What is DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing)?

What is DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing)?

The Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) definition refers to a particular kind of application or white box testing (AppSec testing) in which the operating system under test is analyzed while it is being used, but the testers have no access to the ASCII text file or understanding of the application's internal communication or blueprint at the system level. 

This "black box" testing analyses groupware from the outside in, analyses its operating state, and observes its reactions to simulated ambush made by a testing tool. The way an app reacts in these simulations can shed light on whether or not it is vulnerable to a real-world attack.

‍

How Does DAST Work?

To test an application's easiness to DAST attacks, systems like these would seek out vulnerable input fields and then feed them a wide variety of unexpected or malicious data. These can range from standard attempts to exploit amenabilities like SQL injection commands and Cross-site scripting (XSS) flaws to less prevalent inputs that may reveal problems with input validation and memory management.

The DAST tool determines whether an application is defenseless to a given attack vector by perceiving how it behaves to a series of inputs. There is a security hole if, for instance, a SQL injection attack grants unrestricted admission to info or if the application fails to load because of erroneous or corrupt input.

‍

Why is DAST Important?

There is no chance that security vulnerabilities in applications are going away any time soon; this is where Application Security Testing comes in. CNBC found that over 75% of applications are susceptible in some fashion.

Developers often make simple security mistakes that have far-reaching consequences, such as failing to properly validate user input, disclosing the server's version, or relying on outdated or insecure software libraries.

You may be wondering how DAST scanning is any different from the slow, static, and time-consuming methods of traditional penetration testing or static application security testing. DAST is different since it is always evolving. This implies that the tests are executed in real-time to mimic how an actual application would function. Dynamic testing is typically carried out on a live system, also known as a Production Environment.

‍

Types of DAST

While there are no recognized subtypes of DAST, security professionals classify DAST technologies into two informal groups: modern and legacy. Here are their primary differences:

Automation and integration: Previous DAST applications were made for manual, on-demand scanning. Even though the scanning process is automated, the tool does not offer any additional automation and merely compiles and displays a list of DAST security flaws. However, state-of-the-art DAST solutions are typically activated by an automation server like Jenkins and are designed to operate invisibly as part of the SDLC, out of sight of the user. After a scan is complete, the results are uploaded to the developers' ticketing system.

Vulnerability confirmation/validation: Simple testing is all that is possible with legacy DAST tools, which consist of sending a request, receiving a response, and determining whether or not the response indicates a vulnerability. There are no other provided weakness confirmation techniques. Conversely, the requirement for manual validation by penetration testers or security engineers has been removed thanks to the prevalence of contemporary DAST tools, which frequently carry out checks that confirm the vulnerability with 100% certainty and produce proof of exploitation.

Dynamic Application Security Testing: Advantages and Disadvantages

DAST has both benefits and drawbacks for scanning runtime applications. We'll detail the advantages and downsides of utilizing a DAST tool so you can decide if it's right for you.

Pros:

• Totally app-free

DAST tools don't touch an app's source code, so they're compatible with any platform or language. So, a single DAST tool may operate on all your applications, even if they're different but often interact. DAST tools are cost-effective and good for performing widespread security checks quickly.

• No setup problems

DAST finds security vulnerabilities in fully-functional applications. DAST scanners can find configuration issues that other security scanning tools may miss because they look at your application from the outside. DAST scanners can identify setup errors that aren't obvious from the code.

• Low Rate of Misdiagnoses

The OWASP Benchmark Project revealed that DAST tools have a lower-than-average number of false positives. DAST scanners are reliable and should be used by IT security teams.

• Good penetrating tester

By manually executing penetration testing with a DAST scanner, you can automate various penetration operations to examine how your system responds to intrusions and catches attack payloads. This gain is strongly connected with operator skills; therefore, security specialists or program managers will maximize it.

