SCA / SAST: Code security starts at the source..What’s the difference, and can they be combined?

Imagine this:

• You’re working on a large software project, the code is running smoothly, the external libraries are set up, and everything works fine. Suddenly, you receive an alert about a critical CVE (Common Vulnerability and Exposure) in a library you didn’t even write a single line of code for!
• Or worse: you get a warning about a vulnerability in the code you wrote a week ago, which could open the door to attacks.

This is where two champions in the world of application security come into play:

1. Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
2. Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

However, each has its own approach… and each protects you from different kinds of problems. Let’s break them down simply and see how each one helps you.

First: SCA – Software Composition Analysis

If your project uses external libraries (which, of course, it probably does), SCA is your friend who checks for:

• Are there any libraries with known vulnerabilities?
• Are there licensing issues that could lead to legal trouble?
• Are there security updates you need to apply?
  

Second: SAST – Static Application Security Testing

Here, we’re not talking about ready-made libraries, but the code your team writes.

SAST analyzes the code before execution and looks for errors such as:

• SQL Injection
• XSS (Cross-Site Scripting)
• Unsafe type casting and any logical vulnerabilities can open the door to potential breaches

🔸So… SCA or SAST?

• The Question: Which one is better? , Can you operate without one of them?
• The answer: You need both.

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Conclusion

Securing your application has become an integral part of the development cycle, and risks today don’t wait until you deploy to show up.

• SCA protects you from the code you didn’t write,
• SAST protects you from the code you wrote yourself.

Use both together, and stay ahead of the risks.