Many businesses unknowingly expose themselves to risks like insecure deserialization—a subtle yet dangerous vulnerability. This flaw allows attackers to inject harmful data, potentially leading to remote code execution, data breaches, or system compromise. The fallout? Loss of critical data, operational downtime, and damage to a company’s reputation can take years to rebuild.
Thankfully, a way to stay ahead of these risks is to use Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) together. These powerful tools help detect and fix issues before they become major problems. Let’s explore how they work and why they’re essential for your business.
What Is Insecure Deserialization?
To understand insecure deserialization, let’s break down two key terms:
- Serialization: Converts data into a format that can be stored or sent (like saving a file).
- Deserialization: Turns that data back into its original form for use in the application.
The problem arises when an application deserializes data without checking if it’s safe. If an attacker sends malicious data during deserialization, they can manipulate the system to do things it was never meant to do, like gaining unauthorized access or running harmful commands.
Example of Insecure Deserialization
Imagine an online store that saves user preferences like this:
| json
{ “username”: “user123”, “role”: “customer” } |
An attacker intercepts and changes the data to:
| json
{ “username”: “admin”, “role”: “administrator” } |
If the application doesn’t validate the data before using it, the attacker could gain full control of the system, posing a serious security threat.
How SAST Helps Detect Insecure Deserialization
Static Application Security Testing (SAST) scans the application’s code to catch vulnerabilities early, even before the app is live. It can:
- Flag Unsafe Code: Identifies risky code patterns that don’t validate deserialized data.
- Spot Dangerous Functions: Detects unsafe use of deserialization methods.
- Provide Real-Time Alerts: Alerts developers so they can fix issues quickly.
For example, if the following code appears:
| java
ObjectInputStream ois = new ObjectInputStream(new FileInputStream(“data.ser”)); Object obj = ois.readObject(); |
SAST will warn developers if user input affects the deserialization, prompting them to add proper validation.
How DAST Detects Insecure Deserialization
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) works differently. It tests the live application by sending crafted malicious data to see if it can exploit the vulnerability.
- Injects Malicious Payloads: Sends fake serialized data to provoke a response.
- Monitors System Behavior: Looks for unusual activity, such as errors or unauthorized access.
For instance, DAST might try injecting:
| python
pickle.loads(b”cos\nsystem\n(S’rm -rf /’\ntR.”) |
If the application processes this payload without protection, DAST will catch it and report the issue.
SAST and DAST: A Perfect Team Against Insecure Deserialization
Using SAST and DAST together creates a robust security shield:
- SAST Proactively Finds Flaws: It catches insecure deserialization in the code during development.
- DAST Validates Fixes: Ensures the application remains secure when it’s live and under real-world conditions.
Together, they provide continuous protection, detecting and addressing vulnerabilities throughout the entire software lifecycle.
Conclusion: Protect Your Business with TRIOTECH SYSTEMS
Insecure deserialization is a serious security risk, but it can be managed with the right tools. By combining the strengths of SAST and DAST, you can catch vulnerabilities early and ensure your applications are safe.
At TRIOTECH SYSTEMS, we specialize in advanced application security solutions. Let us help you protect your business from evolving threats with our expert SAST and DAST strategies.
Contact Us Today and Secure Your Applications!
