Security scanning

Application security tools look for problems in code before attackers do. Static analysis scans your own source for vulnerable patterns such as injection or unsafe deserialization. Dependency scanning checks the open-source packages you use against known vulnerabilities. Supply chain tools such as Socket look further, at whether a package suddenly gained install scripts, network access or obfuscated code. Secret scanning catches keys and tokens committed by mistake.

AI shows up here in two ways. Several tools, including Snyk, GitHub Advanced Security with Copilot Autofix, Checkmarx and Semgrep, propose fixes for the issues they find, which a developer reviews and applies. Others use AI to cut noise, for example by judging whether a finding is reachable from real code paths, which is the idea behind Endor Labs' reachability analysis.

Coding assistants make this category more important. More code is written faster, and generated code can repeat insecure patterns or pull in packages nobody checked. Running scans in the IDE and on every pull request catches those problems while the change is still small.

The usual failure is alert fatigue. Start with the highest severity findings and the repositories that matter most, decide which findings block a merge, and give developers a clear path to mark false positives. Check that the tools cover your languages, package managers and build system before you buy.

Featured AI coding tools: security scanning

SponsoredSecurity scanning This position is open Put your tool at the top of the security scanning page. Paid spots are always labeled Sponsored. From $99 a month. Get featured

What a featured listing costs ยท from $99 a month

8 AI coding tools in security scanning

Snyk

Security platform that scans code, open-source dependencies, containers and infrastructure code, with AI-suggested fixes.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Works in VS Code
  • Works in JetBrains IDEs

GitHub Advanced Security

by GitHub

GitHub's code scanning, secret scanning and dependency review, with Copilot Autofix suggesting fixes for code alerts.

Semgrep

Static analysis with rules you can read and write, covering code, dependencies and secrets, with AI help to triage findings.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Open source

Socket

Checks open-source packages for supply chain risks such as malware, install scripts and suspicious changes before you add them.

  • Free plan or free version

Checkmarx

Enterprise application security platform covering code scanning, open-source risk and API security, with AI-assisted fixes.

Aikido Security

by Aikido

Security platform for smaller teams that combines code, dependency, secret and cloud scanning, with AI used to cut false positives.

  • Free plan or free version

Mend.io

by Mend

Application security platform for open-source dependency risk, code scanning and checks on AI components in your software.

Endor Labs

Dependency and supply chain security that shows which vulnerable functions your code actually reaches.

Where possible, try two tools on the same repositories for a few weeks and compare what each finds, how many findings turn out to be real, and how clear the suggested fixes are. Results differ more than marketing pages suggest, especially across languages and frameworks.

Remember that scanners are one layer. Code review, dependency hygiene, secrets management and least-privilege access for CI systems all matter as much. A scanner tells you about problems; your process decides whether they get fixed.

Think about who acts on findings. Developers fix issues faster when the finding arrives in the pull request with a clear explanation and a suggested change, and slower when it lands in a separate dashboard weeks later. Tools differ a lot in how well they explain a finding and how much context they give about where untrusted data enters the code. Ask for a trial on your own repositories and judge those explanations, since that is what your developers will read every day.

Questions about security scanning

Do AI-suggested security fixes need review?

Yes. A suggested fix can remove one problem and introduce another, or change behavior. Review and test it like any other code change before merging.

What is a software supply chain attack?

It is an attack through the code you depend on, such as a malicious package or a compromised update. Tools such as Socket and Endor Labs focus on spotting risky packages before you install them.

Which security tools have free options?

Snyk, Semgrep, Socket and Aikido Security have free plans or free tiers, and Semgrep has an open-source edition. Limits apply, so check what each free plan covers.

Where should security scans run?

In the IDE for early feedback, on every pull request so issues are caught before merge, and on the main branch on a schedule to catch newly disclosed vulnerabilities in packages you already use.

Related categories