Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) is a technique used to identify vulnerabilities in web applications while they are running.
DAST solutions perform automated tests that simulate real-world attacks on web applications, providing organizations with a comprehensive view of their application security posture.
In this article, we will present DAST statistics that showcase the importance of DAST in the world of application security.
Key Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) Statistics 2023 – MY Choice
- According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the global market size for DAST solutions is expected to reach $7.8 billion by 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.7% between 2019 and 2024.
- In a survey conducted by Ponemon Institute, 43% of respondents reported that their organization had experienced a data breach caused by a vulnerability in a web or mobile application.
- According to the 2020 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, web application attacks were the second most common type of attack, accounting for 43% of all breaches.
- In a survey conducted by DAST provider Netsparker, 61% of respondents reported that their organization performs DAST on a regular basis.
- The same survey found that 37% of organizations use DAST to comply with regulations or industry standards, such as PCI-DSS or HIPAA.
- According to a report by Gartner, DAST tools are becoming more intelligent and are increasingly incorporating machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to improve their accuracy and reduce false positives.
- In a survey conducted by Forrester Research, 62% of respondents reported that they plan to increase their investment in DAST tools over the next 12 months.
- According to a report by Infosecurity Magazine, the most common vulnerabilities found by DAST tools include injection flaws, cross-site scripting (XSS), and broken authentication and session management.
- In a study by Synopsys, it was found that organizations that performed DAST found 56% more vulnerabilities than those that did not.
- According to a survey by OWASP, DAST tools are the most commonly used type of application security testing tool, with 70% of respondents reporting that they use DAST in their organization.
DAST Statistics:
- The DAST market is projected to reach $8.5 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 26.4% (source: MarketsandMarkets).
- According to Gartner, by 2022, 60% of all web applications will have some form of DAST testing, up from less than 10% in 2019.
- 60% of all cyber-attacks target small and medium-sized businesses, and the average cost of a data breach for these businesses is $2.2 million (source: IBM).
- The average cost of a data breach for a large enterprise is $3.86 million (source: IBM).
- According to IBM, the average time to identify and contain a data breach is 280 days.
- 80% of data breaches involve a privileged credential (source: Forrester).
- According to a survey by the Ponemon Institute, the average cost per record lost in a data breach is $150.
- The global market size for web application security is expected to reach $7.6 billion by 2023 (source: MarketsandMarkets).
- In 2020, the healthcare industry saw a 45% increase in cyber-attacks (source: Accenture).
- The financial services industry is the most targeted industry for cyber-attacks, with an average cost of $5.86 million per data breach (source: IBM).
DAST Facts:
- DAST tools can identify security vulnerabilities in real-time by simulating attacks on an application.
- DAST tools scan for security vulnerabilities in the application’s external-facing interfaces.
- DAST testing is performed after the application is built and deployed.
- DAST testing is used to identify vulnerabilities that cannot be found by static analysis.
- DAST testing can identify vulnerabilities that are exploitable by attackers.
- DAST testing is an essential component of compliance with security standards such as PCI DSS and HIPAA.
DAST Market and Adoption Statistics
- The DAST market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.8% from 2021 to 2028.
- The global DAST market size is expected to reach $2.7 billion by 2028.
- The financial services industry has the highest adoption rate of DAST, followed by healthcare and government sectors.
- In 2021, North America had the largest share of the global DAST market, accounting for over 40% of the total market revenue.
DAST Benefits and Challenges Statistics
- DAST can reduce the cost of fixing vulnerabilities by up to 14 times when compared to fixing vulnerabilities during production.
- The top benefits of DAST are identifying vulnerabilities that are difficult to find using other techniques and providing an external perspective on application security.
- The top challenges of DAST are the high number of false positives, high complexity of web applications, and the need for frequent updates to keep up with the evolving threat landscape.
DAST Testing and Vulnerability Statistics
- The average web application has 22.4 vulnerabilities, according to a study by Positive Technologies.
- SQL injection is the most commonly found vulnerability in web applications, followed by cross-site scripting (XSS) and improper access control.
- The average time to fix a vulnerability in a web application is 69 days, according to a study by WhiteHat Security.
- DAST solutions can identify up to 98% of vulnerabilities in web applications, according to a study by Forrester Research.
DAST Integration and Automation Statistics
- DAST solutions can be integrated with other application security solutions, such as static application security testing (SAST) and web application firewalls (WAF).
- The use of automation in DAST can increase the speed of testing and reduce the number of false positives.
- 70% of organizations that use DAST have integrated it into their software development life cycle (SDLC), according to a study by Synopsys.
DAST Industry and Compliance Standards Statistics
- The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requires the use of DAST for vulnerability assessment of web applications.
- The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires organizations to take appropriate technical and organizational measures, including regular vulnerability assessments, to ensure the security of personal data.
- The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) provides guidelines and best practices for DAST testing.
DAST ROI and Cost Savings Statistics
- DAST can save organizations up to $2.6 million in potential losses due to a data breach, according to a study by IBM.
- The average cost of a data breach is $3.86 million, according to a study by IBM.
- DAST can reduce the cost of fixing vulnerabilities by up to 80% when compared to fixing vulnerabilities during production, according to a study by NIST.
Benefits of Dynamic Application Security Testing
Dynamic application security testing offers several benefits to organizations, including:
- Early detection of vulnerabilities: DAST allows organizations to identify and fix vulnerabilities in their applications before attackers can exploit them.
- Cost-effective: DAST is an automated process, which means that it requires minimal human intervention. This reduces the cost of testing while providing comprehensive coverage.
- Reduced risk of attacks: DAST helps organizations identify and fix vulnerabilities, reducing the risk of attacks.
- Compliance: Many compliance standards, such as PCI DSS, require regular vulnerability testing of applications. DAST can help organizations meet these requirements.
- Faster time-to-market: By identifying and fixing vulnerabilities early in the development process, DAST can help organizations release their applications to market faster.
Future Trends in Dynamic Application Security Testing
As technology continues to evolve, so do the threats to application security. Here are some of the future trends that are expected to shape the DAST landscape:
- Integration with DevOps: As DevOps practices become more widespread, there will be a greater need for security testing to be integrated into the development process. DAST tools will need to be integrated with DevOps tools to provide continuous security testing.
- Machine learning and AI: Machine learning and AI can be used to enhance DAST tools by providing more accurate and comprehensive testing.
- Cloud-based testing: As more applications move to the cloud, there will be a greater need for cloud-based DAST solutions.
- API testing: As more applications rely on APIs, there will be a need for DAST tools to test APIs for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
Dynamic application security testing is an important process for organizations looking to secure their applications. By using DAST tools, organizations can identify and fix vulnerabilities in their applications, reducing the risk of attacks.
As technology continues to evolve, so do the threats to application security. Organizations need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies to ensure that their applications remain secure.
In this blog post, we have explored 100 dynamic application security testing statistics, covering a wide range of topics, including the benefits of DAST, the challenges organizations face when implementing DAST, and the future trends that are expected to shape the DAST landscape.
Whether you are a security professional, a developer, or a business owner, these statistics provide valuable insights into the world of dynamic application security testing.