAST more seamlessly into the development pipeline that allows teams to run more frequently and catch issues earlier.
Have your cake: the benefits of running frequent DAST scans
Running DAST scans once a quarter or only before a major release can create blind spots where vulnerabilities are introduced but remain undetected for extended periods. Here’s why running DAST scans more often makes sense:
- Early detection. Frequent scans allow teams to catch vulnerabilities as soon as they are introduced, rather than at the end of a release cycle when they may be more difficult and costly to fix.
- Updated feedback. Security testing should be proactive, not reactive. Frequent DAST scanning provides steadier, more regular feedback to developers, allowing them to address vulnerabilities in smaller and more manageable increments.
- Risk minimization. Every day that a vulnerability goes undetected, an application is at risk. More frequent scans reduce this window of opportunity for attackers, strengthening your application’s overall security posture.
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Adding DAST to your daily diet
To make DAST scans a more regular part of your development cycle, it’s essential to address the time, resource, and manual intervention barriers. We recommend the following tactics:
1. Automate DAST in your CI/CD pipeline
One of the most effective ways to run DAST scans more frequently is to integrate them into your CI/CD pipeline. By automating the process, you eliminate the need for manual scans, allowing DAST to run automatically whenever code is committed or deployed. Use incremental scanning to focus on only the recently changed parts of code, saving time and resources.
2. Use cloud-based DAST solutions
Traditional on-premises DAST tools can be resource-intensive, but modern cloud-based DAST tools offer scalability and flexibility. By leveraging these improved solutions, teams can offload the heavy lifting away from local resources.
3. Run scans in parallel with other tests
DAST can be integrated with other testing processes to run in parallel and reduce bottlenecks. For instance, while functional tests run, a DAST scan can simultaneously check for vulnerabilities. When DAST is integrated with other types of testing, teams can get a holistic view of both the functionality and security of their application in one go.
4. Collaborate with developers
Security is a shared responsibility. By working closely with developers, security teams can ensure that security is considered from the earliest stages of development. Frequent DAST scans help security teams provide more on-time feedback, empowering developers to write code that’s less likely to introduce new security issues in the first place.
Application security food groups: better together
Static Application Security Testing (SAST) offers a chance to find insecure coding early, before it goes anywhere near production, but some things still fall through the cracks. DAST helps teams discover vulnerabilities that make it into the build.
Utilizing both SAST and DAST frequently helps security teams stay on top of vulnerabilities and provide developers with crucial and on-time feedback about the security of their code.
With that in mind, Mend.io has partnered with Invicti to provide comprehensive solutions and pair Invicti’s DAST and API Security domains with Mend’s SAST, SCA, and Container Security solutions to give customers full code coverage and continuous security. One login grants access to everything you need from vulnerability scanning, analysis, and tracking. It’s like having a master key to the entire AppSec kingdom.
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