DAST Implementation
Runtime security testing integrated into your staging pipeline — OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite Enterprise, authenticated scanning, REST and GraphQL API coverage, and automated pre-release vulnerability detection.
Scanner · Auth · APIs · CI/CD
From DAST scanner deployment and complex authentication setup through REST/GraphQL API scanning and CI/CD staging pipeline automation.
DAST Scanner Configuration & Baseline Tuning
Deploying and configuring DAST scanners — OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite Enterprise, or Nuclei — with application-specific crawl maps, URL exclusions, and policy tuning to minimize false positives while achieving maximum application surface coverage.
- OWASP ZAP automation framework configuration
- Burp Suite Enterprise site tree and scan configuration
- Nuclei template-based targeted scanning setup
- Crawl map configuration and URL exclusion policies
Complex Authentication & Session Management
Configuring DAST scanners to authenticate through complex login flows — including SSO/SAML, OAuth 2.0, MFA, and multi-step wizards — so scanners can reach authenticated pages and access-controlled functionality that represent the highest-value attack surface.
- SSO/SAML and OAuth 2.0 authentication configuration
- Session token management and re-authentication handling
- MFA bypass for test account scanner access
- Role-based scanning (admin, user, guest role profiles)
REST, GraphQL & SOAP API Security Scanning
Specialized DAST scanning for APIs — importing OpenAPI / Swagger specifications for REST API surface mapping, GraphQL introspection-based scanning, and SOAP WSDL-driven scanning — finding injection flaws, IDOR, broken object-level authorization, and authentication weaknesses in APIs.
- OpenAPI/Swagger spec import for REST API scanning
- GraphQL introspection and mutation scanning
- SOAP WSDL-driven endpoint scanning
- BOLA/IDOR and API authentication testing
SAST Sees the Code — DAST Sees What Attackers See
SAST analyzes code logic. DAST observes what happens when the application actually runs — the actual HTTP responses, authentication behaviors, session management, and API responses. An attacker doesn't read your source code; they send requests and observe responses. DAST does exactly what an attacker does.
Critical vulnerability classes — reflected XSS, CORS misconfigurations, SSRF, authentication bypasses, and IDOR — are invisible to static analysis. DAST finds them by testing the running application against a comprehensive library of attack payloads.
Runtime-Only Findings
XSS, CORS misconfigs, SSRF, and auth bypasses only visible when the application is running — SAST cannot detect them.
83% API Traffic
APIs represent 83% of web traffic and the primary modern breach vector — requiring API-specific DAST approaches.
Auth Depth Required
60%+ of application functionality is behind authentication — unauthenticated scans miss the highest-value attack surface.
Regression Detection
Automated CI/CD DAST catches vulnerability regressions introduced by new releases before reaching production.
5-Phase DAST Implementation
From crawl mapping and scanner selection through authentication setup, CI/CD integration, and trend-based reporting.
Application Crawl Map & Scope Definition
Mapping the complete application surface for DAST scanning — all URLs, API endpoints, authentication entry points, and file upload targets. Defining the scan scope (what to include) and exclusion list (destructive forms, email triggers, payment flows) to prevent scanner side effects.
DAST Scanner Selection & Deployment
Selecting the right DAST tool for your application type — OWASP ZAP for web applications, Burp Suite Enterprise for complex enterprise applications with rich authentication, or Nuclei for targeted template-based API scanning. Deploying the scanner infrastructure in your staging environment.
Authentication Setup & Role Configuration
Configuring scanner authentication for your specific login mechanism — recording authentication macros for complex flows, configuring OAuth 2.0 token acquisition, creating scanning accounts with appropriate test permissions for each role profile (admin, standard user, guest).
CI/CD Pipeline Integration & Scan Scheduling
Integrating DAST scans into the CI/CD pipeline at the staging deployment stage — triggering automated scans after each staging deployment, configuring scan duration and depth appropriate for pipeline timing, and routing results to the vulnerability management workflow.
Tuning, Trend Analysis & Developer Handoff
Reviewing initial scan results to eliminate false positives, establishing the true-positive baseline, and configuring trend tracking — monitoring vulnerability change between scans to detect regressions. Developer-facing reports with remediation guidance for confirmed findings.
Full DAST Coverage — Web, API & CI/CD
OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite, authenticated scanning, API DAST, CI/CD automation, and vulnerability trend dashboarding.
OWASP ZAP Automation
OWASP ZAP automation framework configuration — headless scanning with the AJAX spider for JavaScript-heavy applications, ZAP API integration into CI/CD pipelines, and custom scan policy configuration for your application type.
Burp Suite Enterprise
Burp Suite Enterprise orchestration for complex enterprise applications — site tree management, scan configuration, authentication macros for complex login flows, and integration with CI/CD and vulnerability management platforms.
Authenticated Web Scanning
Full-authenticated DAST scanning covering the entire application surface accessible to logged-in users — where the highest-value vulnerabilities (IDOR, broken access control, business logic flaws) reside.
REST & GraphQL API Scanning
API-specific DAST with OpenAPI spec import for comprehensive REST endpoint coverage, GraphQL introspection scanning for query and mutation injection testing, and targeted fuzzing for API-specific vulnerabilities.
CI/CD Staging Integration
Automated DAST triggered at the staging deployment stage in your CI/CD pipeline — providing pre-release security coverage for every significant release without manual scan initiation.
Vulnerability Trend Dashboarding
Tracking DAST vulnerability trends across scan cycles — new findings introduced per release, remediated findings, finding categories by severity trend — giving AppSec teams regression detection and program effectiveness metrics.
DAST That Reaches Every Part of Your Application
Most DAST implementations fail because they only scan the public-facing, unauthenticated surface. We configure authenticated, API-aware DAST that reaches the full application — finding what attackers find.
API-First Coverage
Modern applications are API-first. We configure DAST with OpenAPI spec import, GraphQL introspection, and API-specific vulnerability checks (BOLA, authentication bypass, mass assignment) — covering the attack surface that web crawlers miss.
Deep Authenticated Scanning
Authentication configuration is the most common reason DAST scans fail to provide value. We configure authenticated scanning for any login mechanism — including SSO, SAML, and MFA — so scanners reach the full application surface.
Zero Side-Effect Configuration
Improperly scoped DAST scanners trigger password reset emails, corrupt test data, and process test payments. We define comprehensive exclusion policies before every scan engagement to prevent scanner side effects in test environments.
Runtime-Complement to SAST
DAST finds what SAST misses — runtime behaviors, reflected XSS, CORS misconfigurations, server-side request forgery, and authentication weaknesses. We design DAST programs specifically to complement existing SAST coverage.
DAST Tools We Deploy
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about DAST implementation
Find What Attackers Find — Before They Do
Runtime vulnerabilities are invisible to static analysis. DAST integrated into your staging pipeline finds what attackers would find — before every release. Let's set it up for you.
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