Code security leverages practices and tools to detect and fix vulnerabilities at the source, before they reach production. Your team can implement code security with the following tools and practices:
Code reviews or manual audits of each commit or your whole codebase, performed by your engineers or an external security consultant
Code linters that enforce best practices to prevent known issues in programming languages
Static application security testing (SAST) tools that check code for known vulnerabilities
SCA audit tools that find risks in third-party code with known vulnerabilities
Remediation policies that define clear roles, actions, and steps to correct vulnerabilities before deployment
Finding the right tools can be a daunting task. Beyond quality, you must consider a tool’s maturity, documentation, and community support. These elements are critical for determining which tools can scale with you and enhance your comprehensive security plan.
Below, we break down the pros and cons of each tool and explain why a code security tool that includes all your other cloud security needs may be the better choice for a unified security program.
Multi-language code security tools
Multi-language tools often dedicate scanners to more popular languages, while less common languages—such as Elixir, PL/SQL, and Modelica—typically receive only single-tool support.
Here are some tools that work across multiple programming languages:
1. Semgrep
Semgrep is one of the most popular code security tools on GitHub, thanks to its rapid scanning of code and dependencies. Written in OCaml, it’s offered as an open-source core with a broader managed service. Semgrep’s commercial offering also supports deep semantic analysis across multiple languages, allowing teams to write custom rules for their codebase.
Developers and security teams use Semgrep to detect bugs, enforce code standards, and identify security flaws early in CI/CD pipelines without slowing down development. Its lightweight, grep-like syntax makes it easy to adopt and scale across repositories.
Supports: C#, Go, Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, and more
Pros:
Performs fast static code scans
Embeds easy-to-write custom rules
Includes excellent documentation and community support
Produces minimal false positives
Cons:
Open-source version has limited support for compiled languages and dependency analysis
Performance degrades with very large codebases
2. SonarQube
SonarQube is a security scanner with an open-source community edition that supports more than a dozen programming languages. It also offers static code analysis, helping developers detect bugs, code smells, and security vulnerabilities early in the development cycle.
The scanner integrates with popular CI/CD pipelines and DevOps tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and Azure Pipelines, enabling automated code quality checks during the build process.
Supports: Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, C#, and more
Pros:
Provides detailed explanations with deep analysis
Leverages CI/CD system integrations
Includes access support for quality gates to enforce security standards
Cons:
Complex setup and configuration
A resource-intensive tool
The latest version may not provide complete taint-tracking for all languages. You’ll likely need the Developer Edition for this and other features.
3. PMD
PMD, a self-proclaimed extensible source code analyzer, supports static code analysis—primarily for code quality. With over 400 built-in rules, it helps teams catch common programming issues like unused variables, empty catch blocks, and unnecessary object creation. Its copy-paste detector supports over 30 languages, making it easy for teams to spot duplicated code across different codebases.
This tool integrates with build tools like Maven, Gradle, and Ant, as well as popular IDEs like Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA, to automate code quality checks as part of your workflow. Developers use it to enforce coding standards, keep code maintainable, and catch potential bugs early in the process.
Supports: Java, JavaScript, Salesforce Apex, Visualforce, and more
Pros:
Provides teams with complete control through a highly customizable tool
Delivers a low false positive rate
Leverages incremental analysis for faster processing
Cons:
Limited security-focused rules
Less comprehensive than dedicated security tools
Steeper learning curve for custom rules
Wiz Code: Unify your cloud security and resolve code issues 10x faster
Remediate risks with one click
Detect vulnerabilities through agentless scanning
Leverage intelligent prioritization and contextualization
4. Bearer
Bearer is a developer-friendly SAST tool that scans your code directly from the command line. It uses built-in rules that align with the OWASP Top 10 and CWE Top 25 to detect critical issues like injection flaws, cryptographic failures, and access control vulnerabilities. Beyond traditional security checks, Bearer also analyzes data flows to identify and prioritize risks involving personal data and sensitive information, allowing teams to focus on the most impactful issues first.
