The Top 10 DevSecOps Tools for Application Security
Discover the top DevSecOps tools for application security with features like security as code, real-time monitoring, and vulnerability remediation.
Written by Joel Witts
Technical Review by Craig MacAlpine
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Aqua Security
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Checkmarx One
DevSecOps (Developer Security Operations) refers to the process of integrating security best practices into and throughout the software development lifecycle, leading to better security outcomes. This is an important aspect to delivering comprehensive security infrastructure.
Market Landscape: The DevSecOps market landscape is competitive. There are hundreds of vendors in the space offering tools to help organizations incorporate security processes throughout the application development lifecycle to mitigate against software vulnerabilities. Categories include:
- Application Security Testing: Analyzing and identifying vulnerabilities in code. Includes be static, dynamic, or interactive code analysis.
- Software Composition Analysis (SCA): Identifying and analyzing open-source code used in a code base.
- Application Security Posture Management (ASPM): Correlating and prioritizing vulnerabilities across the SDLC.
- Application Security Orchestration and Correlation (ASOC): Automating and streamlining workflows for remediating vulnerabilities.
Our shortlist of the top DevSecOps tools for application security will explore platforms that covering many of the above categories and features. As this is such a broad category, this is not an exhaustive list, but rather a selection of market leaders based on our assessment of key features and common use cases.
We will give a breakdown of what we like, capabilities on offer, security controls, compliance certification and a recommendation of who it’s best suited for.
Aikido Security streamlines application security by combining multiple DevSecOps tools into one platform.
What we like: Aikido helps teams focus on managing vulnerabilities rather than managing tech. The interface is modern and easy-to-use.
Strengths:
- Comprehensive scanning: 9+ code scanning capabilities, including cloud posture management, open-source dependencies, secret detection, and malware detection.
- Integrations: Works with your existing tech stack—CI systems, container registries, IDEs, task management tools, and messaging apps.
- Smart alerts: Automated prioritization and triaging of vulnerabilities, with customizable rules to filter noise.
- Robust security: Scans are run in temporary environments and deleted post-analysis. Read-only access means your source code remains untouched.
Compliance: SOC 2 Type II & ISO 27001:2022 certified.
We recommend: Aikido is a great choice for teams and startups looking for an all-in-one application security platform.
Inviciti
Inviciti combines automated, continuous interactive and dynamic application security testing (IAST and DAST) for complete app vulnerability scanning.
What we like: By combining multiple testing methods, the platform identifies vulnerabilities earlier in the SDLC. The interface is fast and easy-to-use.
Strengths:
- Coverage: Scans all web apps, APIs and source code. Covers all tech, frameworks and languages.
- Predictive risk scoring: Uses AI to analyze and prioritize risks based on over 220 factors.
- Automated Remediations: Automated workflows to automatically assign vulnerabilities to developers.
- Integrations: Integrates with tools across the SDLC pipeline.
Compliance: SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022 certified.
We recommend: Invicti is a strong choice for automated, continuous application security testing.
Inviciti
Acunetix
Acunetix is an application security testing and API security platform used by over 2,300 companies of various sizes to automate web application security.
What we like: The platform automates web application and API testing through discovery, detection, and remediation in a single, easy-to-manage admin console.
Strengths:
- Coverage: Scans all web applications, including complex apps built with HTML5 and JavaScript.
- App scanning: Can find over 12,000 vulnerabilities, including zero-day threats, blending DAST & IAST approaches.
- Reduced errors: Minimizes false positives and pinpoints exact lines of code that need to be remediated.
- Integrations: Integrates across the SDLC including with the CI/CD, issue trackers, and web application firewalls (WAFs).
Compliance: SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022 certified.
We recommend: Acunetix offers a comprehensive platform for teams of all sizes looking to improve speed and simplicity in app and API vulnerability scanning.
- Acunetix merged with Netsparker to form Invicti in 2021. This product is still sold under the Acunetix brand.
Acunetix
Aqua Security
Aqua Security offers a unified cloud security platform that is designed to protect the entire SDLC from code to cloud.
What we like: Aqua provides complete visibility for both DevOps and cloud security with a single console for code scanning and cloud security posture management.
Strengths:
- Single platform: Single platform for supply chain security, risk scanning, malware protection, CSPM and CWPP with integrations across the security stack.
- Code security: Discovers and remediates vulnerabilities, exposed secrets & malicious code.
- Cloud security: Protects cloud workloads and provides full visibility into cloud environments with Cloud Workload Protection.
- Automated response: Automated remediation workflows and risk insights.
Compliance: Supports multiple compliance frameworks, including PCI DSS and SOC2.
