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What SAST and DAST examine
SAST analyzes source code
Static application security testing (SAST) analyzes source code for vulnerabilities. It is useful for finding coding risks, but it is not the same as a dedicated search for credentials. GitLab lists SAST and secret detection as separate repository-scanning capabilities: GitLab’s security scanning documentation.
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DAST tests a running application
Dynamic application security testing (DAST) examines the behavior of a deployable, running application. It tests a different target from repository scanning, and it should not be treated as a substitute for searching code or other repositories for credentials. GitLab distinguishes behavioral testing from repository scanning in the same security scanning documentation.
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A credential can be present in a repository even when the main concern is not a conventional code vulnerability or a behavior visible in a running application. Dedicated secret detection looks for recognized credentials in repositories; some platforms also offer blocking features intended to stop supported secrets from being committed. GitLab identifies secret detection as its own scan type and describes it as detecting and blocking secrets from being committed: GitLab security scanning.
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Detection has limits. GitHub documents that coverage depends on supported token types, pattern context, and configuration. For example, some pattern-pair detections require both parts to be found in the same file and pushed. Push protection also has limitations, so neither scanning nor a commit block should be assumed to catch every credential or exposure path. See GitHub’s secret-scanning detection-scope documentation for coverage details.
Detection does not manage a credential
A scanner can surface a finding or prevent a supported secret from entering a repository, but it does not by itself decide where the credential belongs, who may use it, how it is handled by a build pipeline, or when it should be replaced. OWASP’s Secrets Management Cheat Sheet covers those lifecycle practices, including controlled storage and access, CI/CD handling, logging, and rotation.
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When a credential is exposed, treat it as both a detection finding and an operational response. Review where it may have been used, restrict or revoke access as appropriate, replace it, and update dependent systems. A finding alone does not revoke or replace the credential; that follows from the distinction between detection and the management practices OWASP describes.
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Build a layered secrets-security process
- Use SAST and DAST for their intended targets. Run SAST against source code for code-level vulnerabilities, and DAST against a deployable application to test runtime behavior. These controls complement each other, but neither replaces secret-specific controls. GitLab documents these as distinct scan types.
- Enable dedicated secret detection. Check which credential types and pattern contexts your platform recognizes. Review its configuration and coverage rather than assuming all tokens, formats, or repositories are included. GitHub’s coverage documentation describes how detection depends on supported patterns and context.
- Use commit blocking where it fits. Push protection can stop some recognized secrets before they are committed. Confirm which patterns it supports and understand its limitations; it is one preventive layer, not a guarantee against every leak. GitHub documents detection scope and push-protection limitations; its secret-scanning overview explains alerts for detected credential leaks.
- Control credentials in day-to-day use. Keep secrets out of source code, limit access to the people and systems that need it, protect their use in CI/CD, log relevant access, and plan rotation. OWASP discusses these practices and gives cloud-provider and third-party secret-management systems as examples; the appropriate approach depends on your environment and access model. OWASP Secrets Management Cheat Sheet.
- Respond to findings as lifecycle events. Assign an owner, determine whether the credential is active or was used, revoke or replace it as needed, and update legitimate consumers. Do not close the issue merely because the exposed string has been removed from the current code.
How to assess coverage
When evaluating a secrets-security setup, ask what it scans, what it can block, which token types and pattern pairs it supports, and how well its findings connect to your storage, access, logging, and rotation practices. Official documentation establishes these functional differences, but it does not provide an independent accuracy benchmark or a product head-to-head. Avoid treating feature presence as proof that every secret will be caught.
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