Developers can easily add Bearer to their CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions or GitLab CI. This automates code scanning and privacy report generation, which helps with compliance for regulations like GDPR and HIPAA.
Supports: JavaScript/TypeScript, Ruby, Java, and more
Pros:
Applies privacy-focused rules, in addition to security
Organizes vulnerability prioritization by severity
Receives clean, actionable output
Cons:
Smaller community than other tools
Limited language coverage
Fewer integrations than established competitors
Bearer works best with JavaScript and Ruby.
5. Graudit
Graudit is a lightweight, grep-based static code analysis tool that identifies security vulnerabilities in source code. It uses customizable, built-in signature databases to detect common issues like SQL injection and XSS.
With flexible command-line options, Graudit is ideal for quick audits, CI/CD integration, and comprehensive security reviews, providing a simple yet powerful solution for developers and security teams.
Supports: ActionScript, ASP, C, COBOL, and more
Pros:
Offers an easy-to-use experience with minimal setup
Works with text-based code
Requires no dependencies, making the tool easy to navigate
Cons:
More basic functionality than advanced tools
Higher false positive rate
Limited contextual analysis and no remediation guidance
6. Horusec
Horusec is a tool with multiple deployment options, including a command-line interface (CLI), IDE plug-ins, and a Docker-based web UI for managing vulnerabilities. It supports numerous languages, making it suitable for various development setups.
In addition to SAST, Horusec offers secret detection and dependency vulnerability assessments and integrates smoothly with CI/CD pipelines for automated security checks during development. The web UI centralizes vulnerability management, enabling teams to classify issues, track progress, and generate detailed reports.
Users can add custom security tools and rules, as well as customize analysis to meet their project needs. Horusec’s features and flexibility make it a valuable tool for embedding security into development workflows.
Supports: Java, Go, Python, Ruby, and more
Pros:
Uses multiple interface options
Leverages visual vulnerability management UI
Benefits from an active development community
Cons:
More complex setup than some alternatives
Documentation gaps for some languages
Resource-intensive for large scans
Limited historical tracking
7. Scan
Scan is an excellent tool for quick deployments, offering a simple setup with preconfigured settings. Developers can generate detailed security reports out of the box, making it easy to get started.
It works with a wide variety of programming languages, allowing teams to analyze different codebases efficiently. It also integrates smoothly with popular development environments and CI/CD pipelines to automate security checks as part of your workflow.
Supports: Ansible, Apex, ARM, and more
Pros:
Offers easy adoption with zero configuration
Provides comprehensive language support
Implements CI/CD easily
Cons:
Limited customization and granular controls
Lacks fine-tuning capabilities for specific environments
Fewer advanced features
8. Betterscan
Betterscan Community Edition is an open-source DevSecOps orchestration toolchain that integrates multiple security scanning tools to analyze source code and infrastructure as code (IaC). It unifies results from these tools into a single report, helping developers spot and fix security vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and compliance issues across their code and cloud setups. It also offers features like SAST, software composition analysis, secret scanning, and supply chain risk detection.
This flexible platform offers both a CLI and a web-based user interface to simplify integration into various development workflows and CI/CD pipelines.
Supports: PHP, Java, Scala, Python, and more
Pros:
Conducts multiple scanning tool use cases
Streamlines comprehensive vulnerability detection
Performs secrets scanning
Cons:
Complex setup and management
Learning curve for configuration
9. Trivy
Trivy detects vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and security issues across the software development lifecycle. It also makes IaC scanning simple by identifying configuration file types like Terraform, Kubernetes manifests, and Dockerfiles. This helps developers shift left and tackle security problems early in the development process by applying security policies to catch issues like overly permissive access controls or insecure default settings.
The tool also scans filesystems and container images for known vulnerabilities in OS packages and app dependencies. It also performs secret scanning to detect hardcoded secrets like API keys and tokens in code or container images.
