Source Code Review & SAST Penetration Testing
Before your product ships, we read the code itself — not just how it behaves, but how it's built. Some of the worst issues never show up until someone actually looks at the source.
Source code review, defined
Source code review is Static Application Security Testing (SAST) integrated directly into your CI/CD pipeline, catching vulnerabilities in pull requests before they reach production. A hardcoded password or a shortcut that quietly skips a security check never shows up in a running application until someone reads the source.
Cheaper to catch here than after launch — findings map back to OWASP Top 10:2025 categories and are cross-checked against the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS).
What we test
- Injection vulnerabilities in code — command injection, SQL injection patterns before they're even deployed
- Hardcoded secrets — API keys, passwords, and credentials committed directly into source
- Authentication and authorization logic — flaws in how access control is actually implemented, not just configured
- Insecure design patterns — architectural decisions that create vulnerability classes regardless of implementation care
- Software supply chain risk — vulnerable or malicious dependencies pulled into your codebase
Mapped to OWASP Top 10:2025 & ASVS
SAST findings are mapped back to the Top 10:2025 category they violate, cross-checked against ASVS. There is no dedicated "OWASP Top 10 for source code."
How ComplyArmor runs source code review
SAST integrated directly into CI/CD to catch issues in pull requests, combined with manual review of authentication and authorization logic that automated tools reliably miss. Delivered as Smart PTaaS — continuous rather than a one-off engagement — and following our testing methodology: discover, scan, exploit, validate. Every finding maps to your compliance requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is source code review in penetration testing?
Static Application Security Testing (SAST) that reads your actual source code to find vulnerabilities — hardcoded secrets, injection flaws, insecure logic — that never surface in a running application until specifically looked for.
Can source code review be integrated into CI/CD?
Yes — it's designed to catch vulnerabilities in pull requests before they reach production, rather than finding them after deployment in a separate testing phase.
What is ASVS and why does it matter for source code review?
The OWASP Application Security Verification Standard — a detailed, graduated verification framework (L1-L3) that source code findings are cross-checked against for more rigorous assurance than the Top 10 checklist alone.
Does source code review replace penetration testing?
No — it complements it. Source code review catches issues visible in the code itself; penetration testing catches issues that only manifest in the running, deployed system, including business logic and environment-specific misconfigurations.