Static Application Security Testing (SAST) is a code testing tool that analyzes application source code to identify security vulnerabilities. SAST has been a popular tool among developers for at least a decade. It helps discover vulnerabilities so developers can fix the source code before releasing the application.
SAST is a type of white box testing, analyzing applications from the inside—the testers know how the code works. Teams use SAST tools early in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) to source code, byte code, and binaries for design and coding flaws, as part of a DevSecOps work method.
While SAST is useful, it is not well suited to modern cloud-native applications. We’ll describe the benefits of SAST, explain its pros and cons in today’s IT environment, and show the difference between SAST and competing security technologies.