Application security testing (AST)

Application security testing (AST) is a cybersecurity discipline focused on systematically examining software applications to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). It encompasses a range of methodologies—including Static Application Security Testing (SAST), which analyzes source code without executing it; Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), which tests running applications for exploitable flaws; and Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST), which combines both approaches for deeper analysis. AST also includes Software Composition Analysis (SCA) to detect vulnerabilities in third-party libraries and open-source components.

The primary goal of AST is to proactively uncover insecure coding practices, architectural misconfigurations, and exploitable weaknesses before they can be leveraged by malicious actors. By integrating these testing techniques early and continuously into the development pipeline—a practice central to DevSecOps—organizations can significantly reduce their attack surface, protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data, maintain regulatory compliance, and build resilient applications capable of withstanding the evolving cyber threat landscape.