What is DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing) ?
Dynamic application security testing, or DAST, is a way to check an application’s security while it is running. Unlike SAST, which looks at the source code, DAST tests security by simulating real attacks like SQL Injection and Cross-Site Scripting in a live setting.
DAST is often referred to as Black Box Testing since it runs a security test from the outside
Why DAST Matters in Cybersecurity
Some security issues only appear when it is live, especially issued tied to runtime, behaviour, or user validation. DAST helps organizations to :
- Discover security issues that are missed by the SAST tool.
- Evaluate the application in real-world circumstances, including front-end and API
- Strengthen application security against web application attacks.
How DAST Works
- Run the application in the test or staging environment.
- Send malicious or unexpected input (like crafted URLs or payloads)
- Analyze application response to detect vulnerabilities.
- Produce reports with remediation suggestions (in Plexicus, even better, it automates remediation)
Common Vulnerabilities Detected by DAST
- SQL Injection: attackers insert malicious SQL code into database queries
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): malicious scripts are injected into websites that execute in users’ browsers.
- Insecure server configurations
- Broken authentication or session management
- Exposure of sensitive data in error messages
Benefits of DAST
- cover security flaws missed by SAST tools
- Simulate real real-world attack.
- works without access to the source code
- supporting compliance like PCI DSS, HIPAA, and other frameworks.
Example
In a DAST scan, the tool finds a security problem in a login form that doesn’t properly check what users type in. When the tool enters a specially designed SQL command, it shows that the website can be attacked through SQL injection. This discovery enables developers to fix the vulnerability before the application goes into production.
Related Terms
- SAST (Static Application Security Testing)
- IAST (Interactive Application Security Testing)
- SCA (Software Composition Analysis)
- OWASP Top 10
- Application Security Testing