Dynamic application security testing, or DAST, is a process of identifying vulnerabilities in software applications as they are being used. This is in contrast to static application security testing (SAST), which identifies software application vulnerabilities before they are used. There are many reasons why dynamic application security testing is essential, and we will discuss three of them here.
It Allows For Early Detection
By testing applications, while they are running, any potential vulnerabilities can be identified much more quickly than with static application security testing. This means that issues can be addressed earlier and before they become significant problems.
Improves Security
DAST can provide a detailed analysis of the security of an application in real-time. It can detect malicious activity, such as SQL injection attacks or cross-site scripting attempts. Through constant monitoring, any threats or issues can be tackled quickly and effectively before they cause irreparable damage.
Provides Accurate Results
As dynamic tests are run against the actual running system, results are more accurate than those that may come from SAST scans. This is because SAST will only scan the source code, which may not tell the whole story of what’s actually happening at runtime. DAST scans will give more reliable results as they can detect issues that SAST would miss due to dynamic elements such as user inputs or external sources.
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) provides an extensive and detailed assessment of an application’s security. It gives more reliable results than SAST scans and can identify potential threats before they become a problem.
