---
name: sast-scanning
description: Perform static application security testing with tools like Semgrep, CodeQL, and SonarQube. Identify security vulnerabilities in source code before deployment. Use when implementing secure SDLC, code review automation, or security gates in CI/CD pipelines.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: devops-skills
  version: "1.0"
---

# SAST Scanning

Identify security vulnerabilities in source code through static analysis.

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:
- Implementing secure SDLC practices
- Adding security gates to CI/CD
- Automating code security reviews
- Finding vulnerabilities before deployment
- Meeting compliance requirements

## Prerequisites

- Source code access
- CI/CD pipeline
- SAST tool installation

## Tool Comparison

| Tool | License | Languages | Best For |
|------|---------|-----------|----------|
| Semgrep | OSS/Commercial | 30+ | Custom rules, speed |
| CodeQL | Free (GitHub) | 10+ | Deep analysis |
| SonarQube | OSS/Commercial | 25+ | Quality + Security |
| Bandit | OSS | Python | Python projects |
| Brakeman | OSS | Ruby | Rails apps |

## Semgrep

### Installation

```bash
# Install via pip
pip install semgrep

# Or via Homebrew
brew install semgrep
```

### Basic Usage

```bash
# Run with default rules
semgrep --config auto .

# Run specific rulesets
semgrep --config p/security-audit .
semgrep --config p/owasp-top-ten .
semgrep --config p/ci .

# Scan specific languages
semgrep --config p/python .
semgrep --config p/javascript .

# Output formats
semgrep --config auto --json -o results.json .
semgrep --config auto --sarif -o results.sarif .
```

### Custom Rules

```yaml
# .semgrep/custom-rules.yaml
rules:
  - id: hardcoded-password
    patterns:
      - pattern-either:
          - pattern: password = "..."
          - pattern: PASSWORD = "..."
          - pattern: passwd = "..."
    message: Hardcoded password detected
    severity: ERROR
    languages: [python, javascript, java]
    metadata:
      cwe: "CWE-798"
      owasp: "A3:2017"

  - id: sql-injection
    patterns:
      - pattern: |
          $QUERY = "..." + $USER_INPUT + "..."
          $DB.execute($QUERY)
    message: Potential SQL injection
    severity: ERROR
    languages: [python]
    metadata:
      cwe: "CWE-89"

  - id: insecure-random
    pattern: random.random()
    message: Use secrets module for security-sensitive randomness
    severity: WARNING
    languages: [python]
    fix: secrets.token_hex()
```

### CI Configuration

```yaml
# .github/workflows/semgrep.yml
name: Semgrep

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:

jobs:
  semgrep:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    container:
      image: returntocorp/semgrep
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Run Semgrep
        run: semgrep ci
        env:
          SEMGREP_APP_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.SEMGREP_APP_TOKEN }}
```

## CodeQL

### Setup

```yaml
# .github/workflows/codeql.yml
name: CodeQL Analysis

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]
  schedule:
    - cron: '0 0 * * 0'

jobs:
  analyze:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    permissions:
      security-events: write
      actions: read
      contents: read

    strategy:
      matrix:
        language: ['javascript', 'python']

    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Initialize CodeQL
        uses: github/codeql-action/init@v3
        with:
          languages: ${{ matrix.language }}
          queries: +security-and-quality

      - name: Autobuild
        uses: github/codeql-action/autobuild@v3

      - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@v3
        with:
          category: "/language:${{ matrix.language }}"
```

### Custom Queries

```ql
// queries/sql-injection.ql
/**
 * @name SQL Injection
 * @description User input in SQL query
 * @kind path-problem
 * @problem.severity error
 * @security-severity 9.0
 * @precision high
 * @id py/sql-injection
 * @tags security
 */

import python
import semmle.python.dataflow.new.DataFlow
import semmle.python.dataflow.new.TaintTracking
import semmle.python.security.dataflow.SqlInjectionQuery

from SqlInjectionConfiguration config, DataFlow::PathNode source, DataFlow::PathNode sink
where config.hasFlowPath(source, sink)
select sink.getNode(), source, sink, "SQL injection from $@.", source.getNode(), "user input"
```

## SonarQube

### Docker Setup

```yaml
# docker-compose.yml
version: '3.8'

services:
  sonarqube:
    image: sonarqube:lts-community
    ports:
      - "9000:9000"
    environment:
      - SONAR_JDBC_URL=jdbc:postgresql://db:5432/sonar
      - SONAR_JDBC_USERNAME=sonar
      - SONAR_JDBC_PASSWORD=sonar
    volumes:
      - sonarqube_data:/opt/sonarqube/data
      - sonarqube_logs:/opt/sonarqube/logs
    depends_on:
      - db

  db:
    image: postgres:15
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=sonar
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=sonar
      - POSTGRES_DB=sonar
    volumes:
      - postgresql_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

volumes:
  sonarqube_data:
  sonarqube_logs:
  postgresql_data:
```

