Virtually everything in the business world nowadays relies on technology. In the past, most companies entirely relied on their in-house IT teams to manage all aspects involving their systems. However, the IT world continually changes, and it is almost impossible to keep up with these changes using an in-house IT department. Most companies now outsource their IT services to a managed service provider (MSP). One of the crucial services MSPs offer is security management.
Most business operations handled by managed IT service providers in Kansas City run on various kinds of software. Software-related issues account for 80% of the security breaches in companies nowadays owing to the weaknesses and bugs common in them. Application security testing (AST) tools are essential for the provision of an additional layer of security to your applications even if you have other web security systems in place. These tools have an increased coverage path, efficiency, and speed in the diagnosis of various software-related security threats. They can also be used for the remediation of your workflow. The following are a few AST tools that might suffice for your business:
Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Tools
These are more of white-hat testing solutions. The user knows about the software he or she is testing and only uses the tool to examine its source code and detect then report all security vulnerabilities while it is at rest. Source code analyzers will run on non-compiled codes when checking for defects, including race conditions, pointers, references, input validation, and numerical errors. Byte and binary-code analyzers, on the other hand, use compiled codes.
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) Tools
These are generally black-hat testers. A user has no preceding knowledge of the software he or she will test. DAST tools will indicate the security vulnerability in your software in its running state. They will pick issues with your scripting, interfaces, requests, and authentication, which can lead to security hacks. DAST tools work through fuzzing, which is a technique of keying in unexpected and invalid test cases to assess software security weaknesses.
Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST) Tools
These tools use a combination of dynamic and static analysis techniques to assess whether the weaknesses in your software’s code can be exploited in running applications. The tools create data and application flow attack scenarios and use the results generated to know how your software responds. IAST tools are renowned for their accuracy and are used in DevOps and Agile environments where SAST and DAST tools might be too slow.
Mobile Applications Security Testing (MAST) Tools
Most businesses nowadays have mobile apps for increased customer engagement. MAST tools work like traditional dynamic and static analyzers, but they allow the running of mobile codes through multiple analyzers. They can pick security threats confined to mobile applications including spoofed Wi-Fi connections, data leakage, and device rooting.
A range of software applications is essential for the running of your business in today’s world. They have been proven to boost business’ productivity and increase profits. However, they will become your company’s Achilles heel if exploited by hackers. The tools mentioned above are essential to guarantee the safety of your operation and data even as these software applications maximize your profits.