If you work on a DevSecOps team, you add security checks to each step of building software, from writing the code to shipping the release. But each step needs a different kind of check, and there’s a clear reason for that.
That’s because code written with AI tools can have the same security and license problems as code that people write by hand. On top of that, some flaws may not show up until the app is running. So, your pipeline needs checks on your own code, on the open source parts you pull in and on the live app.
With that in mind, this guide looks at 10 application security (AppSec) platforms and shows where each one fits in a CI/CD pipeline, which is the automated flow that builds, tests and releases your code after every change.
The 10 AppSec Platforms by Pipeline Stage
The table maps each platform to the pipeline stages it covers, the scans it runs and the team setup it suits.
1. Aikido
Aikido is an all-in-one application security platform that can find and fix vulnerabilities automatically. The solution covers checks from pull requests to live APIs.
Aikido in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- Before merge: Aikido IaC (infrastructure as code) scanning catches cloud setup mistakes before the changes reach the main branch.
- In CI/CD: Aikido secrets detection plugs into the CI/CD workflow, needs no upkeep after setup and skips secrets that are safe or irrelevant.
- For dependencies: Aikido looks for malicious code, such as backdoors, trojans and cryptojacking scripts, in JavaScript files and npm packages.
- During testing: Aikido simulates real-world attacks and scans every API endpoint for common threats.
Why Choose Aikido
- Aikido connects through its API, so you can deploy it without installing extra software on your servers. Besides, it runs reachability analysis on third-party components and triages findings to filter out false positives.
- Aikido works with read-only access and clones each repository into a temporary container that it deletes after the scan, which takes about 1 to 5 minutes.
- Last but not least, it sells tiered plans with set feature bundles, and signing up needs no credit card.
Best for: Teams that want code, container, cloud and API security checks managed in a single platform.
2. Veracode
Veracode offers a suite of application risk tools that help developers catch flaws early and ship secure code. As per Veracode, Veracode SCA detects and blocks malicious packages with 60% greater accuracy.
Veracode in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- Build gate: Veracode Pipeline Scan runs static analysis inside a CI/CD pipeline and can fail the build based on the severity of new findings.
- Baseline: Veracode Pipeline Scan compares each scan to a baseline file of known findings and flags new issues alone.
- In the IDE: Veracode SCA lets developers run scans, get fix suggestions and fix issues from the IDE (code editor) or the CLI.
- Scheduled tests: Veracode DAST runs automated or scheduled dynamic scans that match your release pace, including apps behind a firewall.
Best for: Teams that want to block builds on new findings while they work down older ones.
3. Checkmarx One
Checkmarx One is a security platform that hooks into developer editors, build pipelines and existing security tools.
Checkmarx One in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- One CLI: the Checkmarx One CLI is the base for every Checkmarx CI/CD plugin and handles all scan types, such as SAST, SCA and IaC Security.
- Package intake: Checkmarx detects malicious packages, such as typosquatting and dependency confusion attacks, and blocks them before they enter builds and pipelines.
- Dependency list: Checkmarx SCA lists direct and transitive dependencies, blocks untrusted parts by policy and generates SBOMs (software bills of materials).
- Deployment check: Checkmarx scans container images for flaws, bad settings and untrusted base images, so deployments match what was approved.
Best for: Teams that need supply chain checks from package intake to container deployment.
4. Snyk
Snyk sells a group of security products for your own code, third-party libraries, container images, IaC files and live web apps and APIs. Snyk says Snyk API & Web has a false positive rate of 0.08%.
Snyk in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- Pass or fail: Snyk connects to CI/CD pipelines to fail a build or report on it when a scan finds issues.
- Wide tool support: Snyk lists CI/CD integrations for Azure Pipelines, GitHub Actions, TeamCity and Terraform Cloud.
- Secrets in the pipeline: Snyk runs secrets scanning during CI/CD through the Snyk CLI.
- Image watch: Snyk Container scans images during the build and keeps watching them for new flaws and base image updates.
Best for: Teams that want one command line tool to run security scans across many CI/CD systems.
5. Contrast Security
Contrast Security is a runtime application security company. Contrast Security products include Contrast ADR (application detection and response), Contrast Application and API Security Testing and Contrast SCA.
Contrast Security in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- Commit time: Contrast Scan is a SAST tool for more than 30 languages and frameworks that runs lightweight scans in CI/CD pipelines and gives feedback at commit or pull request time.
- QA testing: Contrast Assess uses IAST (interactive application security testing) to watch code in real time and map the routes that run during tests.
- Two places: Contrast SCA tests third-party libraries in the code repository and in the running app.
- Production: Contrast ADR works from inside apps and APIs to block attacks in real time and gives responders guided runbooks.
Best for: Teams that want security findings from inside apps during testing and in production.
6. OX Security
OX Security links AI governance, code, cloud and runtime context in one place.
OX Security in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- No agent: OX SAST connects to developer workflows through Git-based scanning and CI/CD hooks, with no agent to install.
