Application Security - Definition & Overview

What is Application Security?

Application security refers to the measures used to protect software applications from security threats and unauthorised access across their lifecycle. It focuses on identifying and addressing weaknesses in application code, configurations, and runtime environments before they are exploited.

Application security applies to web, mobile, and enterprise applications and includes areas such as authentication, data handling, and access control. By integrating security into development and deployment processes, organisations can reduce risk, protect business-critical information, and maintain application reliability.

Why Application Security is Important?

Applications handle business-critical functions and data, making them a primary target for cyberattacks. As organisations rely more on web, mobile, and cloud-based applications, security weaknesses in application code or configuration can lead to data breaches, service disruption, and compliance issues.

Application security helps reduce these risks by addressing vulnerabilities at the application level, where many attacks originate. By securing how applications process data, manage access, and handle user requests, organisations can protect information assets, maintain service availability, and preserve trust with customers and stakeholders.

What are the Tools for Application Security?

Application security tools help identify, analyse, and mitigate vulnerabilities within software applications across different stages of development and deployment. These tools are commonly grouped into the following categories:

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

SAST analyses application source code, bytecode, or binaries to identify security weaknesses early in the development process. It helps developers detect coding issues and security flaws before applications are deployed.

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

DAST examines running applications by analysing how they respond to inputs and user interactions. It helps identify vulnerabilities that arise during execution, such as configuration issues and runtime weaknesses, without requiring access to source code.

Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)

IAST combines elements of static and dynamic testing by analysing applications from within the runtime environment. By observing application behaviour and code execution in real time, IAST provides context-aware findings that improve vulnerability detection accuracy.

Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP)

RASP operates from within the application to monitor behaviour during execution. It helps detect and respond to threats in real time by identifying abnormal activity and blocking or reporting malicious actions as they occur.

Web Application Firewall (WAF)

Filters and monitors incoming HTTP traffic to web applications, helping block common application-layer attacks such as injection and cross-site scripting.

API Security Tools

Protect application programming interfaces by enforcing authentication, authorization, rate limiting, and monitoring for abnormal API behaviour.

Secrets Management Tools

Help securely store, manage, and rotate credentials, keys, and tokens used by applications, reducing the risk of exposed secrets in code or configurations.

Key Application Security Controls

Application security controls are mechanisms used to enforce protection within an application by regulating access, securing data, and monitoring activity. These controls help reduce exposure to common security risks by governing how applications authenticate users, process requests, and handle sensitive information.

• Authentication
  Verifies the identity of users before allowing access to an application, using methods such as passwords, multi-factor authentication, or biometric verification.
• Authorization
  Determines what authenticated users are allowed to do within the application by enforcing role-based or permission-based access controls.
• Encryption
  Protects application data in transit and at rest by converting it into an unreadable format, reducing the risk of unauthorised disclosure.
• Logging and Monitoring
  Records application activity and access events to support visibility, incident investigation, and detection of suspicious behaviour.
• Input Validation
  Ensures that data entered into an application is properly checked and sanitised, helping prevent common attacks such as injection and cross-site scripting.