Evaluation of Static Analysis Tools for Finding Vulnerabilities in Java and C/C++ Source Code

Abstract: It is quite common for security testing to be delayed until after the software has been developed, but vulnerabilities may get noticed throughout the implementation phase and the earlier they are discovered, the easier and cheaper it will be to fix them. Software development processes such as the secure software development lifecycle incorporates security at every stage of the design and development process. Static code scanning tools find vulnerabilities in code by highlighting potential security flaws and offer examples on how to resolve them, and some may even modify the code to remove the susceptibility. This paper compares static analysis tools for Java and C/C++ source code, and explores their pros and cons.