Static Analysis Detection Techniques

Static Analysis Detection Techniques

Static analysis examines code without execution, building comprehensive models of application behavior. Abstract syntax tree (AST) analysis forms the foundation, parsing code into structured representations that tools can analyze programmatically. AST analysis identifies simple vulnerabilities like hardcoded passwords or dangerous function usage. However, it struggles with vulnerabilities requiring understanding of data flow or program state.

Data flow analysis tracks information movement through applications, from sources to sinks. Taint analysis marks untrusted input and follows it through the program, alerting when tainted data reaches dangerous operations without sanitization. This technique excels at finding injection vulnerabilities but requires sophisticated modeling of sanitization functions and framework behaviors. Interprocedural analysis extends data flow tracking across function boundaries, essential for modern applications with deep call stacks.

Control flow analysis models possible execution paths through applications. This analysis identifies unreachable code, missing error handlers, and time-of-check-time-of-use vulnerabilities. Path-sensitive analysis considers conditions along execution paths, reducing false positives by understanding when code actually executes. Symbolic execution takes this further by exploring all possible paths with symbolic rather than concrete values, though computational complexity limits its application to smaller code sections.