What is SAST?

SAST is a type of security testing that analyzes source code or compiled binaries to identify potential security vulnerabilities. SAST is performed during software development and helps developers find security flaws early in the SDLC.

SAST is beneficial in identifying security flaws early in the development process, facilitating easier and more cost-effective remediation. Additionally, SAST helps ensure compliance with security standards and regulations, such as the OWASP Top Ten, PCI DSS, and HIPAA.

However, SAST has its limitations. Many SAST tools produce false positives and false negatives, which can be time-consuming to investigate and fix. False positives occur when the tool identifies a vulnerability that is not present, while false negatives occur when the tool fails to detect an actual vulnerability. SAST tools can also have difficulty detecting certain types of vulnerabilities, such as those related to runtime behavior. A false negative is a term that...