Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
: A security testing methodology that analyzes a running application by sending crafted HTTP requests and analyzing responses for vulnerabilities. Unlike SAST which examines source code, DAST tests the application as an attacker would, finding runtime issues like misconfigurations, authentication flaws, and injection vulnerabilities in the deployed environment.
Why It Matters for AI-Coded Apps
DAST is essential for vibe-coded apps because it tests what actually runs in production, catching issues that static analysis misses: misconfigured security headers, exposed debug endpoints, broken authentication flows, and CORS misconfigurations. Many vulnerabilities in AI-generated code only manifest at runtime.
Real-World Example
OWASP ZAP crawls a vibe-coded application and discovers: the /api/debug endpoint returns stack traces with database credentials, CORS allows any origin, security headers are missing, and the password reset endpoint is vulnerable to brute force. None of these would be caught by reading source code alone.
How to Detect and Prevent It
Run DAST scans against staging environments before deploying to production. Use OWASP ZAP (free) or Burp Suite (commercial) for comprehensive testing. Integrate DAST into CI/CD pipelines for automated scanning on each deployment. Combine with SAST for full coverage – SAST finds code issues, DAST finds runtime issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between DAST and penetration testing?
DAST is automated scanning that tests for known vulnerability patterns systematically. Penetration testing is manual, expert-driven testing that chains vulnerabilities, tests business logic, and finds issues automated tools miss. Use DAST for continuous automated testing and pentesting for periodic deep assessments.
Can DAST test APIs?
Yes. Modern DAST tools like OWASP ZAP and Burp Suite can test REST APIs, GraphQL endpoints, and WebSocket connections. You can import OpenAPI/Swagger specs to guide the scanner. API-specific DAST tools include Postman (with security tests) and dedicated API security scanners.
How often should I run DAST scans?
Run DAST scans on every deployment to staging, weekly against production, and before any major release. For vibe-coded apps with frequent changes, continuous DAST in CI/CD catches regressions. Quick scans take minutes; full scans may take hours.
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