Supports: AWS, Terraform, Kubernetes, and more
Pros:
Provides extensive vulnerability database coverage
Achieves fast scanning speed
Strengthens container and IaC security
Delivers highly accurate results
Cons:
Limited application code scanning features
Fewer custom rule options
Higher dependency focus than code logic
Limited IDE integration optimization
10. Automated Security Helper for AWS
Automated Security Helper (ASH) is a tool that simplifies security assessments in AWS environments. It also integrates open-source scanners like Bandit, Semgrep, and Checkov to detect vulnerabilities in code, IaC templates, and IAM policies.
ASH runs locally via Docker, or teams can integrate it into CI/CD pipelines to automate security checks. It also generates reports that prioritize fixes, helping teams identify issues early on without complicating workflows.
Supports: Shell, Python, Ruby, and more
Pros:
Gathers AWS-specific security insights
Scans multiple resource types
Supports cloud-native applications
Cons:
Narrower use case than general tools
Less community support than larger projects
Open-source, language-specific code security tools
Different programming languages have unique security considerations, so using a specialized scanner can provide deeper insights. Here are the top open-source tools for several popular languages:
JavaScript scanning tools
| Tool | Description | Pros | Cons |
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| nodejsscan | A popular SAST scanner for Node.js applications that runs in a Docker container |
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| npm-audit | A built-in security tool for Node.js applications as part of npm CLI |
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| ESLint and security plug-ins | A linter with security-focused rule plug-ins |
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Python scanning tools
| Tool | Description | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandit | Python Code Quality Authority’s go-to Python security scanner |
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| Pyre | Meta’s security scanner for Python with an incremental analysis focus |
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| Safety CLI | A security scanner that uses the Python Vulnerability Database |
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Java scanning tools
| Tool | Description | Pros | Cons |
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| SpotBugs | The successor to FindBugs, a general code quality tool |
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| Find Security Bugs | An OWASP add-on for SpotBugs that focuses on security |
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| OWASP Dependency-Check | A tool for project dependency identification with known vulnerabilities |
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Go scanning tools
| Tool | Description | Pros | Cons |
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| golangci-lint | A scanner orchestrator that runs multiple linters in parallel |
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| gosec | The most popular security scanner for Go, which integrates with golangci-lint |
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| nancy | A dependency vulnerability scanner for Go modules |
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Ruby scanning tools
| Tool | Description | Pros | Cons |
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| Brakeman | A quintessential security scanner for Ruby |
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| Dawn | An alternative security scanner that focuses on web applications in Ruby |
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| bundler-audit | A Ruby gem vulnerability scanner based on an advisory database |
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PHP scanning tools
| Tool | Description | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHP_CodeSniffer | A preeminent code scanner with a phpcs-security-audit plug-in |
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| Psalm | A static analysis tool that focuses on type-related bugs, which includes security checks |
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| Enlightn | A security scanner for Laravel’s web framework |
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How to evaluate and select open-source security tools
When you’re deciding on the right tool, it’s critical to use a specific criterion. Consider the following points:
Maturity
You don’t want to invest in a tool that’s full of inconsistent updates and bugs. To avoid future problems and become a test case for a new tool, look for developmental history, proof of frequent updates, and signs of continual maintenance. You should also verify that past updates were free of bugs.
🛠️ Action step: Review the GitHub history of the OSS for comments that reveal the tool’s reputation, update frequency, and its speed in resolving issues.
Support
One of the most significant downsides to open-source security tools is the frequent lack of centralized support. While top open-source tools usually have generous communities that offer support and contribute to documentation, they often lack an official customer support team. Because of this, make sure the tool you use has a responsive community in case you ever run into an issue.
🛠️ Action step: Check out the project’s community resources, like GitHub activities or community platforms like Discord, to get a sense of responsiveness and the quality of support. Additionally, verify that the documentation is up-to-date and sufficient for your needs.
Even with limited OSS options for a given language, like Clojure, you can often find a strong and active community of members familiar with your tool. For Clojure, a good example is clj-holmes.
Integrations
In theory, open-source tools should be easy to embed in a security workflow. But as an experienced security professional, you know that’s not always the case. As a result, you should make sure the tool you choose can seamlessly integrate with your team’s IDEs, CI/CD pipelines, and other relevant processes.
