Cloud-native applications, sprawling infrastructure, and the explosion of open-source components used throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC) create an expanding cyber attack surface. The bigger the surface area, the harder it is for security teams to identify every nook and cranny and all the potential threats lurking in those corners.
But it’s not just sheer size that presents a security conundrum; software development moves fast. The goal is to get software out of the development pipeline and into users’ hands as quickly as possible. Software generates revenue, so the faster, the better.
Yet, insecure software also creates problems. A significant breach of the software itself, or any part of the pipeline risks operational, financial, compliance, or brand damage, threatening to erase some of the gains of developing and deploying the software in the first place.
The fact is, application security is not a new or emerging field of cybersecurity. The earliest examples of code scanning date back to the 1970s and the release of “lint,” the first static analysis tool. Over the ensuing decades, many new AppSec tools were invented. But, like all technological transformations, the efficacy of commercially available tools trailed the needs of end users. It’s always been a game of “catch up,” to a degree.
Fast forward to 2025: AppSec teams need tools that can deal with the speed and complexity of modern software development and the expansiveness of software supply chains. Traditional and legacy application security tools, designed for a simpler era, are insufficient in today’s operating environment. What once constituted a thorough review of software now only scratches the surface. Application security teams must scan, monitor, and triage every phase of development, from design through runtime, to uncover risks as they arise, and remediate the most business-impacting security risks systematically. And if these tools can’t contain so many alerts that security and development teams can’t wade through them, problems are compounded, not remedied.
The recently released Enterprise Strategy Group report, “Modern Application Security Platforms — Fix What Matters,” delves into the current challenges facing AppSec and DevOps professionals. Based on independently collected and analyzed data, the report details why organizations need a modern approach to application security — one that:
- Focuses on a holistic approach to AppSec and SDLC security
- Goes beyond basic aggregation to prioritize vulnerabilities based on actual risk
- Provides the context necessary to make informed decisions
- Backs up context with demonstrable evidence
The Emergence of Unified AppSec Platforms
It’s no surprise that AppSec teams are looking for more accurate and advanced methods of understanding their SDLC attack surface. At present, many organizations are relegated to manually piecing together data from disparate AppSec deployments: Code scanning tools, software composition analysis, SBOMs, artifact scanning, cloud context, secrets scanning, and more.
These disparate systems are useful and, when appropriately woven together, produce a start-to-finish picture. However, managing disparate systems is still managing disparate systems. So while manually correlating AppSec data is possible, it’s time-consuming, resource-intensive, and prone to human error.
The fact is, AppSec practitioners want to be able to use their tools more efficiently (rather than wasting their own time). They want, as stated in the Enterprise Strategy Group report, to be able to unify data from deployed AppSec tools and “create a holistic analysis of the security and development process.” In fact, survey respondents were very clear that they are hungry for consolidation.
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of those surveyed said they are actively consolidating/integrating security operations tools.
Source: Enterprise Strategy Group eBook, Modern Application Security Platforms — Fix What Matters
ASPM in the Spotlight
Application security posture management (ASPM) is specifically called out in the report as helping security analysts:
- Enhance the efficiency and speed of execution “by connecting multiple data points for analysis”;
- Improve the accuracy of identified issues (e.g., reducing false positives, removing distractions); and
- “[f]ocus on the highest-priority issues first.”
ASPM was invented for these reasons, and leading platforms almost ubiquitously include automation, orchestration, and AI functionalities to give practitioners:
- The ability to identify software vulnerabilities before deployment to production (41%)
- Application security testing (40%)
- Scanning for open source code components and third-party libraries (38%)
- The ability to apply various security controls to be deployed in production (36%)
- The ability to identify malware before deploying to production (36%)
Source: Enterprise Strategy Group eBook, Modern Application Security Platforms — Fix What Matters
But not just any old tool will do. The efficacy of a platform’s data outputs (i.e., correctly identifying software vulnerabilities before they reach production, appropriately applying security controls, and accurately identifying malware prior to production) is entirely driven by the platform’s proprietary algorithms. The algorithms used directly impact the quality of insights generated — such as reducing false positives and accurately prioritizing threats — and either hinder or help practitioners in their efforts to prioritize and remediate the most impactful software issues.
The Power of Contextualized Prioritization
According to the Enterprise Strategy Group report, today’s application security challenges are far too complex for legacy platforms. Enterprise Strategy Group research shows that most organizations switch/want to switch to a unified modern AppSec platform because fragmented solutions don’t provide enough vulnerability context.
To ensure these platforms are relevant and actionable, an AppSec or ASPM platform should include a detailed analysis of each vulnerability’s reachability, exploitability, and business impact. When this data is verifiably assessed, it transforms generic suggestions into precise, targeted insights that allow organizations to significantly enhance their security risk posture.
Conclusion
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, organizations that rely on legacy, fragmented application security tools are sufficiently hindered by these tools’ inability to accurately assess AppSec security posture. As the Enterprise Strategy Group report has shown, the complexity of modern, cloud-native environments and sprawling software supply chains demands a unified approach to AppSec. By consolidating data from disparate tools and leveraging advanced ASPM platforms, organizations can transform an overwhelming number of (uncontextualized) alerts into precise, actionable insights.
Modern AppSec solutions, powered by proprietary algorithms, not only prioritize vulnerabilities based on real risk but also provide the essential context — such as reachability, exploitability, and business impact — that allows security teams to focus on what truly matters. This holistic, evidence-based approach minimizes false positives and ensures that every phase of the software development lifecycle is effectively secured.
With 69% of organizations already moving toward tool consolidation, it is clear that the future of application security lies in context-driven, unified platforms. By embracing this modern approach, organizations can significantly enhance their security posture, accelerate development without compromising safety, and ultimately protect the revenue and reputation generated by secure, resilient software.
Download the eBook here.
)
