Key takeaways

• Cloud-native applications depend on dynamic components, APIs, and ephemeral infrastructure that static tools cannot fully assess.
• DAST provides the runtime visibility needed to understand real behavior across Kubernetes, microservices, and serverless platforms.
• Invicti supports discovery and scanning across distributed environments, including API discovery through Kubernetes and Istio integrations.
• Integrations with CI/CD and flexible deployment options make it possible to embed DAST-first security into rapid development processes, with Invicti’s proof-based scanning cutting through the noise.

Why AppSec must evolve for cloud-native environments

Cloud-native applications are assembled from services, containers, functions, and APIs rather than delivered as a single deployable unit. Most actual business logic runs behind the interface layer, with APIs representing the majority of the attack surface. In these environments, static tools fall short because they can’t observe runtime behavior, track dynamic routing, or validate whether an issue is truly exploitable. They also cannot account for runtime changes introduced by autoscaling or redeployment.

Security teams need visibility into live behavior across constantly changing environments. They also need ways to confirm whether a reported issue can be exploited. Automated runtime testing has become central to modern AppSec programs for exactly this reason. Because cloud-native teams rely on rapid iteration, infrastructure-as-code, and continuous deployment, security must adapt to these operational realities rather than compete with them.

Challenges of securing Kubernetes, microservices, and serverless apps

Securing containerized applications built on Kubernetes and serverless platforms requires visibility into components that may exist only briefly. Microservices, jobs, and ephemeral workloads can spin up for seconds and shut down immediately after use. Testing must occur without disrupting operations or requiring heavy instrumentation.

The application surface is also defined increasingly by APIs. Many services expose internal and external endpoints, sometimes generated automatically by frameworks or created dynamically at deployment time. Finding these interfaces consistently is difficult without discovery approaches that operate at runtime. With ownership distributed across multiple teams, security often lacks a complete picture of what is running and how it changes daily.

To keep up, AppSec programs need continuous discovery and testing methods that work without prior knowledge of the underlying implementations. Cloud-native DAST addresses this need by focusing on observable behavior rather than static definitions alone.

How Invicti delivers cloud-native DAST

Invicti’s DAST-first platform is designed to operate across cloud-native architectures where services change rapidly. It provides runtime testing without requiring code changes, agents, or architectural modifications, which helps platform teams maintain autonomy while improving visibility across services.

DAST for Kubernetes environments

Kubernetes environments shift constantly as workloads are rescheduled or autoscaled. Invicti can scan applications deployed across clusters regardless of programming language or framework and without requiring deployment-time changes. For organizations that need deeper visibility into APIs running inside service meshes, Invicti provides several Kubernetes integrations to observe runtime API traffic patterns within a cluster and support runtime-based API discovery. This approach helps surface internal or undocumented APIs so they can be included in security testing without altering cluster configurations.

Microservices-aware scanning

Distributed applications rely on internal and external APIs for communication. Invicti supports these architectures with automated crawling, discovery, and scanning that follows the routing and interactions occurring across microservices. By discovering endpoints dynamically, including those exposed only during runtime operations, the platform helps teams test the actual attack surface rather than relying solely on documentation or design intentions. This is especially useful in environments where frameworks generate routes automatically or where teams deploy new services independently.

Serverless application security

Serverless functions are triggered through HTTP endpoints, event sources, or internal orchestrations. Invicti tests serverless applications by interacting with their live interfaces in the same way an attacker would. Because no access to the underlying infrastructure is required, functions can be tested in production-like environments without affecting their behavior. This is particularly helpful for workloads that execute briefly or unpredictably, where static analysis provides limited insight into real-world risk.

Seamless integration into modern DevOps

Security testing should fit naturally into build, deploy, and operate workflows. Invicti provides integrations with CI/CD systems such as Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub Actions, and Azure DevOps to automate scanning as part of each release. This aligns testing with development velocity and helps ensure issues are discovered while code is still fresh in developers’ minds.

Cloud-friendly deployment options make it possible to match the organization’s preferred operating model. The platform can be deployed in SaaS, self-hosted, or hybrid configurations depending on regulatory or operational requirements. For teams that prefer to integrate AppSec capabilities directly with existing automation and orchestration, Invicti exposes a REST API so workflows can be scripted, extended, and connected with other components.

Advantages of a DAST-first approach for cloud-native teams

Cloud-native environments require testing that reflects the behavior of live applications. A DAST-first approach supports this by evaluating vulnerabilities through running services. Combined with proof-based scanning, Invicti can automatically validate many types of vulnerabilities at runtime, which helps teams avoid unnecessarily tracking down issues that don’t represent real exposure.

Applying the dynamic lens first also supports security at the pace of DevOps. Teams get coverage that aligns with continuous deployment cycles, allowing them to surface and address exploitable issues earlier in the process. Because testing happens at runtime, new services, routes, or APIs introduced through scaling or deployment changes can be discovered and evaluated without manual work.

Next step: Bring runtime security into your cloud-native workflow

Shift AppSec to match your cloud-native speed. Discover how Invicti’s DAST-first application security platform supports modern API-first architectures with a focus on real risk and runtime behavior. Request a demo today.