The document serves as a guide for choosing the right application security testing (AST) tools, outlining the differences between static (SAST), dynamic (DAST), and interactive application security testing (IAST). It discusses the importance of integration within the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and offers recommendations for effective security practices. Additionally, it highlights various popular AST vendors and tools, while emphasizing the need for consistent testing and minimizing false positives.

1. Aspect Security | 9175 Guilford Road, Suite 300 | Columbia, MD 21046 | www.aspectsecurity.com
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A Guide to Choosing the Right Application Security Testing Tools
OWASP LASCON
Austin, TX
Oct 24, 2014

2. whoami
Kevin Fealey
Senior Security Engineer @ Aspect Security
Lead of Aspect’s Security Automation Division
General Goals:
Streamline Security Processes
Improve Security Visibility
Bridge gaps between tech and business people
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3. Takeaways
• Differences between SAST, DAST, IAST
• Tips for choosing the right tools
• Tips for choosing the right integration points
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4. Why do we need tools?
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More apps to
review
Flat AppSec
budgets
A need for
scalable, efficient
solutions
Vulnerabilities
are being
introduced

5. RASP
• Runtime
Application
Self/Security
Protection
• Essentially IAST
that modifies
data in
memory to
protect your
running
application.
• Think WAF in
the runtime
environment
(.NET/JVM)
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DAST (Dynamic) SAST (Static)
Scans interface of running application
• “Black box testing”
• Simulates a live attacker
• Sends HTTP requests
• Analyses HTTP responses
• “Instrumentation”
• Uses an “agent” to monitor application inner-workings
• Similar to running a debugger on a running application
• Access to HTTP requests/responses, as well as call stack
• Contrast and Quotium are the only current vendors
Scans source code/binaries/byte code
Monitors inner workings of running application
• “White box testing”
• Advanced grep for dangerous patterns
• Data/Control flow analysis
• Checks all possible code execution paths
Types of AST Tools
• “Hybrid analysis”
• Correlates SAST and DAST results
• Use “agents” to monitor application inner-workings and
report back to a black-box scanner
• Use SAST output to improve DAST coverage
• Most major vendors have an IAST solution
Various Implementations
IAST (Interactive/Intrinsic/Integrated)

6. What’s Better?
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7. What’s Better?
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8. Popular AST Tool Vendors
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9. Popular AST Tools
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Other vendors:
• Parasoft
• SonarQube
• Microsoft
• Coverity/Synopsys
Open Source:
• FindBugs
• Find Security Bugs
• OWASP ZAP
• OWASP Dependency Check
• PMD
Many, many more…

10. Before Contacting a Vendor
• Which tools are most “compatible” with your applications?
• Where do the tools fit in your SDLC?
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11. Which tools are compatible?
• Is there a compatible IAST solution for you?
• How good are your test cases?
• Do you enforce common security controls?
• What is your threshold for false positives/negatives?
• Do you use Java frameworks?
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12. Language Support
http://www.quotium.com/seeker/technologies/
http://www1.contrastsecurity.com/supported-technologies
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13. Framework Support
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14. Javascript heavy?
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15. Required Security Controls
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Your developers know what not to do..
Do they know what to do?

16. Test Case Coverage
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Your Application
Attack Surface
Potential Attacks
IAST tools are only as good as the test cases that drive them

17. F+/- Threshold
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Out of the box, most SAST tools produce THOUSANDS of false
positives on an average size application

18. Additional Considerations
• Evaluating 3rd party libraries
• Vulnerable dependencies (known CVEs)
• SaaS vs product
• Cost
• SDLC integration points
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19. Sweet new pool table!
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Where should we put it?

20. AST Tools in the SDLC
• The best place for a tool depends on your SDLC model
• Most tools have multiple potential integration points
• Sprinkle security throughout the SDLC
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21. Waterfall Processes
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Development
• IDE Plugin
• Runtime
Agent
• Command
line tools
QA
• Runtime
Agent
• Browser
plugin/proxy
Security Testing
• Desktop
Tools
• Command
line tools
• Runtime
Agent
This is where most
testing happens
today

22. Agile Processes
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Development
• IDE Plugin
• Runtime
Agent
• Command
line tools
QA
• Runtime
Agent
• Browser
plugin/proxy
Security Testing
• Desktop
Tools
• Command
line tools
• Runtime
Agent
DevOps
• Any fast,
high-
confidence
test
• Manage
Deployment
from CI
Continuous
Integration
Runtime
Agent
Command
line tools
Browser
plugin/proxy
Desktop
Tools (with
CLI)
Automated
Results fed
back to
development

23. Where to Integrate
• Are you using continuous integration/continuous delivery?
• Do your developers have time to run scans?
• Do you have a QA team?
• Integrate at test, but simplify the workflow
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24. Integrate with Existing Tools
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Many tools you already use, like Jenkins, are extensible

25. AST Tools in the SDLC
• Regardless of where you integrate..
– Provide security feedback as early as possible
– Automate as much as possible
– The more transparent the process, the more likely it will be
accepted
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$139.00 $1,390.00
$2,780.00
$4,170.00
$-
$1,000.00
$2,000.00
$3,000.00
$4,000.00
$5,000.00
Coding Testing Beta Release
Cost to Fix a Vulnerability
Depends on When it is Found

26. Process Efficiency
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AST Server with Several Code Repositories
Developer for application Y
Developer for application Z
Developer for application X
Code repository for
Application X
Code repository for
Application Y
Code repository for
Application Z
Build server for Application X
Build server for Application Y
Build server for Application Z
CI Server

27. Simplify your workflows
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Security Analyst
Only new findings
are triaged
Scan Server
Scan Results
Downloaded
Triaged Scan Results
Security Analyst
Subsequent Scans
Triaged
Results
Uploaded
Scan Results
Downloaded
New Vulnerabilities
Already Triaged
Initial Scan
Use of a centralized environment drastically reduces the time
required for subsequent assessments

28. General Recommendations
• If IAST is a good fit for you, use it.
• If possible, use at least 2 AST technologies.
– Encourage communication between your AST teams. Don’t create
more silos within your security group.
• Prototype/pilot a deployment with a free tool
• Sprinkle security throughout the SDLC
• Get Continuous
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29. Still not sure what to do?
• Come talk to me
• You are not alone.
Kevin.Fealey@AspectSecurity.com
Questions or positive feedback?
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