Top Security Testing Strategies for Software Development

Security Testing is the systematic process within the Software Development Lifecycle that identifies vulnerabilities and verifies that system data and resources remain protected against unauthorized access. This proactive approach safeguards software systems and applications from threats that could lead to data loss, breaches, or operational disruption. The primary focus of security testing is discovering potential weaknesses and entry points in a system before malicious actors can exploit them, preventing information loss and protecting organizational assets.

In this article, you will know the ins and outs of software security testing from: 

• Types of software security testing
• Benefits of security testing
• Challenges that may arise when security testing
• Best practices when thinking about Security Testing
• And finally, the best tools that can help your security testing journey

What is Security Testing in Software Development?

Security testing ensures that software is free of vulnerabilities and resistant to attacks. Security testing is the quintessential step both during the setup (Software Development Lifecycle) and when pressure testing the application (DevSecOps). It ensures protection for your systems, networks, and applications from unauthorized access and data breaches.

To understand why security testing is important, we have to look a bit into the past. The past few years have been an absolute whirlwind in terms of technological advancements, namely AI. It’s been a game-changer in code writing efficiency, coming up with ideas, and even agents working through your entire codebase to ensure correct syntax. Although, as with any innovation, there can and will be vulnerabilities, for example:

• In the 60s, a person used a whistle at the right frequency to enable free long-distance phone calls. We subsequently changed the way we handle long-distance calls.
• In the 90s, hackers cracked Pentagon-level systems and stole millions from banks. So we bulked up on encryption schemes and introduced bulwarks like SHA-256. 

But what about the next unforeseen attack? As a species, we are incredibly clever. As developers, we now no longer just have to fight against the attacks from these potential human bad actors, but the AIs we created! 

Types of Software Security Testing

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

Static application security testing scans source code without executing it, identifying vulnerabilities like SQL injection points, buffer overflows, and insecure cryptographic implementations. SAST tools integrate directly into development pipelines, catching issues before code reaches production environments.

Pros	Cons
Identify issues early in SDLC	More time needed to validate false flags
Entire codebase analysis	Often misses vulnerabilities at run-time
No running application necessary	Heavy initial setup

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

Dynamic application security testing takes a different approach, actually executing applications and probing for runtime vulnerabilities. DAST tools simulate real-world attack scenarios, testing how applications behave under malicious input and identifying weaknesses that only emerge during execution.

Pros	Cons
Real-world attack simulations	No deep knowledge of code-base structure
Less strict code base access	Implemented in later stages of SDLC
Multi-threaded vulnerability detection	Potential for missed attacks

Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)

IAST tools combine both approaches, using real-time analysis during application execution to provide more accurate vulnerability detection with fewer false positives. This hybrid methodology gives security teams deeper visibility into how vulnerabilities manifest in running systems.

Pros	Cons
Fewer false positives than SAST	Only analyzes executed code paths
Instant results during testing	Not available for all languages
Pinpoints Exact Code Location	Only implementable later on in the SDLC

Software Composition Analysis (SCA)

Software composition analysis examines third-party libraries, frameworks, and open-source components within your application. These tools identify known vulnerabilities in dependencies, track license compliance, and alert teams when components need updates. Since modern applications rely heavily on external code, SCA helps manage the security risks inherited from your software supply chain.

Pros	Cons
Scans against vulnerability databases	May miss or incorrectly flag vulnerabilities
Ensure compliance with licenses	Lack of vulnerability importance ranking
Pre-production detection	Dependency blindness in some cases

Penetration Testing

Pen testing involves security experts simulating real-world attacks against your applications and infrastructure. Whether conducted manually by skilled testers or through automated tools, pen testing identifies exploitable vulnerabilities by thinking like an attacker. This testing validates your overall security posture and often uncovers complex vulnerabilities that automated tools miss.

Pros	Cons
Replicates actual attacker tactics	Expensive to implement
Uncovers subtle flaws that automated tools miss	Limited scope
Holistic view of total defense effectiveness	Potential to inadvertently damage systems

Risk Assessment and Threat Modeling

This approach to software security testing takes a proactive stance by identifying potential security threats before writing code. These methodologies analyze system architecture, data flows, and trust boundaries to predict where attackers might strike. By understanding threats early, development teams can build security controls directly into application design rather than patching vulnerabilities later.

Pros	Cons
Uncovers vulnerabilities during the design phase	Lack of industry expertise
Builds controls into architecture early	Manual process takes significant resources
Improves team awareness of security	Often confusing methodologies

Benefits of Security Testing

Now that we have a good understanding of the different types of testing, what are the benefits of security testing?

Protect Against Evolving Threats

Statistics show that organizations that conduct regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessments experience significantly fewer successful cyber attacks. Modern threat actors continuously evolve their techniques, and security testing helps organizations stay ahead by identifying weaknesses before they can be exploited. This proactive approach transforms security from a reactive cost center into a strategic advantage that strengthens the entire technology infrastructure.

Build User Trust 

Demonstrated security trust is earned through measurable security practices. When organizations can demonstrate that their systems undergo rigorous testing and meet established security standards, customers and partners gain confidence in sharing sensitive data. Organizations with documented security testing programs see higher customer retention rates. This trust translates directly into competitive advantage and market credibility.

Achieve Regulatory Compliance 

Industry regulations like PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, and GDPR mandate regular security assessments and penetration testing. Organizations that implement comprehensive testing programs provide legal protection and reduce liability. Documented security testing creates an audit trail that demonstrates due diligence, which can be crucial during regulatory investigations or legal proceedings following a security incident.

Reduce Cost 

It’s truly impossible to obtain a completely accurate global number of how much has been lost due to breaches, but according to IBM, the global average cost of a data breach in 2025 alone, in USD, is $4.4 million.  This may not even take into account the cost of regulatory fines, legal fees, and reputation damage. Security testing identifies and addresses vulnerabilities at a fraction of these costs.

