Comparison of SAST, DAST, and SCA
Here’s a clear comparison of SAST, DAST, and SCA — the three core application security testing types in DevSecOps:
🔐 SAST (Static Application Security Testing)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| 🔍 What it is | Analyzes source code or bytecode for vulnerabilities without executing it |
| 🛠️ When it runs | Early in development (pre-build, pre-deploy) |
| 🔧 How it works | Scans code repositories, looks for known patterns and insecure coding practices |
| ⚠️ Finds issues like | SQL injection, XSS, hardcoded secrets, insecure functions |
| ✅ Pros | Early feedback, fast scans, language-aware, shift-left security |
| ❌ Cons | False positives, lacks runtime context |
| 🧰 Tools | GitLab SAST, SonarQube, Checkmarx, Fortify, CodeQL |
🌐 DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| 🔍 What it is | Scans a running application by simulating external attacks |
| 🛠️ When it runs | After deployment (in staging or test environments) |
| 🔧 How it works | Sends requests to web endpoints and analyzes responses |
| ⚠️ Finds issues like | Broken auth, exposed APIs, missing headers, server misconfigurations |
| ✅ Pros | Real-world simulation, no source code needed |
| ❌ Cons | Slower, can miss hidden paths, needs test environment |
| 🧰 Tools | GitLab DAST, OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite, AppSpider |
📦 SCA (Software Composition Analysis)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| 🔍 What it is | Analyzes open-source libraries and dependencies for known vulnerabilities |
| 🛠️ When it runs | During dependency resolution or in CI pipelines |
| 🔧 How it works | Checks versions in package.json, pom.xml, etc., against CVE databases |
| ⚠️ Finds issues like | Known CVEs in open-source packages, license risks |
| ✅ Pros | Easy to integrate, real CVE data, license checks |
| ❌ Cons | Doesn’t scan your code, only 3rd-party dependencies |
| 🧰 Tools | GitLab Dependency Scanning, Snyk, WhiteSource, OWASP Dependency-Check |
🧠 TL;DR — Summary
| Metric | SAST | DAST | SCA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code access | Required (source/static) | Not required | Required (dependencies only) |
| App state | Source code | Running app | Dependency list |
| Vulnerability | Code-level bugs | Runtime/web issues | Open-source CVEs |
| Best time | Early in CI | After deployment | Any time in CI |
| GitLab Tool | GitLab SAST | GitLab DAST | GitLab Dependency Scanning |
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