Breaking the Code: AquilaX
Absolutely, we’ve all been there. It’s that moment when the entire application security (AppSec) landscape seems to be in flux, and you need to project an air of control.
That’s the essence of being “AppSec-tools” in today’s world.
Developers find themselves amidst a maze of tools, all seemingly doing the same thing, and the confusion about which direction to take or which tool to trust prevails.
In this blog post, we’ll delve into the ‘why’ and ‘how,’ shedding light on how AquilaX can be the guiding star to simplify your life when navigating the complex terrain of application security tools.
Overwhelming Choices
First and foremost, developers are grappling with the overwhelming nature of today’s AppSec world, and it’s not their fault. There are numerous players in the field, with diverse opinions and solutions, making it challenging to identify the right approach.
Search for a question on application security, and you’ll find ten different blog posts with ten different answers.
This diversity in opinions and solutions has always been present in the tech space. However, due to the rapid evolution of the AppSec space and the multitude of tools/vendors emerging, it’s causing more confusion.
As the world progresses, we demand more features faster (modern-day development), influencing the AppSec space. We’re living in a time where we have unprecedented technological advancements and the most options, but as we’re all learning, that might not necessarily be a good thing.
For developers who have been in the space for 7–10 years, there’s a noticeable trend. It’s almost like a paradigm shift is happening. For instance, moving from “security as an afterthought” to “security integrated from the start.” Spoiler alert — security has always been important. In development, we’re just finally doing what we should have been doing all along.
For developers that are new in the space (2–5 years in), the way the AppSec landscape is evolving is causing a massive amount of confusion because it’s too much too fast. The experienced developers are confused as well, but less so because they’re recognizing the “trend” (the paradigm shift).
How about tools?
Too Many Tools
From a tools and vendors perspective, there are a lot… and by a lot, I mean a TON. Development has always had a variety of tools, but it’s never been this saturated.
As an example, think about static application security testing (SAST). For years, there were a few go-to tools for static analysis. Now there are 10+ SAST tools along with dynamic application security testing (DAST), interactive application security testing (IAST), and other specialized tools.
In today’s world, there are 10+ tools for each security category, and they all have a slight twist that makes the tool stand out. Unfortunately, it’s typically never enough of a twist to truly help you understand what tool you should use.
The problem with this approach is when developers have too many options, they’re naturally inclined to reject all options. If there’s too much information coming at them, they become overwhelmed and want to take a step back.
That’s how the majority of developers feel when hearing from vendors.
So, how do we fix all of this?
What’s The Fix?
The fix for both the confusion factor and the tools factor isn’t small, and there will be major pushback, but it’s very doable.
Confusion Fix
First, let’s talk about reducing confusion. To reduce confusion when going into a new or existing application security scenario, ask yourself one question:
What’s the expected outcome?
This question is the key to removing confusion. Let’s talk about a scenario.
Developer A gets super excited about all of the cool AppSec tools and security practices they read on blogs. They see that DevSecOps is gaining popularity and everyone is talking about it, so naturally Developer A thinks that DevSecOps will solve all of the security problems they’re facing. So, what happens? DevSecOps gets implemented without truly understanding what’s necessary or what the expected outcome is and security debt occurs.
Developer B on the other hand doesn’t get swept up by the hype. They ask the main question — what’s the expected outcome? Now, as a developer, it’s Developer B’s responsibility to decipher the answer. If Developer B is talking to a manager or someone in leadership, they may not get a technical answer. They’ll have to come up with the technical answer. They do, however, know what’s expected. Developer B can then come up with a solution for the expected outcome. It may be DevSecOps or it may not.
Tools Fix
From a “tools fix” perspective, this is a tricky one. After all, every developer can’t get together and boycott vendors from creating more tools… so how does the tool problem get fixed?
It’s a three-step approach.
First, identify the confusion fix. Understand the expected outcome.
Second, research the exact tools based on category for the expected outcome of the implementation you’re trying to do or the problem you’re trying to fix. You’re going to want to get other developer’s opinions, so Google around on various forums and see what developers are saying that they use in their environment. Remember, their opinion isn’t set in stone, take it with a grain of salt. However, you’ll have a good starting point.
Third, out of the 5–7 tools you’ll end up narrowing down to, narrow it to 2–3 and test them vigorously. You should take a minimum of 3–4 days to evaluate the tools and see which one works best for you. They may do the same thing, but something as simple as “the integration here was way smoother” will be a night and day difference from a scalability perspective.
Enter AquilaX
In the vast sea of AppSec tools, AquilaX stands out as a beacon simplifying the entire process, from tool selection and scanning integration to reporting and security fixing. https://aquilax.io/
By leveraging AquilaX, developers can streamline their AppSec journey with a unified platform that not only selects the right tools for the job but also seamlessly integrates them into the development lifecycle. AquilaX doesn’t just stop at scanning — it facilitates comprehensive reporting and aids in the efficient fixing of security issues.
Wrapping Up
There’s a massive amount of confusion in today’s AppSec world. Every developer from junior level to mid to principal is feeling it. The good news is there are a few different ways to navigate the problem. And remember, with AquilaX, you always have a guiding light — just ask yourself one key question: “What’s the expected outcome?”.”
