Can IAST tools run in production?

Some can. RASP tools like ContrastProtect are specifically designed for production and actively block attacks. Pure IAST agents are typically used in QA and staging because they add overhead and are optimized for test traffic, not live user traffic. Check the vendor's guidance on production deployment before assuming.

How does IAST handle APIs that aren't covered by automated tests?

It doesn't, and this is the core limitation of IAST. If your test suite doesn't exercise an API endpoint, the IAST agent never sees that code path. Route coverage reporting (available in tools like Contrast One) helps you identify gaps, but fixing coverage requires improving your tests.

Is IAST a replacement for SAST?

No. IAST and SAST find different things. SAST catches issues at rest in source code, including code paths that tests never hit. IAST catches issues in running code with real data flows, which reduces false positives. Most mature AppSec programs run both.

What languages do IAST tools typically support?

Java and .NET have the broadest support across vendors. Python support is common but sometimes limited to specific frameworks like Django or Flask. Go, Ruby, and PHP support varies significantly. Always verify against your exact framework version, not just the language.

How do AI-powered fix features in IAST tools actually work?

Tools like Contrast AST and CodeSec AI-Fixing Agent use the runtime context (data flow, call stack, code location) to generate targeted patches rather than generic advice. The quality depends heavily on how much context the agent captures. Sandboxed validation before deployment, as CodeSec does, is a meaningful differentiator over tools that just suggest fixes without testing them.

Interactive Application Security Testing Tools Worth Evaluating in 2026

Q: Compare IAST Tools Side by Side

[Compare IAST Tools Side by Side](/compare)

Q: Build Your AppSec Stack

[Build Your AppSec Stack](/stacks)

Introduction

IAST sits in a weird middle ground that most teams either ignore or misunderstand. It's not SAST. It's not DAST. It instruments your running application and watches what actually happens during execution. That means real data flows, real SQL queries, real HTTP requests. Not theoretical attack paths from static analysis.

The payoff is fewer false positives and vulnerabilities tied to actual code lines. The tradeoff is you need the app running, which means IAST fits best in QA, staging, or CI/CD pipelines where you're already exercising the application. If your test coverage is thin, your IAST coverage will be too.

The tools in this list range from pure IAST agents to platforms that blur the line between IAST, RASP, and runtime security. Some focus on finding vulnerabilities. Others focus on blocking attacks in production. A few are trying to fix the code automatically. Know what problem you're actually solving before you pick one.

Compare IAST Tools Side by Side

1. Black Duck Seeker IAST

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Black Duck Seeker instruments your application at runtime to detect vulnerabilities like SQL injection, XSS, and path traversal as your tests exercise the code. It goes beyond basic IAST by tracking sensitive data flows and doing binary analysis for open source components in the same pass. The compliance reporting covers OWASP Top 10, PCI DSS, GDPR, and CWE/SANS Top 25 out of the box.

Key Highlights

Active verification technology reduces false positives by confirming exploitability before flagging
Sensitive data tracking follows PII and secrets through the application data flow
API discovery covers REST, SOAP, and GraphQL including gRPC for microservices
Binary analysis catches open source vulnerabilities without requiring source code
CI/CD integration lets you gate builds on IAST findings automatically

Learn more about Black Duck Seeker IAST and find alternatives

2. Coder

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Coder is a self-hosted development environment platform that provisions workspaces via Terraform, giving security teams policy and boundary controls over where and how code gets written and executed. It supports air-gapped deployments, which matters if you're in a regulated environment where code can't touch the public internet. The AI agent governance features are genuinely differentiated: you can run parallel AI coding agents inside controlled boundaries.

Key Highlights

Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment support for regulated or classified environments
Agent Boundaries enforce policy controls on AI coding agent behavior

3. Codesecure Solutions CodeSec AI-Fixing Agent

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CodeSec AI-Fixing Agent takes a different angle: instead of just finding vulnerabilities, it generates and validates security patches automatically. It runs fixes in a sandbox before deployment and monitors post-fix to confirm the remediation actually held. Root cause analysis happens before the fix is generated, so you're not just patching symptoms.

Key Highlights

Automated patch generation with context-aware fixes tailored to your specific infrastructure
Sandboxed pre-deployment validation tests compatibility before any code ships

4. Contrast Application Security Testing (AST)

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Contrast AST instruments your application at runtime to map data flows and detect vulnerabilities including SQL injection and XSS at the exact line of code. It combines IAST with software composition analysis, so you get third-party library risk alongside your custom code findings in one view. Multi-language support covers Java, .NET, and Python with CI/CD integration into Jenkins, GitHub, and Jira.

Key Highlights

Runtime code instrumentation maps actual data flows rather than theoretical paths
Precise vulnerable code line identification cuts triage time significantly

5. Contrast ContrastProtect

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ContrastProtect is Contrast's RASP offering: security instrumentation embedded in the application that blocks attacks at the point of execution rather than at a network perimeter. It provides code-level visibility into attacks with full stack traces, so you know exactly which line of code was targeted. This is production protection, not a testing tool.

