Web App Penetration Testing Tutorial
DAST vs Penetration Testing (All Differences & Comparison)
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What is Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)?
- Characteristics and Features of DAST Testing
- Pros and Cons of DAST
- How Does DAST Work?
- What is Penetration Testing?
- Characteristics of Penetration Testing
- Types of Penetration Testing
- Pros and Cons of Penetration Testing
- How Does Pen Testing Work?
- Difference Between DAST and Pen Testing
- DAST vs Penetration Testing: When to Use?
DAST and Pen Testing FAQs
DAST can detect common web application vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), and more.
Yes, DAST is primarily designed for web application and API security assessments. It assesses the security of web-based interfaces.
No, DAST operates without knowledge of the application's source code. It assesses the application's behavior from an external perspective.
DAST provides real-world testing, scalability, and the ability to assess applications without access to source code. It's suitable for regular automated testing and compliance requirements.
DAST may produce false positives, miss certain vulnerabilities, and provide limited insights into the root cause of issues. It's primarily focused on runtime behavior.
Penetration testing can identify a wide range of vulnerabilities, including technical issues (e.g., software vulnerabilities), operational weaknesses (e.g., poor configurations), and business risks (e.g., social engineering vulnerabilities).
No, penetration testing can include external, internal, and physical assessments, depending on the organization's needs. It assesses both external and internal security.
Penetration testing offers a holistic security assessment, identifies complex vulnerabilities, assesses business risks, validates remediation efforts, and helps organizations meet regulatory compliance requirements.
Penetration testing should be considered when an organization wants a comprehensive assessment of its security posture, after significant changes to systems, and as part of regulatory compliance requirements.
The frequency of penetration testing varies depending on the organization's risk profile and industry requirements. It can be performed periodically or on an ad-hoc basis as needed.
