10 Types of Application Security
Testing Tools In Detail
Right now there is a huge smorgasbord of application security testing tools available — and each day that list is getting bigger and bigger. For software developers, managers, and engineers it can get rather confusing. What tool does what? Which doohickey addresses which issue? What software application security testing is required for this stage of the project? Luckily, we’re here to help. Let’s take a look at the application security testing software available in the present.
What is application security testing?
Application security testing is a procedure that ensures that an app/software is free from any vulnerabilities and can’t be exploited by hackers. It helps in identifying errors or weak points in the software and fixes them before they are exploited by digital criminals. Another great thing about having good application security testing protocols and strict policies is that during the testing issues, like bad coding, will arise — issues that might affect the app's launch, its functionalities, its features, user experience, and ultimately your reputation.
Why use tools or software designed for application security testing?
Software of this nature safeguards your apps and gives you added firewalls while constructing them and dealing with key development lifecycle phases. It automates certain actions and scans in a different manner the coding and other aspects of the application.
The most common types of application security testing tools available are:
Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
Static Application Security Testing is a type of security testing that analyzes the source code of software without executing it. There are various types of static analysis tools that can be used for this type of testing. These tools can detect a wide range of vulnerabilities including SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and path traversal.
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
Dynamic Application Security Testing is a new technique that has been developed in recent years to test applications for vulnerabilities and exploits. DAST is a way of poking an application and field-testing it that does not require the use of a predetermined set of inputs. Instead, it uses automated tools to generate inputs to the application and then monitors its behavior. The DAST technique is based on dynamic analysis, which means that it can detect vulnerabilities in applications by executing them in real-time, as opposed to static analysis which relies on analyzing the source code without executing it.
Origin Analysis/Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
A software composition analysis is a type of software engineering analysis that examines the components of an app’s system. It can be used to identify parts of the system that are not being used or parts that are not as important as others.
Database Security Scanning
In Application Security Testing, database scanners are specialized tools that are uniquely suited to identify weak points in database applications. They not only perform external functions like password cracking but also examine the internal logistics and configuration of a database.
Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)
Interactive Application Security Testing is a technique for testing the security of an application. It is done by interacting with the application and monitoring its responses to different interactions and threats. The goal of this technique is to identify vulnerabilities in the code. This technique can be used during the development stage of an application, as well as during a penetration test to identify vulnerabilities that have been left open before release.
Mobile Application Security Testing (MAST)
Mobile app security testing is an important part of the software development life cycle. It is the process of evaluating the security of a mobile application. The goal of mobile app security testing is to uncover vulnerabilities in an application before it has been deployed to users. This helps organizations minimize risks and protect their applications against attacks. There are three basic types of mobile app security tests: black box, white box, and gray box tests. Black-box testing examines an application without any knowledge about its design or implementation details. White-box testing, on the other hand, examines an application with full knowledge about its design and implementation details. Gray-box testing falls somewhere in between these two extremes by providing some knowledge about an application's design, but not all the details
Application Security Testing as a Service (ASTaaS)
Application Security Testing as a Service is a new IT service that allows companies to test their applications for threats, without having to invest in the expensive software and training needed to do it themselves. This new service is being offered by dozens of companies, some of which have been providing bug bounty programs for years. These companies offer the service through their platform.
Correlation Tools
Correlation tools are used to measure the correlation between two variables. Correlation is a statistical measure of the degree to which two or more variables differ from the other. It can be calculated by dividing the covariance by the product of the standard deviations. The correlation coefficient is a standard way of measuring how much two variables change together, and it ranges from -1 to 1. A correlation coefficient of 0 means there is no relationship between the values of two variables, while a positive value indicates that an increase in one variable will lead to an increase in another variable, and vice versa for negative values.
Test-Coverage Analyzers
Test-Coverage Analyzers are tools that determine whether a test is covering all the application’s code or just a position of it. For example, if the company has 100 tests and they only managed to execute 90 of them — then the text coverage would be 90%. The analyzer would tell you what parts of the coding still need to be put through the wringer.
Application Security Testing Orchestration (ASTO)
Application Security Testing Orchestration is a method of testing that includes all the steps that are required to test an application. It is often done by automation and it can be used for any type of application. The goal of Application Security Testing Orchestration is to assure the security of an application. This certifies that the system will not be compromised during its use.
How to select the right application security testing tool for your needs?
Each case is different and each phase of testing is unique. How you employ these tools depends on personal business factors, including your budget. In the ideal workspace, with the right investment, a company would deploy all these application security testing tools. Why? Because the more you try to break or poke your software the faster you can fix issues you hadn’t even spotted or imagined.