Faster, Accurate,
Developer-Friendly SAST Scanner

A SAST tool is a security testing solution that scans an application's codebase for vulnerabilities without executing the software. Unlike Software Composition Analysis (SCA), which identifies risks in open-source dependencies, SAST focuses on detecting security flaws in proprietary code. It integrates into CI/CD pipelines to provide developers with real-time security feedback, helping to enforce secure coding practices.

SAST helps identify security vulnerabilities early in the software development lifecycle by analyzing source code, bytecode, or binaries. Catching issues before deployment reduces remediation costs, improves code quality, and strengthens overall application security.

SAST tools and static analysis tools fall into several categories, each designed to meet the diverse needs of developers and security teams. Enterprise SAST tools, including ASPM platforms like Cycode, often come with extensive support and integration capabilities, making them a reliable choice for organizations looking to enhance their security posture efficiently. On the other hand, open-source SAST tools provide flexibility and cost savings but require more effort to set up and maintain. There’s also the risk of delayed updates and inconsistent quality, which can leave applications vulnerable.

Offering	Enterprise SAST	Open-Source SAST
Support	Extensive	Limited
Integration	Robust	Requires Effort
Cost	High	Low
Update frequency	Regular	Varies
Quality	Consistent	Inconsistent

It’s also important to distinguish between traditional and modern SAST solutions. Traditional SAST tools have been around for over 25 years but are known for slow scanning speeds and high false-positive rates. These inefficiencies discourage developers from running scans early in the development process.

In contrast, modern SAST tools offer faster scanning speeds and more precise findings, enhance the developer experience, and support continuous code delivery. They also tend to incorporate AI-powered code resolution for automated fix suggestions, streamlining the remediation process.

Feature	Traditional SAST	Modern SAST
Scanning Speed	Slow	Fast
Integration	Robust	Requires Effort
False Positive Rates	High	Low
Developer Experience	Poor	Enhanced
Automation	Minimal	Robust

Beyond point solutions, a complete Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) platform covers the entire SDLC, including all components, tools, libraries, languages, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud infrastructure. A complete ASPM platform offers its own proprietary scanning tools, including SAST, IaC, SCA, and more into one solution, providing a unified approach to security that addresses vulnerabilities across the development lifecycle and all application components. A Complete ASPM also allows you to integrate any of your third party security tools. This holistic approach ensures robust security measures are in place at every stage, enhancing overall security posture and efficiency.

SAST inspects source code without running it, identifying security risks through lexical analysis, syntax checks, control flow, and data flow tracking. It uses rule-based pattern matching to spot vulnerabilities like hardcoded secrets or injection flaws. The process concludes with a report detailing vulnerabilities, severity levels, and fixes. Scan times vary based on codebase size and complexity.

SAST tests code without executing it, detecting vulnerabilities within the written code. DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing), however, tests an application while it’s running, uncovering security issues in real-world behavior.
While SAST targets code issues, DAST focuses on runtime vulnerabilities, making them complementary for a comprehensive security assessment.

SAST analyzes custom source code for vulnerabilities, while SCA (Software Composition Analysis) scans open-source and third-party components for known security issues and licensing risks.
Together, SAST and SCA provide a complete security check by covering both internal code and external dependencies.

SAST eliminates the inefficiencies of manual code reviews by automatically detecting security flaws in proprietary code. Without SAST, developers and security teams must rely on time-consuming manual checks or reactive testing later in the development cycle, increasing the risk of costly rework. It also helps address the challenge of maintaining security across large, complex codebases by continuously scanning for issues and providing actionable feedback. By integrating into CI/CD pipelines, SAST enables teams to catch vulnerabilities early, reducing friction between security and development while accelerating secure software delivery.

SAST helps prevent security breaches by detecting a wide range of critical vulnerabilities in proprietary code before deployment. This includes common vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), buffer overflows, and insecure authentication mechanisms. These types of vulnerabilities could lead to data leaks or remote code execution, hardcoded secrets that attackers could exploit for unauthorized access, and insecure configurations that increase the risk of system compromise. By catching these issues early, SAST reduces the likelihood of costly security incidents, compliance violations, and reputational damage.