Quick answer

Each tool covers a different layer

SAST

Static Application Security Testing

Reads your source code without running it. Finds SQL injection, insecure deserialization, hardcoded secrets, unsafe APIs.

Stage: IDE + pull request

DAST

Dynamic Application Security Testing

Attacks your running application, like an external hacker. Finds XSS, auth flaws, misconfig, IDOR, broken business logic.

Stage: Staging / pre-prod

SCA

Software Composition Analysis

Maps your open-source dependencies and cross-references with CVE/NVD. Finds vulnerable libraries, incompatible licenses, transitive risks.

Stage: Build + continuous
Side-by-side

What each tool really finds (and misses)

Vulnerability SAST DAST SCA
SQL Injection ✅ ✅ —
XSS ⚠️ ✅ —
Broken Authentication — ✅ —
IDOR / Broken Access Control — ✅ —
Hardcoded secrets ✅ — —
Log4Shell (CVE-2021-44228) — ⚠️ ✅
Vulnerable transitive dep — — ✅
Incompatible license (GPL) — — ✅
Insecure deserialization ✅ ⚠️ —
Business logic flaw — ⚠️ —

✅ detects · ⚠️ partial detection · — blind spot

Conclusion: No single tool covers 100%. Using only SAST leaves logic flaws exposed. Using only DAST misses hardcoded secrets. Using only SCA misses your own code. You need the three layers.

Practical pipeline

How to integrate the three in CI/CD without slowing delivery

Each stage has its own time budget — the right tool at the right gate.

1. IDE / Pre-commit

SAST + secret scanning running locally. Budget: < 10 seconds per save. Goal: block critical issues before commit.

2. Pull Request

Incremental SAST (changed files) + SCA on new dependencies. Budget: < 3 minutes. Break build only on new critical finding.

3. Build / CI

Full SAST + full SCA on the main branch. Budget: < 15 minutes. Results sent to the vulnerability backlog.

4. Staging

Scheduled DAST (1–2×/week) + authenticated API scan. Budget: overnight window. Don't block deploy; feed the backlog.

5. Production

Continuous SCA (new CVEs on deployed artifacts) + external DAST monitoring. Alert on every new CVSS ≥ 7.

6. Governance

Single backlog (not 3 silos), correlated duplicate findings, risk-based prioritization and MTTR by severity.

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Recommended tooling

Platforms Evernow deploys in production

Fortify · SAST + DAST

Gartner leader, deep coverage in Java, .NET, C/C++.
SonarQube · SAST

Dev-first experience, low false-positive rate, deep IDE integration.
Semgrep · SAST + Secrets

Fast, open-source foundation, custom rules, PR-first feedback.
Sonatype · SCA

Governed repository + full dependency intelligence.
Veracode · SAST + DAST + SCA

Unified AppSec platform, strong for regulated industries.
Managed service

Evernow designs, deploys and operates your full SAST/DAST/SCA program.
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about SAST, DAST and SCA

Not safely. SAST finds what's in the code (SQLi, XSS, hardcoded secrets, IaC misconfig) but misses runtime config flaws, business logic and authentication flows that only show up when the app is running. DAST covers exactly that. The three (SAST, DAST, SCA) are complementary — only with all three do you cover 80%+ of OWASP classes.

No. SBOM is the dependency INVENTORY (versioned list). SCA is the tool that READS the SBOM and cross-references CVE databases to detect vulnerabilities. SCA also validates licenses and integrity. Having SBOM without SCA means inventory without alerts.

Semgrep Community Edition is the best open source option: fast, customizable, integrates with GitHub/GitLab Actions in <5 min, supports Python/JS/Go/Java/PHP/etc. SonarQube Community is also robust but requires its own server. Snyk Open Source has a free tier for public projects.

It can if misconfigured. Best practices: run in identical staging, schedule outside peak hours, configure scanner rate limit (1-2 req/s initially), use real authentication and exclude destructive endpoints (/delete, /reset). Veracode DAST and OWASP ZAP have built-in safe mode.

Use 4 factors: CVSS severity (critical/high = first), known exploit-in-the-wild (CISA KEV catalog), exposure (internal vs external asset), and business context. SAST with 1000 findings becomes noise without prioritization. A tool with Reachability Analysis (Veracode, Snyk) reduces backlog by 60-70%.

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