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Extending product function
Learn how to extend the product to meet specific development requirements.
Customizing the vulnerability database and pattern rules
This section describes how to customize the database and integrate customized vulnerabilities and other routines into scans.
Customizing with pattern-based rules
AppScan® Source pattern-based scanning is an analysis of your source code based on customized search criteria. Pattern-based scanning is similar to grep (grep searches one or more files for a given character string or pattern). Auditors or security analysts performing triage might use pattern-based scanning to search for specific patterns in specific applications or in a project. Once you define a pattern as a vulnerability type, a scan of your source code identifies the pattern as a vulnerability. When AppScan Source finds a match, the item appears in the findings table. The out-of-the-box AppScan Source rule library includes predefined rules and rule sets (collections of rules).
Applying pattern rules and rule sets
Rules and rule sets are applied at the application or project level in the Properties view - or in a scan configuration. After you scan applications or projects with applied rules - or use a scan configuration that includes rules - the results of the rule search appear in the views that contain findings.
Properties view: selected folder
In this mode of the Properties view, you configure parameters for the selected folder. Folder attributes depend on previously created global attributes. Properties vary according to the selected folder.

Welcome
Welcome to the documentation for HCL® AppScan® Source.
What's New
Explore these new features that have been added to AppScan® Source - and note any features and capabilities that have been deprecated in this release.
Installing
Learn how to install, upgrade, and activate HCL® AppScan® Source.
Configuring
Learn how to configure applications, folders, and projects, and set attributes and properties in HCL® AppScan® Source.
Administering
Learn how to administer user accounts and permissions, audit user activity, and manage integrations in HCL® AppScan® Source.
Scanning
This section explains how to scan your source code and manage assessments in HCL® AppScan® Source.
Triage and analysis
Grouping similar findings allows security analysts or IT auditors to segment and triage source code problems. This section explains how to triage AppScan® Source assessments and analyze results.
Reporting
Security analysts and risk managers can access reports of select findings or a series of audit reports that measure compliance with software security best practices and regulatory requirements. This section explains how to create reports of aggregate finding data.
Extending product function
Learn how to extend the product to meet specific development requirements.
- Customizing the vulnerability database and pattern rules
  This section describes how to customize the database and integrate customized vulnerabilities and other routines into scans.
  - Extending the AppScan® Source Security Knowledgebase
    This section describes how to customize the database and integrate customized vulnerabilities and other routines into scans. Custom rules tailor the AppScan® Source Security Knowledgebase (or vulnerability database) to your specific security standards and apply those standards consistently across your enterprise.
  - Customizing input/output tracing through AppScan® Source trace
    Some applications (particularly web applications) require input/output tracing to identify security vulnerabilities related to SQL injection, command injection, and cross-site scripting. Through AppScan® Source trace, you can specify a validation routine that, if used, eliminates the reporting of any vulnerability. All other outputs are marked as vulnerabilities if input has not been validated.
  - Customizing with pattern-based rules
    AppScan® Source pattern-based scanning is an analysis of your source code based on customized search criteria. Pattern-based scanning is similar to grep (grep searches one or more files for a given character string or pattern). Auditors or security analysts performing triage might use pattern-based scanning to search for specific patterns in specific applications or in a project. Once you define a pattern as a vulnerability type, a scan of your source code identifies the pattern as a vulnerability. When AppScan Source finds a match, the item appears in the findings table. The out-of-the-box AppScan Source rule library includes predefined rules and rule sets (collections of rules).
    - Pattern rule sets
      A pattern rule set is a collection of pattern rules. You can add new pattern rule sets or you can modify or remove existing ones. AppScan® Source provides a series of language-specific pattern rule sets that you can choose to apply to your projects or applications (for example, you may want to apply the Java pattern rule set to your Java/JSP projects).
    - Pattern rules
      AppScan® Source text rules can be Extended Global Regular Expressions Print (egrep), Global Regular Expressions (grep), or Perl regular expressions. These regular expressions (expressions that have string values that use the complete set of alphanumeric and special characters) match the rules.
    - Applying pattern rules and rule sets
      Rules and rule sets are applied at the application or project level in the Properties view - or in a scan configuration. After you scan applications or projects with applied rules - or use a scan configuration that includes rules - the results of the rule search appear in the views that contain findings.
      - Scan Configuration view
        The Scan Configuration view allows you to create configurations that you can use when launching scans. You can also use the view to set a default scan configuration. In a scan configuration, you can specify source rules to use during a scan - and you can include numerous scan settings. The settings made in a scan configuration can often lead to better scan results - and the ability to save these settings can make scanning easier and more time-efficient.
      - Properties view: selected application
        In this view, you configure attributes for the selected application. Application attributes depend on previously-created global attributes.
      - Properties view: selected folder
        In this mode of the Properties view, you configure parameters for the selected folder. Folder attributes depend on previously created global attributes. Properties vary according to the selected folder.
      - Properties view: selected project
        In this mode of the Properties view, you configure parameters for the selected project. Project attributes depend on previously created global attributes. Properties vary according to the selected project.
    - Pattern Rule Library view
      Pattern-based scanning is an analysis of your source code based on customized search criteria. The Pattern Rule Library view allows you to view existing pattern-based rules, by language (including the out-of-the-box AppScan® Source pattern rule library). In addition, the view allows you to add rules and patterns for pattern-based scanning.
- Extending the application server import framework
  AppScan® Source allows you to import Java™ applications from Apache Tomcat and WebSphere® Application Server Liberty profile. You can import Java applications from other application servers by extending the application server import framework, as explained in this topic.
- HCL® AppScan® Source for Development (Eclipse Plug-in)
  With AppScan® Source for Development, you can work in your existing development environment and perform security vulnerability analysis on Java and IBM® MobileFirst Platform projects. Security analysis lets you pinpoint vulnerabilities in the source code and eliminate them entirely with AppScan Source Security Knowledgebase remediation assistance.
Reference
Review reference information for HCL® AppScan® Source, including using utilities, plug-ins, and APIs.
Troubleshooting and support
Self-help information, resources, and tools to help you troubleshoot issues while using HCL® AppScan® Source.

Properties view: selected folder

In this mode of the Properties view, you configure parameters for the selected folder. Folder attributes depend on previously created global attributes. Properties vary according to the selected folder.

Selected folder Overiew tab

The Overview tab displays:

The folder Name.
The File path for the folder.
Scan for secrets:
- Select Scan for secrets to invoke secrets scanning along with other relevant scanners. When invoked, the engine checks for hardcoded passwords, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbers (SSN) when those secrets are detected in the code being scanned.
- Select Scan for secrets only to invoke only secrets scanning When invoked, the engine checks for hardcoded passwords, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbers (SSN) when those secrets are detected in the code being scanned.
Scan source code only: Select Scan source code only to scan only source files and ignore other supported file types (.dll, .exe).