Question

Difficulty: MediumVulnerability Assessment and Security Testing Methods

A security consultant is defining security testing methodologies for an organization's software development lifecycle (SDLC). Match each application security testing method to its corresponding operational characteristic.

  • Static Application Security Testing (SAST)Analyzes source code or compiled binaries offline without executing the application to detect structural code flaws.
  • Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)Evaluates a running application in a test environment from an external boundary by analyzing black-box HTTP responses.
  • Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)Employs runtime instrumentation agents inside the application engine to inspect code execution during functional testing.
  • Software Composition Analysis (SCA)Inspects open-source components and third-party libraries for known vulnerabilities (CVEs) and compliance licensing risks.

Answer

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) pairs with analyzing source code offline without executing the application. Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) pairs with evaluating a running application externally via black-box HTTP analysis. Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST) pairs with employing runtime instrumentation agents inside the application engine. Software Composition Analysis (SCA) pairs with inspecting open-source components and third-party libraries for known CVEs.
Each application security testing methodology targets a distinct phase or perspective within software security evaluation: SAST inspects static source code, DAST tests external running interfaces, IAST uses runtime instrumentation for internal execution visibility, and SCA identifies risks in third-party software dependencies.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify non-execution code analysis methods.
SAST analyzes source code or bytecode statically without application execution.
SAST is designed to catch implementation vulnerabilities early in the development pipeline before binaries are executed.
2
Differentiate external runtime testing from internal agent-based runtime testing.
DAST evaluates external endpoints without internal visibility, whereas IAST uses internal instrumentation agents.
DAST operates as a black-box tester, while IAST leverages internal execution hooks to provide high accuracy during functional testing.
3
Identify dependency and third-party library scanners.
SCA targets third-party libraries and open-source packages.
SCA ensures the software bill of materials (SBOM) does not contain known security risks or licensing violations.

Key Concept

Application Security Testing Methodologies (SAST, DAST, IAST, SCA)
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Rate this question