How to Choose What Is Code Scanning?

What to Consider When Choosing Code Scanning Tools

In the fast-paced realm of software development, overlooking application security can be a common pitfall. However, integrating the right code scanning tools can seamlessly embed app hardening into the development lifecycle, safeguarding your team’s valuable resources such as time, budget, and reputation.

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Learn about essential features to seek in source code scanning tools, which can enhance the security of your code and accelerate the overall development process.

What Are Source Code Scanning Tools?

Source code scanning tools, also referred to as source code analysis tools, are specialized applications that scrutinize your source code to uncover security vulnerabilities. These tools, which include code scanning and static analysis, empower developers to identify problems early in the software development lifecycle.

Various types of code scanning tools can benefit developers and testers, such as software composition analysis (SCA) tools and static application security testing (SAST) tools.

SCA tools focus on detecting and rectifying issues within open-source components in code, whereas SAST tools identify security vulnerabilities lurking within proprietary or first-party source code, all without executing the program or utilizing a test case. By leveraging both tools, developers can enhance application security and streamline the development process by catching issues before they escalate.

Why Are Code Scanning Tools Important?

All applications, irrespective of their platform or device, face persistent threats from cyber attackers. Hackers are adept at identifying vulnerabilities in your application, whether it relies on open-source resources, third-party code, or custom-built elements.

While no developer aims to create vulnerable code, ingrained bad practices during the development phase can lead to severe repercussions. For instance, developers may bypass thorough security assessments to expedite their work during development sprints.

Open-source code can pose particular risks for application security. Although open-source code itself is not inherently dangerous, a lack of diligent scanning for security updates can create exploitable weaknesses.

Malicious actors often target these "soft spots" within your code to breach security and exploit it for various nefarious purposes. Common targets for hackers include:

• Trade secrets
• Confidential business information
• User credentials and personal data
• Private information, including addresses and phone numbers
• Government ID information such as social security or insurance numbers
• Credit card or payment data
• Funds related to your application
• Data from government, municipal, and police services

There are numerous documented cases of hackers exploiting code vulnerabilities to access user data or demand ransoms, leading to significant financial repercussions, as illustrated by the MOVEit hack and the Equifax data breach.

What Should Effective Source Code Scanning Tools Have?

A cornerstone of effective source code scanning includes SAST and open-source static code analysis (SCA) tools. Beyond that, there are several additional features to evaluate to determine the best fit for your development team.

Key elements to look for in your preferred code scanning tools include:

Comprehensive Language Support

Given the myriad programming languages utilized in open-source and proprietary software components, your code analysis tools should be capable of handling this diversity to readily pinpoint potential security threats and deprecated code.

Robust static code analysis tools, like Kiuwan, support over 30 major programming languages and frameworks, facilitating error detection across various coding environments.

Compliance with Security Standards

The developer community adheres to established industry standards for application security and federal regulations to protect user information. At a minimum, your code security tools should aid in aligning with standards such as CERT, CWE, OWASP, and SANS, ensuring user safety and data security.

Kiuwan's offerings encompass a growing list of security standards, including:

• SANS 25
• CERT-Java/C/C++
• WASC
• PCI-DSS
• NIST
• MISRA
• BIZEC

Integration With Your Pipeline

An efficient suite of source code scanning tools must integrate smoothly into your CI/CD pipeline without causing disruptions or delays. This not only optimizes your development lifecycle but also raises the quality of your code from the outset. The right tools will allow for best practices implementation throughout the pipeline, including:

• Automated testing processes: Many types of code tests can be automated, freeing testers to focus on more complex tasks.
• Minimizing redundant efforts: Eliminate unnecessary repeats during development sprints with automated code scanning.
• Streamlining concurrent tasks: By automating processes, tasks can be performed simultaneously, enhancing pipeline efficiency.
• Reducing human delays: Code scanning tools help minimize delays related to human intervention, speeding up development timelines.

These measures collectively help expedite software release times and elevate overall product quality.

Tools for License Compliance

With most projects utilizing third-party or open-source components, ensuring compliance with licensing requirements is crucial.

Tools like Kiuwan SCA can thoroughly search for software licenses, outdated code dependencies, and other vulnerabilities, ensuring that your project adheres to the terms of its code licenses and is consistent with your project's licensing policies.

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User-Friendly Features

The leading code quality tools available will prioritize user experience, catering to everyone from recent hires to seasoned developers. Notable user-friendly features include:

• Dashboards providing clear visibility of security issues for prioritization.
• The capability to customize rules.
• Functions to suppress false positives.
• Visual aids for detecting flawed data flows.
• Automated action plans to address defects as they emerge.
• Integration capabilities with other tools and platforms utilized by your team.

With Kiuwan's SAST and SCA tools, developers receive immediate notifications regarding potential code vulnerabilities, enabling proactive resolution before issues escalate, and reinforces adherence to coding best practices through contextual remediation guidance.

Why Choose Kiuwan?

For over 20 years, Kiuwan has delivered premium, comprehensive code security tools for developers. We are recognized by platforms like G2 for maintaining high standards through rigorous evaluations.

In a recent analysis, Kiuwan ranked among the top five tools in both the Relationship Index and Implementation Index for Static Application Security Testing (SAST), attributed to our software’s:

• Ease of implementation.
• User adoption.
• Accelerated go-live times.
• Simplified setup.

Our G2 Grid rankings reflect the experiences of actual users in the development community. At Kiuwan, we strive to enhance confidence in application security while ensuring a user-friendly setup and experience.

Request a Free Trial

If you're ready to explore a code scanning solution trusted by software developers and testers globally, request a free 14-day trial of Kiuwan Application Security today and discover how we can fortify your app.