Why DAST Tools Are Essential for Web Application Security?

Securing web applications is more challenging today than ever amid rising cybersecurity incidents. Indeed, the data shows that global cybercrime costs will reach $10.5 trillion by 2025. This humungous amount shows the significance of web application security. 

While you can implement firewalls, strong authentication mechanisms, encryption, and more to protect your web apps, even a minute vulnerability can render all of them ineffective, hence, web app security testing is critical for securing web applications. 

DAST tools is a method that helps to evaluate web application security through simulated attacks. It helps to discover potential weaknesses in a web app that could compromise its security. You can use DAST tools to automate web app security testing. 

DAST tools are built to perform automated simulated attacks on web apps and provide detailed reports on threat landscapes. These tools help you enhance your security posture by strengthening web app security controls. Let’s know more about these tools. 

I. What are DAST Tools and Why are They Important? 

DAST tools are crucial for security testing teams that help them scan web assets and discover vulnerabilities. Have you heard the popular old saying, “Diamonds cut diamonds”? It implies that you can defeat an opponent by matching their wit, skills, or strengths. DAST works with a similar approach. It helps to uncover web application weaknesses by attempting to attack it like a real attacker. 

These tools test your web app from the front end using the same tactics that an attacker uses. For example, the attacker might supply invalid input to gain unauthorized access. Similarly, DAST solutions identify security loopholes by supplying invalid inputs through forms, HTTP requests, and other methods. They try to exploit any vulnerabilities in web apps and discover how a potential security breach could unfold. 

1.1. Importance of DAST Tools

• Test All Web Assets: The importance of DAST tools is that they can discover vulnerabilities for all kinds of web assets irrespective of the underlying technology, framework, or programming language.
• Low False Positives: DAST tools will provide precise vulnerability assessment reports because of low false positives. In fact, compared to SAST, DAST results are more reliable because they can have runtime flaws.
• Detect Complex Vulnerabilities: You can discover complex vulnerabilities in your web application that are hard to detect with static code analysis. It is effective in protecting against complex risks CSRF, XSS, SQLi, etc.
• Mitigate Business Logic Attacks: DAST tools can uncover business logic flaws. These flaws are vulnerabilities in web application functionality that could allow attackers to do unauthorized activities.

1.2. Reasons Why DAST Tools are Necessary for Web App Security

Dynamic Application Security Testing tools are necessary to identify and mitigate web app security risks. The following are all the reasons why DAST tools are important. 

• Dynamic Testing

The benefit of DAST tools resides in dynamic security testing. What does it mean? Well, it means these tools can identify vulnerabilities in web apps by interacting with them when they’re running. These tools can imitate real-world attack scenarios that is helpful to discover the vulnerabilities that other types of testing may not detect. So, dynamic testing involves testing web apps at run time and detecting weak spots. 

• Validate Security Controls

You can check whether the security mechanisms implemented within your web application, such as authentication, session management, access control, and more are effective or not. For this, you need to perform dynamic security tests with these tools, and they will assess whether the security controls are working correctly or not. DAST tools can identify any misconfiguration or flaw in the security controls that might risk web app’s security. 

• Comprehensive Testing

Another benefit of using DAST tools is a comprehensive security assessment for your web application. These tools can assess your web app’s security by analyzing it from an attacker’s point of view. For example, these tools will assess your web apps by exploiting HTTP requests, URL queries, and forms like a real attacker. With this, the tools can identify flaws that may result in compromised security. 

• Runtime Vulnerability Detection

Dynamic Application Security Testing tools will help you identify runtime vulnerabilities. These are the vulnerabilities that make your web application susceptible to attack when they are live. DAST tools detect vulnerabilities like error handling flaws, improper input validation, misconfigurations, and more. However, you cannot detect these security vulnerabilities with a method like static code analysis. It helps to ensure secure web applications in the production environment.  

• Automation and Scalability

Another key advantage of DAST tools is that they are adaptable to a wide range of applications, environments, and testing needs. All this thanks to their scalability. Besides, they are also easy to integrate into the SDLC for automated vulnerability scanning. It will help to identify and mitigate security risks right from the software development process. Due to their compatibility with diverse methods, technologies, and workflows, they are suitable for various web app security testing needs.

• Prioritized Reports

Luckily, you get priority-based results with DAST tools that streamline the remediation process and further steps. They provide detailed reports with an in-depth view into the threat landscape and potential exploits. These reports are typically based on the severity and exploitability of vulnerabilities. The prioritized results will help in fast decision-making and take the correct steps to mitigate corresponding security risks.

• Compliances and Regulations

It is crucial to ensure your web app meets the necessary compliances to align with local or international laws. Modern dynamic application security testing tools can flag the gaps that could affect your ability to meet these standards and compliances. They let you know the vulnerabilities that affect your compliance requirements, such as PCI DSS, SOC2, GDPR, and more. 

II. The End Note

DAST tools have become critical for web application security today as they help to discover vulnerabilities with more accuracy. Indeed, these tools offer the flexibility, scalability, and reliability needed to perform security testing for web apps. They can identify vulnerabilities more precisely as they test web apps when they are running with simulated attacks. 

With comprehensive testing with these tools, you can make your security posture stronger and defend web apps against a myriad of cyberattacks. They are available in abundance and can be deployed easily. You can beef up security for your web application with comprehensive testing.