We recommend: Aqua Security is a strong fit for teams looking to consolidate DevOps and cloud security workloads into a single platform for discovery, prioritization, and response to vulnerabilities.
Aqua Security
Checkmarx One
Checkmarx One is a cloud-native Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) platform delivering a full suite of AI-powered appsec solutions.
Strengths: The platform offers a complete suite of application security solutions in a modern platform with an easy-to-use admin console and premium support services.
- Code security: Support for SAST, DAST, and API vulnerability scanning.
- Supply chain security: Identifies open source code used in applications and tracks third-party software components.
- Container security: Scans container images to identify vulnerabilities.
- Remediation: Enables fast remediation and ongoing secure coding training with Checkmarx Codebashing.
- Unified platform: Integrates across the SDLC with support for 75+ languages, 100+ frameworks.
Compliance: CCPA, DORA, GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, ISO 27001 SoA, NIST and SOC 2 compliant.
We recommend: Checkmarx One for CISOs, AppSec teams, and developers looking for a unified platform for simplifying DevOps workflows.
Checkmarx One
Codacy Quality
Codacy Security is a unified application security platform covering code scanning, secrets detection, and pen testing.
Strengths: Codacy provides developers with actionable insights to fix potential issues before they arise. The platform offers 360 degree visibility of application security risks.
- Full visibility: Covers all repositories with a simple grading system to track code quality.
- Helpful suggestions: Suggests fixes directly within coding platforms such as GitHub and GitLab.
- Risk prioritization: Sorts vulnerabilities by severity so developers can focus on critical issues first.
- Single platform: Logs, reports, alerts, and vulnerabilities can be tracked and managed from a single easy to use platform.
Compliance: SOC2 Type II and GDPR compliant.
We recommend: We recommend Codacy for teams looking for a unified app sec platform with a focus on ensuring clean, secure code. A cloud security posture management component is coming soon to the platform.
Codacy Quality
Fortify by OpenText
OpenText Fortify On Demand is a AppSec management platform which offers several tools, including SAST, SCAT, and DAST, with 24/7 support from a team of experts.
Strengths: This managed platform combines leading technical solutions with an expert human support team so teams can quickly resolve issues.
- Security testing: Continuous code monitoring with SAST, DAST and managed application security testing tools.
- Automated scans: Automated application scans and reports, highlighting risks by severity.
- Remediation: Guidance for remediating issues, backed by dedicated support team and a technical account manager.
- Developer training: Educational resources for developers and security teams focused on best practices for application security.
Compliance: Fed Ramp compliant – used by federal, state and local government agencies.
We recommend: Fortify OnDemand is a leading service and is a strong choice for enterprise teams looking for a unified AppSec platform with a managed component, strong customer support, and automations. The solution is a strong fit for local, state and federal government agencies and contractors.
Fortify by OpenText
GitLab
GitLab is a comprehensive DevSecOps platform that covers the entire software development lifecycle from initial planning through to continuous delivery and observability with built-in security controls.
Strengths: GitLab builds security into the developer process with integrated SAST, DAST, container scanning, secrets management, and API security.
- Single platform: Single platform for all developer, security, and operations functions with a unified data store.
- Security built-in: 15+ integrated end-to-end security controls, without the need for additional security add-ons.
- Compliance: Compliance management capabilities, auditing, and policy management.
- Identity management: Integrated identity controls to ensure teams are verified and security.
Compliance: GitLab is SOC 2 Type 2 and SOC 3, ISO/IEC 27001:2013, SO/IEC 27017:2015, ISO/IEC 27018:2019, VPAT, and GDPR compliant.
We recommend: GitLab is best suited for DevOps teams, security professionals, and organizations looking to integrate security seamlessly into their development processes.
GitLab
Snyk
Snyk is an application security platform designed to help teams develop secure code and protect cloud infrastructure from a single platform.
Strengths: Suite of leading security tools covering code security, open-source dependency protection, container scanning, and misconfigurations.
- Security coverage: SAST, SCA, container security, IaC, and ASPM controls in a single unified console.
- Zero day vulnerabilities: Detects zero day vulnerabilities with industry leading security intelligence.
- Faster remediation: Supports faster fixes for security vulnerabilities with context-driven prioritization of risks.
- Secure AI-generated code: Works alongside AI generated coding tools to scan AI code in real-time for vulnerabilities, with recommended fixes.
Compliance: ISO27001 and ISO27017, SOC-2 Type 2, and GDPR Compliant.
We recommend: Snyk offers a powerful platform for teams of all sizes looking for a unified platform for application security. It’s a great choice for teams looking to bring in AI-generated coding workflows, with real-time code scanning capabilities.
