SAST — Glossary

Static Application Security Testing

A method of analyzing application source code, bytecode, or binaries for security vulnerabilities without executing the program, typically integrated into the development workflow.

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What Is SAST?

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) — also known as "white-box testing" — analyzes source code to find security vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle. Unlike dynamic testing that requires a running application, SAST reviews code structure and logic to identify issues like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), buffer overflows, and insecure cryptographic usage.

How SAST Works

  1. Code parsing: Build a model of the application (abstract syntax tree, control flow graph, data flow graph)
  2. Analysis: Apply rules and patterns to detect security anti-patterns
  3. Taint analysis: Track untrusted input (e.g., user data) through the code to see if it reaches sensitive sinks (e.g., SQL queries) without sanitization
  4. Reporting: Generate findings with file location, severity, and remediation guidance

SAST in the Development Workflow

SAST integrates at multiple points:

  • IDE plugins — Real-time feedback as developers write code
  • Pre-commit hooks — Scan before code is committed
  • CI/CD pipelines — Automated scans on every pull request
  • Scheduled scans — Full repository scans on a regular cadence

SAST vs. DAST vs. SCA

| Technique | Tests | Requires Running App? | Finds | |---|---|---|---| | SAST | Source code | No | Code-level vulnerabilities | | DAST | Running application | Yes | Runtime vulnerabilities | | SCA | Dependencies | No | Known vulnerabilities in libraries | | IAST | Running app + code | Yes | Both code and runtime issues |

A mature AppSec program uses all of these techniques together.

Key Evaluation Criteria

  1. Language support — Coverage for your tech stack
  2. False positive rate — Accuracy of findings
  3. Speed — Scan time for your codebase
  4. Developer experience — Quality of remediation guidance, IDE integration
  5. CI/CD integration — Native support for your pipeline tools

Leading SAST Vendors

Major SAST tools include SonarQube, Checkmarx, Semgrep, Veracode, Snyk Code, GitHub Advanced Security (CodeQL), and Black Duck.

Related Resources

Categories

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Tools

Compare the best SAST alternatives to Snyk in 2026. Checkmarx, Veracode, SonarQube — SAST depth, accuracy, language support, and pricing compared.

Software Composition Analysis (SCA) Tools

Compare the best SCA alternatives to Snyk in 2026. Mend.io, Black Duck, GitHub Advanced Security — SCA depth, license compliance, and pricing compared.

Open Source Application Security Tools

Compare the best open source application security alternatives to Snyk in 2026. SonarQube, Semgrep, Trivy — features, accuracy, and deployment compared.

Products

SonarQube

Open-source code quality and security analysis platform with broad language support

Checkmarx

Enterprise application security platform with deep SAST, SCA, DAST, and supply chain security

Semgrep

Lightweight, open-source static analysis with intuitive pattern-matching rules and fast scan performance

Veracode

Cloud-based application security testing platform with SAST, SCA, DAST, and penetration testing

Snyk

Developer-first application security platform for finding and fixing vulnerabilities in code, dependencies, containers, and IaC

GitHub Advanced Security

GitHub-native security scanning with CodeQL SAST, secret scanning, and Dependabot dependency management

Black Duck

Enterprise SCA platform with deep open-source detection, license compliance, and code origin analysis

Sources & References

  1. NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0[Government Standard]
  2. NIST Computer Security Resource Center[Government Standard]
  3. MITRE ATT&CK Framework[Industry Framework]
  4. OWASP Foundation[Industry Framework]
  5. CISA Cybersecurity Best Practices[Government Standard]
  6. SANS Institute Reading Room[Industry Research]
  7. Cloud Security Alliance (CSA)[Industry Framework]
  8. CIS Critical Security Controls[Industry Framework]
  9. Gartner Magic Quadrant for Application Security Testing 2024[Analyst Report]
  10. Forrester Wave: Static Application Security Testing, Q3 2024[Analyst Report]
  11. Forrester Wave: Software Composition Analysis, Q2 2024[Analyst Report]
  12. IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Application Security Testing 2024[Analyst Report]
  13. OWASP Top 10 Web Application Security Risks[Industry Framework]
  14. OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS)[Industry Framework]
  15. NIST Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF)[Government Standard]
  16. Gartner Peer Insights: Application Security Testing[Peer Reviews]