Exploring popular third-party security tools – Security Compliance with AWS Config, AWS Security Hub, and Automated Remediation
Exploring popular third-party security tools
Numerous third-party security tools can be combined and integrated into CI/CD pipelines for robust application security. Popular tools include the following:
- SonarQube: SAST tool that excels in detecting bugs, vulnerabilities, and code smells in your source code
- Checkmarx: Another SAST tool that specializes in scanning source code and identifying security vulnerabilities, providing actionable insights
- OWASP Dependency-Check: SCA tool that identifies publicly disclosed vulnerabilities in project dependencies
- Snyk: SCA tool focusing on dependencies and container vulnerabilities
- Clair: SCA tool for vulnerabilities in application containers.
- Grype: SCA tool for container images and filesystems
- OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP): DAST tool that identifies security vulnerabilities in web applications in test or production environments
- Trivy: Comprehensive vulnerability scanner for containers and other artifacts capable of detecting vulnerabilities within operating systems, application dependencies, and misconfigurations
While some of these tools may appear to have overlapping functionalities, it can be advantageous to combine different tools, even of the same type, within your pipeline. This approach allows for leveraging the strengths and compensating for the limitations or weaknesses of each tool, ensuring a more robust security posture overall.
Now, let’s delve into the specifics of SonarQube and OWASP ZAP integrations, as they are among the most commonly used third-party tools in both the SAST and DAST categories.
SonarQube integration
SonarQube is a leading SAST tool that can significantly enhance code quality and security, particularly when integrated into CI/CD pipelines. Its capabilities extend from continuous code analysis to identifying bugs, vulnerabilities, and code smells, ensuring adherence to high-quality coding practices. SonarQube offers both a self-managed and a software-as-a-service (SaaS) option.
In a CI/CD pipeline, SonarQube integrates into VCSs, offering automated reviews for every pull request. This integration provides developers with immediate feedback on potential security vulnerabilities and code quality issues, fostering a culture of high-quality coding standards and proactive security practices. Teams can also customize quality gates in SonarQube, setting specific criteria that code must meet before merging or deployment, thus ensuring compliance with established coding standards and security best practices.
Furthermore, when specific criteria set in quality gates are not met, it triggers a crucial process of review and revision. Developers are prompted to revisit their code, address the identified issues, and enhance the overall code quality. This iterative process not only improves the immediate code base but also contributes to long-term skill development among the development team. Developers become more adept at writing cleaner, more secure code from the outset, reducing the frequency of revisions in future projects.