### Scanner Configuration

```properties
# sonar-project.properties
sonar.projectKey=myproject
sonar.projectName=My Project
sonar.projectVersion=1.0

sonar.sources=src
sonar.tests=tests
sonar.exclusions=**/node_modules/**,**/vendor/**

sonar.language=py
sonar.python.coverage.reportPaths=coverage.xml

sonar.qualitygate.wait=true
```

### CI Integration

```yaml
# GitHub Actions
- name: SonarQube Scan
  uses: sonarsource/sonarqube-scan-action@master
  env:
    SONAR_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.SONAR_TOKEN }}
    SONAR_HOST_URL: ${{ secrets.SONAR_HOST_URL }}

- name: Quality Gate
  uses: sonarsource/sonarqube-quality-gate-action@master
  timeout-minutes: 5
  env:
    SONAR_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.SONAR_TOKEN }}
```

## Language-Specific Tools

### Python (Bandit)

```bash
# Install
pip install bandit

# Run scan
bandit -r src/ -f json -o bandit-report.json

# With configuration
bandit -r src/ -c bandit.yaml
```

```yaml
# bandit.yaml
skips: ['B101', 'B601']
exclude_dirs: ['tests', 'venv']

assert_used:
  skips: ['*_test.py', '*_tests.py']
```

### JavaScript (ESLint Security)

```bash
# Install
npm install eslint eslint-plugin-security --save-dev
```

```javascript
// .eslintrc.js
module.exports = {
  plugins: ['security'],
  extends: ['plugin:security/recommended'],
  rules: {
    'security/detect-object-injection': 'error',
    'security/detect-non-literal-regexp': 'warn',
    'security/detect-unsafe-regex': 'error',
    'security/detect-buffer-noassert': 'error',
    'security/detect-eval-with-expression': 'error',
    'security/detect-no-csrf-before-method-override': 'error',
    'security/detect-possible-timing-attacks': 'warn'
  }
};
```

### Ruby (Brakeman)

```bash
# Install
gem install brakeman

# Run scan
brakeman -o brakeman-report.json -f json

# CI configuration
brakeman --no-exit-on-warn --no-exit-on-error -o report.html
```

## Quality Gates

### SonarQube Quality Gate

```json
{
  "name": "Security Gate",
  "conditions": [
    {
      "metric": "new_security_rating",
      "op": "GT",
      "error": "1"
    },
    {
      "metric": "new_vulnerabilities",
      "op": "GT",
      "error": "0"
    },
    {
      "metric": "new_security_hotspots_reviewed",
      "op": "LT",
      "error": "100"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Custom Gate Script

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# security-gate.sh

CRITICAL=$(cat results.json | jq '[.results[] | select(.severity == "critical")] | length')
HIGH=$(cat results.json | jq '[.results[] | select(.severity == "high")] | length')

echo "Critical: $CRITICAL, High: $HIGH"

if [ "$CRITICAL" -gt 0 ]; then
  echo "FAILED: Critical vulnerabilities found"
  exit 1
fi

if [ "$HIGH" -gt 5 ]; then
  echo "FAILED: Too many high severity vulnerabilities"
  exit 1
fi

echo "PASSED: Security gate"
exit 0
```

## Common Issues

### Issue: Too Many False Positives
**Problem**: Alerts on safe code patterns
**Solution**: Tune rules, add suppressions, use baseline

### Issue: Slow Scans
**Problem**: SAST taking too long in CI
**Solution**: Incremental scanning, parallel execution, exclude test files

### Issue: Missing Coverage
**Problem**: Vulnerabilities not detected
**Solution**: Add custom rules, combine multiple tools

## Best Practices

- Run on every PR/commit
- Establish baseline for existing code
- Prioritize by severity and exploitability
- Maintain custom rules for your codebase
- Integrate with IDE for early feedback
- Track trends over time
- Document false positive suppressions
- Combine with DAST for comprehensive coverage

## Related Skills

- [dast-scanning](../dast-scanning/) - Dynamic testing
- [dependency-scanning](../dependency-scanning/) - Dependency vulnerabilities
- [github-actions](../../../devops/ci-cd/github-actions/) - CI integration