Staying Ahead of Cyber Threats with DAST Security Scans

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) is a critical security testing technique that assesses web applications for vulnerabilities while they are in operation. DAST security scans can help identify security weaknesses and provide valuable feedback for improving security. According to a report by HBR (Harvard Business Review), DAST testing can effectively detect security issues such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection (SQLi), and buffer overflow.

Additionally, it can help identify vulnerabilities in the software that attackers could exploit. DAST testing should be essential to any software development lifecycle to ensure that applications are secure and protected against potential cyber threats.

It is a security scanning method used to identify vulnerabilities in web applications. DAST scans are vital for the financial services sector because they can help protect against the growing threat of cyber-attacks on banks and other financial institutions. In this blog post, we will learn how DAST scans can be helpful for the financial services sector. 

What is DAST? 

It is a technique that simulates an attack on a web application to identify potential vulnerabilities. It involves scanning an application for known security flaws, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and cross-site request forgery (CSRF). DAST tools perform automated tests by sending malicious input to the application to see how it reacts. The results are then analyzed to identify potential vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit. 

Why is DAST necessary for the financial services sector? 

The financial services sector is a crucial target for cybercriminals because it deals with sensitive data and large sums of money. Banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions must be vigilant about cybersecurity to protect their customers’ information and prevent financial loss. These scans are an essential tool for identifying vulnerabilities in financial applications. They can help banks and other financial institutions to: 

Identify vulnerabilities before they are exploited 

DAST scans can identify vulnerabilities in web applications before attackers exploit them. This is crucial for financial institutions because cyber-attacks can cause financial loss, reputational damage, and regulatory fines. By identifying vulnerabilities early, financial institutions can act to mitigate the risk of an attack. 

Meet regulatory requirements 

The financial services sector is heavily controlled, and compliance is a top priority for banks and other financial institutions. These scans can help financial institutions meet regulatory requirements by identifying potential vulnerabilities attackers could exploit. This can help financial institutions demonstrate to regulators that they take cybersecurity seriously. 

Identifying vulnerabilities in web applications 

DAST scans help to identify vulnerabilities in web applications that attackers could exploit to gain unauthorized access or steal sensitive data. These scans simulate an attack on the web application to detect security weaknesses, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and authentication issues. These scans are critical in identifying vulnerabilities that could result in data breaches and financial loss. 

Testing the security of third-party applications 

The financial services sector relies heavily on third-party applications like payment gateways and loan processing systems. These scans can be used to test the security of these third-party applications to ensure that they do not pose any risks to the system.  

AlphaDAST 

After considering various DAST tools such as Rapid7, Detectify, Invicti, and Intruder, we at AUXIN have launched AlphaDAST. A software best suited for your application security and other security needs. The following criterion summarizes why we are the best at the game. 

We use Unauthenticated and authenticated scans that go beyond OWASP10. A significant edge that Auxin has over our competitors is that we allow scans behind a firewall. So, no loophole gets unchecked. To minimize the challenges, AUXIN allows vendor and consultant mode.  

This will enable stakeholders and company developers to have shared access to the tool so their concerns regarding privacy and confidentiality get resolved. We try out best to minimize false positives as much as we can and provide industry-specific scan and test results. AlphaDAST allows applications to scale more significantly without lowering their security. You can read more about Auxin and our services at auxin.io