Application Security Testing

Application Security Testing, or AST for short, is all about making sure your software is safe from security threats. Whether you’re building a product from scratch or managing a growing SaaS platform, it’s essential to test your applications for security vulnerabilities. 

What is Application Security Testing? 

In the simplest terms, application security testing is the process of checking your software for weaknesses that malicious actors could exploit. These checks occur from the very beginning and continue throughout the software development life cycle (SDLC), not just at the end. 

By applying a shift-left security approach and integrating security measures and compliance checks earlier in the software development lifecycle, businesses can find and fix issues before they turn into full-blown security incidents.

Why Does Application Security Testing Matter?

Conducting application security testing early in the development process significantly reduces the time and effort required for remediation later. Additionally, AST plays a vital role in protecting your users, sensitive data, and organizational reputation.

For businesses aiming to achieve or maintain compliance with security and data privacy frameworks such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, or PCI DSS, having solid application security testing practices in place is essential. These frameworks often require clear evidence that you’re actively performing regular data security testing and IT security testing as part of your broader risk management strategy.

Beyond compliance, strong security practices reflect your organization’s commitment to security, building long-lasting trust with customers and stakeholders, and helping to prevent the financial and operational consequences of data breaches.

Types of Application Security Testing

There are a few different approaches to AST, each offering unique advantages depending on your development stage:

Testing Type	Description
SAST (Static Analysis)	Reviews your source code for vulnerabilities before the app runs.
DAST (Dynamic Analysis)	Tests the application while it’s running, mimicking real-life attack scenarios.
IAST (Interactive Testing)	Combines SAST and DAST techniques, giving real-time feedback during development.
SCA (Composition Analysis)	Scans open-source libraries for known vulnerabilities.

Let’s break these down a bit more:

• Static Application Security Testing (SAST) helps developers catch coding errors early, before the app even runs. Think of it as proofreading your code before anyone sees it.
• Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) comes into play once the app is live. It acts like a hacker, testing how the app behaves in real-world scenarios.
• Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST) gives the best of both worlds – real-time, in-context feedback by watching the app from the inside while it runs.
• Software Composition Analysis (SCA) checks third-party and open-source components. Since most apps today rely heavily on open-source libraries, this is an important aspect.
• Penetration testing is another valuable method within application security testing. Pen testing simulates real-world attacks to uncover deeper vulnerabilities and weaknesses, combining human expertise with automated tools to provide a more hands-on and comprehensive approach to managing risks.

Together, these tools form the backbone of a strong application security assessment.

What are the Benefits of Application Security Testing?

Application security testing isn’t reserved for tech giants. With security threats becoming more frequent and sophisticated, and with increased dependency on third-party vendors, protecting sensitive data and establishing strong security practices should be a top priority for every SaaS company – from early-stage startups to rapidly scaling businesses and large enterprises. 

Here are the key benefits of application security testing for your business:

• Early Risk Detection: Catching issues during development is far more cost-effective than addressing them post-deployment or after a breach.
• Enhanced Security Posture: AST helps you patch up any vulnerabilities before attackers can find and exploit them.
• Continuous Compliance: Most security frameworks and regulations require documented, ongoing security testing processes – such as evidence of regular penetration testing – to maintain compliance.
• Reduced Costs: Fewer security incidents mean less downtime, fewer last-minute fixes, and lower legal and reputational risks.

In fact, using a mix of application security testing tools can dramatically improve your overall security posture and save valuable time and resources in the long run.

A Real-World Example of Application Security Testing

Let’s say your app uses a popular open-source login library. That’s great – until a vulnerability is discovered in that library, which is even more concerning if you’re operating in a highly regulated industry like healthcare or fintech where sensitive data must be handled with extra caution.

Without Software Composition Analysis (SCA), you might not even be aware of the risk. SCA helps identify known vulnerabilities in third-party and open-source components so you can take action fast. Combine that with penetration testing to simulate real-world attacks, and layer in SAST and DAST, and you’re covering your application from every angle – boosting both security and compliance readiness.

How Compliance Automation Supports Application Security Testing

Managing application security testing manually can be overwhelming. That’s where compliance automation software adds value. While it doesn’t perform AST itself, security tools support the process through customized penetration testing, simplified risk assessments, centralized evidence collection, remediation tracking, and real-time visibility into your security and compliance posture – helping you stay secure and audit-ready.

Application security testing is essential for building secure software. It enables organizations to proactively identify vulnerabilities and strengthen their overall security strategy. With the right mix of AST techniques and automation, you can manage risk more effectively and deliver secure, compliant applications.