
DAST vs. PenTesting: What’s the Difference?
DAST and PenTesting solutions aim to block attacks and minimize overall risk by enabling robust and proactive security testing.

When it comes to security testing, one of the most effective means of identifying vulnerabilities is through simulating attacks. This is the principle behind PenTesting and DAST solutions. By viewing your software from the outside, they can focus on vulnerabilities and opportunities that present themselves to attackers. This ensures that developers know where to expend their effort, rather than implementing blanket precautionary measures.
Application security is essential for organizations of all sizes, so investing in a robust application security stack – including DAST and PenTesting – can help to ensure business critical assets are well protected.
DAST and PenTesting both have the same goal: to minimize risk and prevent attacks before they happen. However, they are notably different in their approach, so businesses considering either one should consider these differences to work out the best solution for their needs.
For robust security, many organizations would benefit from using both solutions: DAST for continuous application testing and PenTesting for periodic, targeted evaluations.
What is DAST?
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) is a cybersecurity testing method that works by analyzing web applications in real-time to identify vulnerabilities and security weaknesses. DAST simulates attacks on a running application with the goal of uncovering issues such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and authentication or session management flaws. This testing method works even without access to the application’s source code, so it is ideal for black-box testing.
DAST is distinctly different to many other security tools due to its outside-in approach. DAST tools mimic the behavior of malicious actors by interacting with the application as an end-user would, helping organizations discover the vulnerabilities that could be exploited in a real-world attack. While other tools require source code and internal access to the application to assess security vulnerabilities, DAST tests applications in their runtime environment from the outside, using simulated attacks to mimic malicious actors.
By identifying these issues early in the development lifecycle or during deployment, DAST helps improve application security, reduce risk, and ensure compliance with security standards.
What is PenTesting?
Penetration testing, or PenTesting, is like hiring a friendly hacker to find and fix security weaknesses in your computer systems before real attackers do. These simulated cyberattacks are conducted by security professionals with the goal of exploiting any discovered weaknesses, much like a real attacker would, to assess the effectiveness of existing security measures in protecting the organization’s systems, networks, and applications.
This proactive approach not only works to enhance overall security posture, but it also ensures compliance with industry regulations and standards. PenTesting is very useful for uncovering vulnerabilities such as unpatched software, misconfigured settings, weak passwords, or insufficient access controls. It is often performed using a combination of manual techniques and automated tools to provide a comprehensive evaluation of an organization’s defenses.
Regular PenTesting is useful for improving cybersecurity posture, meeting compliance requirements, and safeguarding sensitive data. By proactively addressing risks before malicious actors can exploit them, organizations can better maintain robust cybersecurity defenses.
What Are The Differences Between DAST And PenTesting?
Here is a breakdown of how the following features compare between DAST and PenTesting:

Does Your Organization Need A DAST Or PenTesting Solution?
When considering both DAST and PenTesting as possible solutions for your organization, it is important to first thoroughly evaluate your security goals, needs, and available resources.
For organizations that are frequently developing or updating web applications and require an automated, continuous detection method to uncover vulnerabilities and authentication flaws, DAST is a good option. For organizations looking to discover complex vulnerabilities that automated tools might miss, and to gain a comprehensive assessment of overall security posture, the targeted, manual approach of PenTesting may be a better fit.
For the most optimal protection possible, some organizations may choose to use a combination of both. This allows them to benefit from the ongoing testing provided by DAST, in addition to the periodic, in-depth evaluation from PenTesting.
To help you find the best solutions for you, explore Expert Insights’ related articles on DAST and PenTesting:
- Top Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) Tools
- DAST Buyers’ Guide
- Top Pen Testing Software
- Top Pen Testing as a Service (PTaaS) Solutions