Static Application Security Testing (SAST) is a crucial part of the software development lifecycle. SAST tools analyze source code to identify security vulnerabilities and other issues before the code is compiled or executed. This helps developers find and fix problems early in the development process, reducing costs and improving overall security.
There are several popular SAST tools available, each with its own strengths and features. In this article, we’ll compare the most widely used SAST tools.
CheckMarx
CheckMarx SAST is a source code analysis solution that identifies security vulnerabilities, compliance issues, and other flaws in the code. It builds a logical graph of the code’s elements and flows, then queries this graph to find issues. CheckMarx supports many programming languages and can run scans at any point in the development lifecycle.
Key features of CheckMarx include:
- Extensive list of pre-configured queries for known vulnerabilities
- Ability to configure custom queries for security, QA, and business logic
- Interactive interface for tracking runtime behavior and remediation
- Integration with build automation tools, SCM systems, issue trackers, and CI/CD platforms
Fortify
OpenText Fortify Static Code Analyzer is another leading SAST tool. It pinpoints the root causes of security vulnerabilities in source code, prioritizes the most serious issues, and provides guidance for remediation. Fortify supports over 1,600 vulnerability categories across 33+ programming languages.
Some key capabilities of Fortify include:
- Embedding security into development tools via an extensive integration ecosystem
- Tuning scan depth and minimizing false positives with Audit Assistant
- Dynamically scaling scans to meet the demands of CI/CD pipelines
- Identifying vulnerabilities in source, binary, or byte code early in development
- Integrating with CI/CD tools like Jenkins, Jira, Azure DevOps, and more
Frogbot
Frogbot is a Git bot that scans pull requests for security vulnerabilities using JFrog Xray. When a new pull request is created or labeled, Frogbot runs a scan and reports any issues found directly in the Git UI. This allows developers to address vulnerabilities before they are merged into the codebase.
Key features of Frogbot include:
- Scanning pull requests for known vulnerabilities
- Reporting findings in the Git interface as comments
- Ability to re-run scans by adding a label to an existing pull request
- Integrating with JFrog Xray for the scanning engine
Veracode
Veracode offers a cloud-based, automated SAST solution. It scans compiled code (binaries) rather than just source code, providing deeper and more comprehensive results. Veracode identifies potential issues like malicious code or inadequate functionality, and prioritizes findings based on business risk.
Some notable aspects of Veracode include:
- Scanning binaries to include third-party libraries that may be omitted from source-only scans
- Prioritizing results based on business objectives and risk tolerance
- Providing highly accurate and actionable findings with few false positives
- Enabling quick scanning and results without the need for dedicated security staff
Semgrep
Semgrep is an Open Source SAST tool that runs anywhere, from the command line to CI/CD pipelines. It is designed to be easy to customize and use, with an extensible architecture. Semgrep rules are visible to users and similar in syntax to source code, making them transparent and understandable.
Key features of Semgrep include:
- Running scans in seconds, with a median CI scan time of 10 seconds
- Flexibility to write custom rules to solve complex problems
- Providing a library of managed rules to minimize custom rule writing
- Supporting 30+ frameworks and technologies
GitHub CodeQL
CodeQL is the Open Source analysis engine used by GitHub for security checks and variant analysis. It supports many programming languages and provides a command-line interface and Visual Studio Code extension for running scans on Open Source codebases.
Some notable aspects of CodeQL include:
- Automating security checks and variant analysis
- Supporting a wide range of languages, libraries, and frameworks
- Providing an overview of technical terms and concepts used in CodeQL
Snyk Code
Snyk Code is a developer-friendly SAST tool that scans source code in minutes, with no build needed. It provides real-time results inline with the code, along with remediation advice to help developers fix issues quickly. Snyk Code is compatible with popular languages, IDEs, and CI/CD tools.
Key features of Snyk Code include:
- Scanning code as it’s written, with automatic scanning from the IDE
- Providing actionable results with dev-friendly remediation advice
- Leveraging machine learning to build a robust knowledge base
- Prioritizing issues based on deployment status and exposure
Tencent Xcheck
Tencent Xcheck is a static application security testing (SAST) tool developed by Tencent Cloud. It is designed to help developers identify security vulnerabilities and other issues in their source code.
- Xcheck can precisely understand the syntax characteristics of different programming languages, which helps solve the problem of false positives caused by misunderstanding the code.
- It can identify user-defined security protection measures, further reducing false positives.
- Xcheck supports scanning complete projects with correct syntax for supported languages.
- It can scan web backend application code quickly, but may take longer for deeply nested recursive code.
Comparison to Other SAST Tools
- A Reddit post suggests that Xcheck can scan raw source code directly without needing to compile, and its scanning speed is 100 times faster than Checkmarx.
Deployment and Security
- Xcheck is deployed on-premises, so the source code being tested remains within the company network, avoiding the risk of source code leakage.
- The entire product lifecycle, including the source code, does not leave the company network.
Tencent Xcheck is a fast and accurate SAST tool that helps developers find security issues in their code. Its on-premises deployment model ensures source code security. While it compares favorably to other SAST tools in terms of speed and accuracy, it may not support as many languages or have as extensive an ecosystem as some enterprise-focused SAST tools.
Semgrep
- Open Source SAST tool that runs anywhere, from the command line to CI/CD pipelines
- Designed to be easy to customize and use, with an extensible architecture
- Supports 30+ frameworks and technologies
- Provides a library of managed rules to minimize custom rule writing
- Runs scans in seconds, with a median CI scan time of 10 seconds
Bandit
- Open Source SAST tool specifically designed for scanning Python code
- Comprehensive source vulnerability scanner for Python
Brakeman
- Open Source vulnerability scanner designed specifically for Ruby on Rails applications
OWASP Dependency-Check
- Open Source tool that identifies the use of known vulnerable components
- Supports Java and .NET projects
- Integrates with build tools like Gradle, Jenkins, and Maven
PMD
- Open Source SAST tool that supports Java, JavaScript, Salesforce, and other languages
- Integrates with build tools like Ant, Maven, Gradle, and Jenkins
PHPStan
- Open Source SAST tool for PHP
- Supports integrations with Bitbucket, GitHub, and GitLab
Cppcheck
- Open Source SAST tool for C and C++ code
- Integrates with Jenkins and Visual Studio
These are just a few examples of the many Open Source SAST tools available. When choosing a SAST tool, it’s important to consider factors like the programming languages you use, the level of customization and transparency you need, the speed and accuracy of the results, and the ease of integration with your existing tools and workflows.
Wrapping Up
Static Application Security Testing is a critical part of secure software development. The SAST tools compared in this article each have their own strengths and features, but they all aim to help developers find and fix security vulnerabilities early in the development process.
When choosing a SAST tool, consider factors like the programming languages you use, the level of customization and transparency you need, the speed and accuracy of the results, and the ease of integration with your existing tools and workflows. Many of these tools offer free trials or Open Source versions, so you can try them out and see which one works best for your needs.
Ultimately, the goal of SAST is to improve the overall security of your applications by finding and fixing issues before they can be exploited by attackers. By incorporating SAST into your development process, you can build more secure software and reduce the risk of costly breaches down the line.