Which testing method is useful in identifying vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection?

The appropriate testing method for identifying vulnerabilities like cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection is Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST). DAST is designed to analyze the application in its running state, simulating real-world attacks to detect vulnerabilities that may be exploited by an attacker.

DAST tools interact with a web application while it is running, identifying runtime vulnerabilities that can be exploited via inputs or user interactions. Since XSS and SQL injection are both related to how the application processes input and interacts with the database in real-time, DAST is effective at uncovering such vulnerabilities.

In contrast, Static Application Security Testing (SAST) involves analyzing the application’s source code or binaries without executing the program. While it can identify some vulnerabilities during the development phase, it may not effectively detect issues that are a result of runtime behavior or application logic, such as those that are characteristic of XSS and SQL injection.

Penetration testing also plays a role in identifying such vulnerabilities, as it mimics an attacker’s approach to exploit weaknesses; however, it is typically a broader tactic that goes beyond just automated testing and often includes manual testing as part of a more comprehensive security review.

Vulnerability assessment provides a systematic review of security weaknesses, but it does not