PlexTrac ConceptsDynamic Application Security Testing

Dynamic application security testing (DAST) is a cybersecurity practice for identifying vulnerabilities in web applications by simulating various real-world attack scenarios. By simulating malicious actor tactics, DAST tools help unveil flaws like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other exploitable issues. Early detection of these security vulnerabilities allows security teams alongside developers to remediate them before application deployment.

Dynamic application security testing benefits include: 

• Black-box testing: Unlike static analysis, DAST doesn’t require access to the application’s source code and tests the application from the outside in the way a real attacker would. 
• Immediate vulnerability detection: Discover vulnerabilities like SQL injection, XSS, insecure authentication methods, and improper input validation. 
• Integration with CI/CD: DAST tools can be integrated into the development pipeline for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) security checks to scan applications after code changes or deployments automatically.

Dynamic application security testing (DAST) can come with some challenges you will want to consider and be aware of before implementing.

Some challenges with DAST include: 

• Careful configuration required: DAST tools need to be properly configured to target the right areas of the application and should be integrated with other tools to make the most of the investment. 
• Manual reviews needed: Tests and results should be validated by a security expert to ensure accuracy, which may be time-consuming. 
• Increased false positives: DAST may generate inaccurate false positives of potential vulnerabilities, which requires more manual labor to investigate. 

PlexTrac aggregates pentest and vulnerability data from various scanners and tools — including popular Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) solutions — and automates reporting with AI to effectively prioritize risk.

Request a demo to see how to close the loop on continuous validation by prioritizing, assigning, and tracking findings from all your scanner tools in one place with PlexTrac.

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