Taint mode is now in beta

Semgrep's taint mode, now generally available, enhances the detection of injection vulnerabilities by implementing a specific kind of data-flow analysis called taint analysis. Originally developed to enforce secure defaults through lightweight static analysis, Semgrep's taint mode offers a more efficient way to create rules for tracking the flow of untrusted data through a program, identifying potential security risks when this data reaches vulnerable functions. Unlike the previous "fake-taint" rules that were cumbersome and complex, taint mode allows for more succinct, maintainable, and powerful rules that can identify more complicated vulnerabilities. This mode uses specific annotations for sources, sanitizers, and sinks, making it easier to specify and detect where potential security issues may arise in the code. The development team at r2c has been actively using taint mode to improve the Semgrep registry and has acknowledged the contributions of early adopters in refining this feature. Taint mode is poised to become a significant part of Semgrep's functionality, with plans to expand its implementation across different programming languages, starting with JavaScript.