What is Dynamic Analysis in cybersecurity?

Dynamic Analysis, also known as dynamic testing or dynamic application security testing (DAST), is a cybersecurity technique used to assess the security of software applications while they are running. It involves actively testing the application by sending inputs, monitoring its behavior, and analyzing the output to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Dynamic Analysis simulates real-world attack scenarios to uncover security flaws that may be exploited by malicious actors.

How does Dynamic Analysis differ from other security testing methods?

Dynamic Analysis differs from other security testing methods, such as static analysis and penetration testing, in its approach and focus. Unlike static analysis, which examines the code and its structure without executing it, dynamic analysis evaluates the application's behavior during runtime. Additionally, while penetration testing involves manual testing and exploitation of vulnerabilities, dynamic analysis uses automated tools to simulate attacks and identify security weaknesses.

What are the benefits of Dynamic Analysis?

Dynamic Analysis offers several benefits in cybersecurity assessments, including the ability to identify vulnerabilities that may only manifest during runtime, such as input validation errors or authentication bypass flaws. It provides insights into how the application behaves under different conditions and interactions, allowing security teams to understand its attack surface and prioritize remediation efforts. Dynamic Analysis also enables continuous monitoring of applications for security vulnerabilities and helps ensure their resilience against evolving threats.

What are the limitations of Dynamic Analysis?

While Dynamic Analysis is a valuable tool for assessing the security of software applications, it also has some limitations. Dynamic Analysis may produce false positives or false negatives, leading to inaccurate results and wasted resources. Additionally, dynamic testing may overlook certain vulnerabilities that can only be detected through static analysis or manual code review. Furthermore, Dynamic Analysis requires access to the running application, which may not always be feasible or practical in certain environments.

What is Dynamic Analysis? Importance & Purpose

Dynamic analysis uses real-time data to evaluate a program or technology and helps identify vulnerabilities that static analysis alone may miss. It involves monitoring and analyzing an app’s behavior while it’s running.

Also known as Dynamic program analysis, Dynamic application security testing (DAST)

Rather than taking code offline, vulnerabilities and program behavior may be monitored while the program is operating, providing insight into its real-world behavior.

What is the purpose of dynamic analysis?

Supercomputers in HPC environments execute sophisticated programs created from many programming languages, platforms, and technologies with thousands of threads and processes operating simultaneously.

Simply inspecting the code for errors is insufficient to identify and isolate faulty and performance issues that may arise during execution.

Developers are under immense pressure to produce clean apps as quickly as possible. Dynamic code analysis tools can assist them in accomplishing this by simply debugging running threads and processes.

Dynamic analysis techniques can also help identify performance difficulties, memory utilization concerns, and memory leaks. Dynamic analysis testing will disclose faults suggesting that an application is not working properly; conversely, it will show errors indicating that it is not working properly.

SAST vs. DAST

Though both SAST and DAST help identify software security vulnerabilities, they work differently. Each method has unique benefits and finds different vulnerabilities, depending on your stage during software development.

Ideally, you would want both tools in your security testing arsenal.

SAST

DAST

White box security testing

In SAST, the developer can access the software's underlying framework, design, and implementation.

Black box security testing

DAST is when you test the application from the outside in. You cannot access the software's underlying framework, design, and implementation.

Pre-code check-in

Performing a pre-code check-in before submitting the code helps you share and receive feedback and continuously test changes earlier in SDLC. A SAST tool helps you automate the pre-code check-in process and find bugs quickly so they are easier to fix.

Running an application is required.

A DAST tool requires you to run your software to analyze it for vulnerabilities.

Pipeline quality gate check

Static analysis within the quality gate will help you determine the quality gate criteria and find errors contributing to the failure.

Vulnerabilities are found later in the development process

A DAST tool analyzes software that can be compiled and run, meaning it can only identify vulnerabilities late in development.

Nightly scans

Nightly static analysis scans are an excellent way to monitor your code's health continuously.

It can identify run-time and environment-related issues

A DAST tool uses dynamic analysis to inspect your software, and it can identify timing and environment-related issues.

Source code

It analyzes your source, byte code, and binaries without executing anything, providing the fastest possible feedback and requiring the least work.

Does not require access to the code

Since DAST assesses your app during run-time, it does not require access to your code. This is especially effective when you cannot access the app’s code.

DAST vs. Pen Testing

Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, is a white-box technique that requires access to an application’s source code. It is a process where the cyber-security team attempts to find and exploit vulnerabilities.

Pen testing uses ethical hackers to put themselves in the shoes of hackers to understand how they would attack your application.

DAST	Penetration testing
DAST is performed after an application is deployed. It analyzes the running application from the outside while focusing on its real-time behavior and vulnerabilities.	Pentesting is conducted before an application goes live and during its development phase. It involves simulating real-world attacks to identify vulnerabilities.
DAST focuses on the application’s surface and examines how it responds to various inputs and requests.	Pentesting involves testing beyond the application, network, systems, and physical security.
It views the application as an attacker would by sending requests and analyzing responses from the outside.	Pentesting adopts an internal view of the application by assuming that the tester can access the system.
DAST tools are highly automated and can scan applications quickly.	While some aspects of pen testing can be automated, much manual testing is required to mimic the creativity and adaptability of real attackers.

Why are DAST tools necessary?

Dynamic code analysis tools make it easier to comprehend how your complicated program works to troubleshoot difficulties, isolate memory and performance concerns, and debug your live application. They enable you to examine and detect any issues that may develop during application execution and influence the application's dependability.

Dynamic analysis tools are frequently designed to focus on a single job, and developers of complex applications must investigate whether the devices can meet the demands that complex applications will make on them.

Tools are designed for complicated applications that use powerful technology, such as GPUs, and many threads and processes to complete their tasks. Some can even manage applications built with several components.

The finest dynamic code analysis tools are powerful enough for complicated applications while being simple to use in development environments. They provide an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) that allows you to control and study the information acquired and displayed throughout the application's dynamic analysis.

Dynamic Analysis