Cybersecurity & QA5 min read
Security Testing Guide: Setup Plan, Timeframes, and OWASP Standards
Written by David Mwangi, DevOps & Security LeadPublished January 2026
Security can no longer be an afterthought added right before launch. DevSecOps embeds automated security testing into every stage of the software delivery pipeline.
1. Static Application Security Testing (SAST): Tools like SonarQube and Snyk continuously scan source code PRs for hardcoded secrets, SQL injection flaws, and unsafe dependencies.
2. Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST): Automated OWASP ZAP black-box testing simulates attacks against live staging APIs to verify authentication headers and CORS configuration.
3. Annual Penetration Testing: Certified ethical hackers perform deep manual exploitation audits annually to satisfy SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance standards.