Application Security Stack Up: Acunetix and StackHawk

Acunetix and StackHawk are both Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools designed to identify and address common application security vulnerabilities, such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection. Acunetix, established in 2005, focuses on testing production applications and is primarily used by security teams, offering both cloud-based and on-premise deployment models. It integrates with CI/CD systems but requires publicly accessible staging sites for testing, which can lead to longer scan times and delayed vulnerability fixes. StackHawk, on the other hand, is developer-centric and built for modern CI/CD automation, allowing for earlier testing in the development cycle without needing a publicly facing application. It utilizes the ZAP scanner and emphasizes API testing, providing real-time results and enabling developers to quickly address vulnerabilities. While Acunetix offers varying tiers with pricing based on the number of target sites, StackHawk's pricing is per user and includes full CI/CD integration across all tiers. The choice between the two depends on the organization's approach to application security, with StackHawk being more suited for DevSecOps practices and Acunetix aligning with traditional security team workflows.