Snyk
Veracode
Veracode is a software security platform that uses artificial intelligence to identify and remediate flaws and vulnerabilities throughout the software development lifecycle.
Strengths: Veracode’s security tools integrate seamlessly into existing development workflows, providing fast, accurate, and reliable results with minimal interference in the development process.
- Vulnerability detection: Suite of code-to-cloud scanning tools including SAST, DAST, SCA, IaC, and container scanning.
- Automated remediation: Veracode Fix uses AI to automatically fix software vulnerabilities found in code.
- Management: Single dashboard for policy management, posture management, analytics, and compliance.
- Integrations: Connects with apps across the SDLC as well as cloud and application security platforms.
Compliance: Veracode is SOC 3 compliant.
We recommend: With a proven track record and a global customer base, Veracode is a reliable choice for teams looking for a platform with automated remediation for code vulnerabilities.
Veracode
FAQs
Everything You Need To Know About DevSecOps Tools for Application Security (FAQs)
DevSecOps is the model in which developers and security teams and processes are closely integrated throughout the entire software development lifecycle. This includes ensuring security best practices and testing take place from initial planning stages, right through to live deployment and beyond, with the main goal of improving application security.
DevSecOps tools are critical in ensuring application security, as they help to automate and improve security workflows with a range of features, such as application security testing and vulnerability scanning, integration capabilities, and reporting. DevSecOps tools help to minimize security risks and vulnerabilities, while enabling teams to continue rapid development of projects by automatically highlighting potential risks.
When selecting DevSecOps tools for application security, several features are critical to ensure robust and effective security integration within the DevOps pipeline. Although a broad area compromising many different types of solution, some key features include:
- Integration Capabilities: DevSecOps tools should be highly versatile and integrate widely with other solutions and into your application development environments.
- Comprehensive Vulnerability Database: Tools should have access to an updated and comprehensive database of known vulnerabilities to ensure accurate detection.
- False Positive Management: Tools should have low false-positive rates and provide mechanisms to manage and tune detections to reduce noise.
- Customizability and Extensibility: Ability to customize rules, alerts, and policies to fit the specific needs of your organization. Extensibility through APIs or plugins to add new features or integrations.
- Interactive Reports and Dashboards: Detailed reports that offer insights into vulnerabilities, their severity, and remediation guidance. Visual dashboards for a quick overview of security postures.
- Automated Remediation: Some tools offer automated patches or fixes for identified vulnerabilities.
- Regular Updates and Support: Continuous updates to stay aligned with the latest security threats and vulnerabilities. Reliable customer support for troubleshooting and guidance.
- Compliance and Policy Enforcement: Ability to define and enforce security policies across the development lifecycle. Features to help organizations stay compliant with industry regulations.
DevSecOps tools for application security include a wide range of solutions that help to identify and fix security vulnerabilities in software.
Here is a breakdown of the key categories of solutions within this broad umbrella:
- Static Application Security Testing (SAST): Analyze code for design flaws that could lead to security vulnerabilities.
- Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST): Scan running applications for vulnerabilities and imitates how a hacker would interact with your application or API.
- Application Security Orchestration and Correlation (ASOC): Correlates data security from various sources to provide deeper insights and automations.
- Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST): Analyze web application runtime behavior, working in the background during tests to observe interactions, behavior and data and providing detailed insights.
- Container Security: Protect containerized applications from security vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.
- Open-source vulnerability Scanning: Analyze open source components are compared against known vulnerability databases to identify issues and suggest remediation actions.
- Compliance Management: Help organizations to comply with security standards and regulations.
- Image Scanning: Identify vulnerabilities in container images and suggest remediation actions.
Written By
Joel Witts is the Content Director at Expert Insights, meaning he oversees all articles published and topics covered. He is an experienced journalist and writer, specialising in identity and access management, Zero Trust, cloud business technologies, and cybersecurity. Joel is a co-host of the Expert Insights Podcast and conducts regular interviews with leading B2B tech industry experts, including directors at Microsoft and Google. Joel holds a First Class Honours degree in Journalism from Cardiff University.
Technical Review
Craig MacAlpine is CEO and founder of Expert Insights. Before founding Expert Insights in August 2018, Craig spent 10 years as CEO of EPA cloud, an email security provider acquired by Ziff Davies, formerly J2Global (NASQAQ: ZD) in 2013, which has now been rebranded as VIPRE Email Security. Craig has extensive experience in the email security industry, with 20+ years of experience helping organizations to stay secure with innovative information security and cyber security solutions.