Cons:

Although DAST has many benefits, it is not a one-stop shop for fixing all problems. DAST has a number of significant drawbacks, the most notable ones are:

• Late appearance in SDLC

DAST requires access to a running program, thus it is only conducted late in the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) when it is more costly to fix flaws.

• Vulnerability Location

Although DAST solutions can determine that a vulnerability exists in an application, they are unable to pinpoint where the vulnerability is situated within the codebase since they do not have access to the source code.

• Code Coverage

Since DAST solutions analyze a live program, they can miss security flaws in inaccessible areas of the code (due to incomplete code coverage).

Differences Between DAST and SAST

Dynamic application security testing (DAST) is distinct from its static counterpart since it mimics an actual attack on the application. These attacks are carried out by a DAST scanner, which then looks for anomalies in the results to pinpoint potential security flaws.

In contrast, static application security testing (SAST) examines an application's source code from the inside out. The language and web framework must be supported by the SAST scanner. Instead, DAST scanners are external to a program and communicate with it over HTTP.

Using both SAST and DAST is recommended for the greatest possible improvement in security. To resolve the tension between dynamic application security testing (DAST) and static application security testing (SAST), the grey-box approach of interactive application security testing (IAST) should be established.

‍

How And When to Use DAST?

DAST is helpful for monitoring web application security in real-time and identifying server or database configuration errors that compromise security. Unlike SAST, it can detect flaws in authentication and encryption that allow for unwanted access. 

Additionally, DAST can test the IT infrastructure resources, such as networking and data storage, that your web application makes use of. This means that DAST can be used to test not only your application or web services but the complete IT environment they are embedded in.

‍

Implementation of DAST 

DAST is not as easy to integrate into your testing pipeline as SAST is because it is dependent on your application being run. Although DAST can be automated, the manual steps necessary to prepare the process for automation must first be recorded. After integrating a DAST tool into your pipeline, there is a certain procedure that must be performed.

• Ask your customers for opinions

As the first step in DAST testing implementation, observing how users interact with your software is invaluable. Don't just keep track of their actions; have them explain them as well.

Frequent interactions in an application can cause users to lose track of what they are doing. Users are better able to concentrate on their work as a result, but the fact that they don't have to give much thought to what they're clicking on is no guarantee that it won't cause trouble down the line.

• Automate user interactions

The next step is to script the user's activities using an automation tool. This may be easier to accomplish with command line and API programs than with graphical user interface programs, but it is theoretically conceivable with any of these.

• Add the test scripts to your ci/cd pipeline

When you've finished automating the most crucial parts of your application's interactions, run these scripts against your application while a DAST tool analyses it. It is possible to begin addressing security flaws after the initial DAST run.

• Add regression tests to the testing suite

As you discover security holes in your app's regular use, you can patch them by including scripts that mimic those real-world scenarios in your test suite. This guarantees that the problems will never arise again.

‍

Wallarm DAST

The Wallarm vulnerability and incident detection module identifies application-specific flaws and actively evaluates threats to isolate high-risk incidents from a sea of non-threatening assaults.

The Wallarm NG-WAF module also collects attack data that is then processed by the Wallarm DAST. Wallarm parses malicious requests for their payload, attack type, and application endpoint, and then generates scanner tests based on this information. When an existing application vulnerability was the target of the attack, Wallarm DAST can determine this and provide a ticket for fixing the problem.

Summary

All existing or future DevOps should include a security technology that does not impede development speed. The second most popular AST method, after static application security testing (SAST), is dynamic application security testing. Both established and up-and-coming businesses are increasingly integrating DAST into their workflows for creating new software.

It's true that Dynamic Program Security Testing is effective at discovering flaws in your application that only manifest at runtime, but this type of testing can never be guaranteed to locate every possible security hole. You should not expect this tool to give you comprehensive protection for the application that you seek.

This is why some companies employ many AST tools in their development setting. Multiple AST (Application Security Testing) tools are better than one when it comes to finding security flaws in software.