Challenges of Security Testing

There has to be nothing more challenging than finding the one semi-colon that is stopping your code from compiling (unless you’re using AI and it runs first go). Second most challenging? Making sure your systems are keeping up with the current threats, known and unknown.

Keeping Pace with Rapidly Evolving Threats

Modern threat actors evolve their techniques faster than traditional defensive cycles can adapt. New vulnerabilities emerge daily, and attack methods grow increasingly sophisticated. Security teams must constantly update testing tools, methodologies, and threat intelligence to remain effective. This challenge requires organizations to move beyond point-in-time assessments toward continuous testing approaches that adapt as quickly as the threats themselves.

Managing False Positives and Alert Fatigue

Automated security testing tools often generate high volumes of false positives, overwhelming security teams with alerts that don’t represent genuine risks. Distinguishing real vulnerabilities from benign findings consumes significant time and resources. Organizations must fine-tune their testing tools and develop validation processes to filter noise from actionable intelligence, ensuring teams focus on threats that actually matter.

Integrating Testing into Development Workflows

Modern development moves fast, with teams deploying code multiple times daily. Integrating comprehensive security testing without slowing release cycles presents a significant challenge. Security tools must fit seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines, provide rapid feedback, and avoid becoming bottlenecks. Finding the right balance between thorough testing and development velocity requires careful tool selection and process design.

Securing Expanded Cloud and Remote Attack Surfaces

Cloud migration, microservices architectures, third-party dependencies, and remote work environments have dramatically expanded organizational attack surfaces. Traditional security testing approaches designed for on-premises infrastructure struggle with distributed cloud environments and dynamic configurations. Organizations need testing strategies that account for ephemeral resources, API ecosystems, and the shared responsibility models inherent in cloud platforms.

Best Practices for Effective Security Testing

Early Integration and Strategic Alignment

Integrating security testing into software planning helps identify vulnerabilities early. Organizations that embed security requirements early can address fundamental design flaws before they become expensive problems (AKA spend less now so you don’t add to the 4.4M number). Building security into initial planning creates more resilient systems while avoiding costly late-stage vulnerability discoveries.

Continuous Testing in DevSecOps Pipelines

Embed DevSecOps principles for security testing directly into CI/CD workflows. This enables continuous validation, catching vulnerabilities before they reach production. This automated security approach breaks down silos between development, security, and operations teams. Most importantly, make security testing a part of the entire team’s workflow.

Balance Human Precision and Automation Efficiency 

Automated tools in CI/CD pipelines catch common vulnerabilities while freeing professionals for complex manual testing. Collaboration improves testing quality by combining developers’ application knowledge with security expertise.

Prioritize Risk Through Threat Modeling

Implementing threat modeling helps teams assess and prioritize security threats based on business impact and attack likelihood. This systematic analysis enables organizations to focus testing efforts on the most critical assets. Risk-based approaches direct resources toward threats that pose genuine danger, creating more efficient security programs that protect what matters most.

Security Testing Tools and Techniques

When it comes down to it, leveraging an AI-powered capable tool (DAST, SAST, IAST, or what have you) to strengthen application security posture by automating vulnerability detection is crucial. Here are a few that you should check out: 

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) Tools:

• StackHawk leads in developer-centric DAST with comprehensive API security coverage. It specializes in runtime testing for REST, GraphQL, SOAP, and gRPC APIs, integrating directly into CI/CD pipelines with 20-minute setup times. StackHawk discovers complete API landscapes from source code repositories, including shadow APIs, and provides actionable remediation guidance that developers find useful over 80% of the time.
  • Why choose StackHawk: Best for teams prioritizing API security with developer-friendly workflows and rapid CI/CD integration.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Tool:

• Snyk Code delivers static application security testing powered by AI and machine learning trained on millions of open source commits. It provides vulnerability detection with context-aware fix suggestions directly in the IDE. Snyk Code is a subset of the Snyk platform
  • Why choose Snyk Code: Best for development teams already using Snyk.

Software Composition Analysis (SCA) Tool:

• Endor Labs utilizes reachability-based vulnerability detection. It combines AI agents to analyze pull requests for architectural security changes and tracks AI-generated code provenance.
  • Why choose Endor Labs: Best for organizations managing complex dependency chains.

SAST + SCA Tool:

• GitHub Advanced Security integrates AI-based code scanning and easily integrates with other DAST Tooling, like Stackhawk. Their CodeQL tool queries code to identify vulnerabilities like SQL injection. Secret scanning detects exposed secrets in repositories and alerts developers.
  • Why choose GitHub Advanced Security: Best for teams already using GitHub.

Deciding What Security Testing Tool Works Best for You 

The one thing that remains constant is change. How we defend from these attacks will constantly evolve. Making sure you’re ahead of the game and even ahead of your competitors is key to staying in front. 

It is imperative that you find a tool that works for you. A tool that works for you not only when you are in the UI, but when you go AFK. It needs to be a dynamic tool that will be your best friend when someone unknowingly pushes a vulnerability on a Friday and logs off. 

Not only will you need a tool, but having the right strategy and compliance standards is also key. Implementing security measures and maintaining them through regular updates and training is critical for ensuring the security posture of an organization. You can think of the SDLC as a house; without a strong, secure foundation, your fancy UI and features will eventually crumble, whether due to old age or having a bad actor chisel away at your underlying system security. Ready to strengthen your application security? StackHawk delivers developer-first DAST with comprehensive API security coverage that integrates into your CI/CD pipeline in minutes. Start protecting your applications today—try StackHawk free or schedule a demo to see how we help teams ship secure code faster.