Deployment Models and Strategies

Agent-based deployment remains the most common IAST approach, offering simplicity and broad coverage. Agents attach to application runtime environments through configuration changes—adding JVM parameters, enabling profiling APIs, or including middleware. This approach requires no source code modifications, enabling rapid deployment across multiple applications. However, agent compatibility and performance overhead require careful consideration.

SDK-based deployment provides finer control for organizations needing specific coverage or minimal overhead. Developers explicitly include IAST libraries and initialize monitoring through code. This approach enables selective instrumentation of critical code paths while avoiding overhead in less sensitive areas. SDK deployment also works in restricted environments where agent attachment faces limitations. The trade-off comes in implementation effort and ongoing maintenance.

Hybrid deployment models combine agent and SDK approaches for maximum flexibility. Agents provide baseline coverage automatically while SDK integration enhances monitoring of critical functions. This combination ensures comprehensive security coverage while allowing optimization for specific requirements. Organizations often start with pure agent deployment, gradually adding SDK integration as they gain experience and identify optimization opportunities.