Key Highlights

Real-time attack blocking at point of execution, not at the network edge
Zero-day exploit protection without requiring a signature update

6. Contrast One

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Contrast One is a managed security service built on top of the Contrast platform, combining runtime vulnerability detection with expert guidance, policy governance, and role-based security training. If you're running a small AppSec team and need coverage without hiring five more people, this is the model worth looking at. It includes zero-day rapid response and customized dashboards alongside the human expertise layer.

Key Highlights

Managed service model adds expert guidance on top of runtime detection
Zero-day rapid response included as part of the service

7. Contrast Runtime Security Platform

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The Contrast Runtime Security Platform is the unified layer that ties together AST, ADR (Application Detection and Response), and supply chain visibility under one instrumentation model. Contrast Graph provides unified runtime intelligence across your entire application portfolio. This is the platform play: one agent, one data model, covering dev through production.

Key Highlights

Application Detection and Response (ADR) extends coverage from testing into production threat detection
Contrast Graph unifies runtime intelligence across inventory, attack surface, and vulnerabilities

How to Choose the Right Tool

IAST tool selection depends heavily on where you are in your AppSec maturity and what problem you're actually trying to solve. A startup shipping a Rails app has different needs than an enterprise running 200 Java microservices. Before you evaluate anything, answer three questions: Where does the tool run (QA, staging, production)? Who owns the findings (security team or developers)? And what does success look like (fewer CVEs, faster remediation, compliance reports)?

Language and framework support: IAST agents are language-specific. Confirm the tool supports your exact stack before anything else. Java and .NET coverage is table stakes. Python, Go, and Ruby support varies significantly across vendors. If you're running gRPC microservices, check that explicitly.
False positive rate and active verification: The whole point of IAST over SAST is higher signal quality. Ask vendors how they validate exploitability before surfacing a finding. Black Duck Seeker's active verification technology is one example of a concrete mechanism here. If a vendor can't explain their validation approach, expect noise.
Production vs. testing deployment: Some tools are built for QA and CI/CD pipelines. Others, like ContrastProtect, are designed to run in production as RASP. Running a testing-focused IAST agent in production under real traffic is a different risk profile. Know which mode you need before you buy.
Remediation workflow integration: Finding vulnerabilities is only half the job. Where do findings go? If your developers live in Jira and GitHub, a tool that integrates there directly (like Contrast AST) will get faster fix rates than one that dumps findings into a separate portal. AI-powered fix generation is increasingly a differentiator worth evaluating.
Open source and supply chain coverage: If your application pulls in npm, Maven, or PyPI dependencies, you need SCA alongside IAST. Some tools bundle this (Contrast AST, Black Duck Seeker). Others don't. Buying separate tools for IAST and SCA creates coverage gaps and alert fatigue.
Team size and managed service options: If your AppSec team is two people covering 50 developers, a managed service like Contrast One changes the math. You get runtime detection plus expert triage without scaling headcount. If you have a mature SOC and AppSec team, a self-managed platform gives you more control.
Air-gapped and compliance requirements: Regulated industries (financial services, defense, healthcare) often can't send code or runtime data to cloud-based SaaS. Coder's self-hosted, air-gapped model addresses this. Verify data residency and deployment model before you get deep into a POC.
CI/CD pipeline gate support: IAST findings are only actionable if they can block a build or create a ticket automatically. Confirm the tool supports your pipeline (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI) and that you can configure severity thresholds for build gates without a professional services engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

DAST attacks your application from the outside, like a scanner probing HTTP endpoints. IAST instruments the application from the inside and observes what happens during execution. IAST gives you code-level context (exact file, line number, data flow) that DAST can't provide.

Conclusion

IAST is one of the highest-signal AppSec techniques available, but only if your test coverage is solid and your team has a plan for what to do with findings. The tools in this list cover a wide range: from pure IAST agents to managed services to AI-driven remediation platforms. If you're starting out, Contrast AST or Black Duck Seeker give you a strong foundation with CI/CD integration and SCA bundled in. If you need production protection, ContrastProtect or the full Contrast Runtime Security Platform are worth a serious look. If your team is small and stretched thin, Contrast One's managed model might be the most honest answer. Match the tool to your actual constraints, not the most impressive demo.

Build Your AppSec Stack

Interactive Application Security Testing Tools Worth Evaluating in 2026

Introduction

1. Black Duck Seeker IAST

Key Highlights

2. Coder

Key Highlights

3. Codesecure Solutions CodeSec AI-Fixing Agent

Key Highlights

4. Contrast Application Security Testing (AST)

Key Highlights

5. Contrast ContrastProtect

Key Highlights

6. Contrast One

Key Highlights

7. Contrast Runtime Security Platform

Key Highlights

How to Choose the Right Tool

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

DISCOVER

SERVICES