Vulnerability Detection Capabilities

Vulnerability Detection Capabilities

SAST excels at finding vulnerabilities that exist in code patterns and logic. Buffer overflows, SQL injection vulnerabilities in code, hardcoded secrets, and insecure cryptographic implementations stand out clearly in static analysis. SAST can trace data flows through applications, identifying where user input might reach dangerous functions without proper validation. This capability proves particularly valuable for complex vulnerabilities that span multiple functions or files.

DAST shines at discovering runtime and environmental vulnerabilities that don't appear in code analysis. Missing security headers, SSL/TLS misconfigurations, authentication bypasses, and session management flaws only manifest when applications run. DAST can identify vulnerabilities arising from deployment configurations, server settings, or interactions between components. These environmental factors often provide easier attack vectors than code-level vulnerabilities.

The intersection of capabilities creates interesting dynamics. Both tools can detect SQL injection, but through different mechanisms. SAST identifies potentially vulnerable code patterns where user input reaches database queries. DAST actually attempts SQL injection attacks and observes application responses. SAST might flag secure parameterized queries as potentially vulnerable due to pattern matching, while DAST confirms whether exploitation is actually possible. This complementary detection enhances overall security coverage.