🛠️ Action step: Conduct a no-pressure test of your top tool choice on your existing DevSecOps stack. Before committing significant time and resources, check for project-approved integrations, like GitHub Actions.
Scalability
A tool may work today, but can it grow with your expanding cloud infrastructure? To prevent outgrowing your tool quickly or dealing with headaches in the future, check its performance with more complex codebases. The tool should support multiple projects and offer parallel scanning for efficient runtime.
🛠️ Action step: Conduct a pilot scan to test the tool on your current infrastructure. Select your most complex repository and measure its performance in terms of speed and resource consumption. You can also review performance tests shared within the developer community.
Compliance
To meet regulatory standards, like OWASP Top 10, GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI, compliance and readiness for future audits are critical. A tool’s compliance features should be measurable, trackable, and reportable. Your open-source security tool should support these needs and provide policy enforcement.
🛠️ Action step: Verify that the tool scans for compliance-specific standards relevant to your industry and jurisdiction. Additionally, review the reporting features to confirm that it's easy to export data for your tools.
Consider automating cloud compliance with Wiz. The platform checks your security against over 100 built-in frameworks, including those listed above, as well as NIST, HiTrust, and SOC 2. It also provides granular, easy-to-use reporting to help you track progress.
Integration and migration considerations
As you evaluate potential tools, here are some practical tips for integrating them into your multi-cloud security infrastructure:
Integration
Integrating into your CI/CD pipeline: Embed your scanners into your CI/CD pipeline to catch vulnerabilities early. For example, tools like SonarQube and Semgrep offer plug-ins or CLI support for automated analysis and pull requests.
Centralizing findings in SIEM/SOAR: Ensure you can easily send scan results and logs for unified monitoring. SOAR tools, for example, can help you analyze vulnerability reports and create a remediation plan.
Migration
Leveraging cloud deployment: Streamline migration by running your security tools through your cloud environment for scalability and integration. For instance, you can use IaC and container image scanners for your pipelines and Kubernetes workflows. This also supports a shift-left approach by identifying misconfigurations early.
Phasing migration from legacy solutions: Legacy scanners aren't always easy to rip and replace. Running your new solution alongside the old one allows you to compare results and gradually phase out your legacy tool. This approach decreases disruptions while modernizing your security for cloud-native options.
Choosing your code scanning tool: Why open-source alone isn’t the answer
Open-source scanning tools are a great starting point, but without context, they fall short. Recent surges in supply chain attacks, for example, show that it’s more critical than ever to detect vulnerabilities before they reach production.
Your security team might look for open-source code scanning tools to help mitigate these issues. While these tools provide quality security insights, they’re just one piece of the puzzle. Most organizations require a more context-aware approach that looks at cloud configurations, runtime exposure, and exploitability to prioritize risks more effectively. The wrong tool increases the potential of missing vulnerabilities due to obstacles like:
A lack of coverage
Overload of false positives
CI/CD slowdowns from incompatibility issues
No insight into runtime exposure
As such, cloud environments require security tools that give you a clear view of your entire development process, from IaC security and container scanning to runtime protection, all in one easy-to-use platform. These solutions significantly reduce your organization’s risk exposure while maintaining development velocity in today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape.
Secure your cloud from code to runtime with Wiz Code
Open-source SAST tools are a valuable starting point, but often fall short in determining whether a vulnerable function is truly reachable, exploitable, or exposed.
That’s where Wiz Code makes the difference. Our solution detects, prioritizes, and remediates vulnerabilities across the entire software development lifecycle, from the first line of code to your running cloud workloads. With prioritized, contextualized alerts, you can prevent alert fatigue. This frees you up to address the most pressing vulnerabilities with clear action steps and to streamline the implementation of DevSecOps best practices.
Wiz Code’s in-depth CNAPP approach gives you real-time visibility into your development pipeline and assesses your code’s security posture. Sign up for a personalized demo today to see it in action.
