How Our DAST Engine Works: Technical Deep-Dive

How Our DAST Engine Works: Technical Deep-Dive

Introduction

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) is critical for modern application security — but traditional DAST tools often fall short.
They miss dynamic workflows, struggle with JavaScript-heavy apps, and generate noise that developers ignore.

At Siber Ninja, we’ve built a custom DAST engine from the ground up — designed for depth, context, and exploitability validation.
This article provides a behind-the-scenes look at how we analyze real user flows, simulate chained attacks, and surface what truly matters to both security and engineering teams.

Why We Built Our Own DAST Engine

Most scanners use static fuzzing and generic templates. That’s not enough for:

• Single Page Applications (SPAs)
• Microservices with token-based flows
• Complex auth logic (SSO, OAuth, multi-step sessions)

Our goal: Build a DAST engine that doesn't just scan — it thinks like an attacker.

Core Capabilities

1. Context-Aware Crawling

Our crawler emulates real browser behavior inside a sandboxed environment. It dynamically executes JavaScript to uncover:

• Hidden endpoints
• Token-based authentication chains
• SSO and OAuth redirect paths
• CSRF tokens and dynamic headers

🧠 Outcome: Finds assets that traditional crawlers never see.

2. Hybrid Fuzzing + Passive Analysis

We combine targeted fuzzing with live traffic monitoring to:

• Surface logic flaws and state-dependent issues
• Detect broken access controls only exposed after login or redirection
• Flag insecure redirect flows and token leakage vectors

3. Exploitability Validation

Every finding goes through automated exploitability triage:

• Multi-step attack paths are simulated and validated
• Low-severity bugs are analyzed for chaining potential
• False positives are removed by testing real-world feasibility

🚫 No more 300-page PDF reports full of irrelevant noise.

4. DevSecOps-Friendly Output

DAST results should enable engineering teams, not slow them down.

We deliver:

• Actionable, reproducible findings
• Context-aware risk scores
• Fix recommendations tailored to the framework and business logic
• Output formats that plug into CI/CD, GitOps, and issue trackers

Real-World Example

In a recent enterprise test, Siber Ninja’s DAST discovered a hidden admin panel behind a token exchange flow.
Traditional scanners missed it due to:

• Multi-step OAuth
• Dynamic route generation
• JavaScript-based token rotation

Our engine:

• Tracked the session dynamically
• Followed redirect chains
• Captured the auth state
• Flagged the issue — before manual testing even began

⚡ This is the kind of detection modern apps demand — and legacy tools simply don’t support.

Key Takeaways

Not all automation is created equal.

To detect real threats in production-grade apps, DAST must:

• Understand application behavior
• Validate risks based on exploitability, not just pattern matches
• Fit naturally into DevSecOps pipelines
• Support security and developers with useful output

Ready to Ditch Checkbox Scanning?

Automated scans alone can’t capture the depth and nuance of real-world attacks.
Siber Ninja’s DAST Engine, built into our Security Platform, goes beyond surface-level checks to uncover what truly matters.

With our platform, you get:

• Continuous dynamic analysis that evolves with your app

• Validation by seasoned security experts

• Actionable findings mapped to real-world exploitability and developer context

• Try Siber Ninja Security Platform

• Request a DAST Demo

• Talk to Our Team to integrate real-world dynamic testing into your pipelines

Don’t just scan. Test like attackers — with Siber Ninja.