- Pipeline record: the OX Pipeline Bill of Materials (PBOM) tracks every component, dependency and configuration change across the CI/CD pipeline.
- Pipeline settings: OX CI/CD and Git Posture checks how secure your pipelines and Git settings are.
- Runtime to code: OX Code Projection traces a flaw seen at runtime back to the source code, repository and commit behind it.
Best for: Teams that treat the pipeline itself as an attack surface, from Git settings to build components.
7. Black Duck Polaris
Black Duck Polaris is a SaaS platform from Black Duck. Polaris runs SAST, SCA and DAST, and also scans IaC files and secrets.
Black Duck Polaris in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- Auto onboarding: Black Duck Polaris watches source code managers such as Azure DevOps, GitHub and Bitbucket and registers new repositories and branches on its own.
- Two scan speeds: Polaris runs rapid scans on pull requests, with results as PR comments, and full scans on merges, with results sent to tools such as Jira.
- Shared rules: Polaris uses one policy engine for SAST, SCA and DAST that can break builds and block pull requests when a rule is broken.
- Upgrade PRs: Polaris creates pull requests that move vulnerable open source packages to safe versions, and developers review each one before merging.
Best for: Teams that want one set of security policies applied to SAST, SCA and DAST results.
8. SonarQube
Sonar sells SonarQube for code quality and code security. SonarQube comes as SonarQube Cloud (SaaS) and SonarQube Server (self-managed).
SonarQube in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- New repos: SonarQube Cloud can create a project and start analysis as soon as a new GitHub or Azure repository appears.
- Review: SonarQube Cloud adds branch analysis and pull request notes for GitHub, Bitbucket Cloud, Azure DevOps and GitLab.
- Quality gate: SonarQube Cloud fails a pipeline when code misses defined quality and security rules, so the issue is not merged or deployed.
- Standards: SonarQube Cloud checks code against NIST SSDF, PCI DSS, OWASP Top 10, CWE Top 25, CASA and STIG.
Best for: Teams that want code quality rules and security rules in the same pipeline gate.
9. Mend.io
Mend.io sells Mend AppSec, a platform for SAST, SCA with reachability, triage and fixes. Mend.io claims its AI-powered remediation is 46% more accurate.
Mend.io in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- Package updates: Mend Renovate finds outdated packages and opens pull requests that show each update’s age, adoption, passing rate and change log.
- Event triggers: Mend Renovate scans repositories on a schedule and starts a job right away when a webhook reports a repository event.
- Pre-commit: Mend SAST works with AI code assistants to find and fix code flaws before code is committed.
- Safe attacks: Mend DAST tests running web apps and APIs with safe, read-only exploit attempts.
Best for: Teams that want dependency updates delivered as reviewed pull requests on a set schedule.
10. Invicti
Invicti is an application security platform built on DAST (dynamic application security testing) expertise. Invicti connects security across code, apps, APIs and the software supply chain.
Invicti in a DevSecOps Pipeline
- Live apps: Invicti scans running web apps and APIs and checks findings with proof-based scanning.
- Two methods: Invicti combines dynamic and interactive scanning (DAST plus IAST) in one approach.
- Hidden APIs: Invicti finds unknown web apps and shadow APIs and tests REST, SOAP and GraphQL APIs.
- Pipeline hooks: Invicti integrates with GitHub Actions, Travis CI, Azure DevOps and TeamCity, and Invicti Team and Enterprise include a REST API.
Best for: Teams whose main risk sits in running web apps and APIs.
How to Roll Out AppSec in DevSecOps
Well, adding a platform to your pipeline takes planning. These four steps come from vendor guidance.
- Set policies before tools: Black Duck advises teams to define security testing policies up front and then add the right test type at each pipeline stage.
- Roll out in stages: Snyk’s documentation says teams usually adopt a CI/CD integration in stages, starting with a deployment method and then a scanning plan.
- Start from a baseline: Veracode’s documentation describes a baseline approach, where an initial scan records known findings and later scans flag new ones until new findings stop appearing.
- Match deployment to teams: Black Duck notes that many organizations need on-premises or hybrid deployments for specific business units or teams alone.
Final Thoughts
All the 10 platforms here focus on different areas. Contrast Security and Invicti focus on running apps, while Mend.io and Checkmarx One put weight on open source packages and the supply chain. SonarQube and Black Duck Polaris center on policy gates, and OX Security checks the pipeline itself.
Aikido runs code, cloud and runtime checks from a single system. So, compare each platform against your own pipeline stages, languages and deployment needs before you choose one.
FAQs
How Do SAST and DAST Differ?
SAST (static application security testing) reads the code of an app that is not running. DAST attacks the live app from the outside, the way an attacker would.
What Does a Security Gate Do in a CI/CD Pipeline?
A security gate fails the pipeline when code breaks defined quality or security rules. From there, the issue cannot be merged or deployed until someone fixes it.
