Comparing RASP with Traditional Security Measures

When constructing an application, developers will typically flock to traditional security architecture solutions that give the app the best possible chance against malicious threats. Web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems are two of these, both of which serve an invaluable role in keeping applications safe.

One emerging security measure is Runtime Application Self Protection (RASP), a solution that works from the inside of an application and monitors its runtime environment. As the cyber threat becomes more complex, innovative security additions like RASP are quickly becoming essential in cybersecurity environments.

In this article, we’ll explore RASP as a security measure, demonstrating its function and outlining how it differs (and enhances) other security efforts.

Introduction to RASP

A RASP component is stationed within the application’s runtime environment. This positioning means that it has direct access to an application’s runtime data – monitoring virtually every process and every operation that executes within an application. Due to this advanced level of access, RASP can monitor the behavior of an application to look for signs of malicious intent.

While technologies that sit on the perimeter of an application, like a WAF, can monitor traffic, they don’t have the same level of access that RASP has. Based on the exact code that an application is going to execute, RASP can stop processes or isolate activities to protect the application from the inside out.

For example, if a RASP component identified malware in the system, it could prevent the bad program from executing certain code, keeping the application’s systems running effectively and reducing what the program could achieve. It would also notify the security team about the malware or other threats, allowing them to take swift action to further protect the application.

RASP protection serves to provide an additional layer of security, one that goes far beyond the capabilities of traditional security measures.

Where RASP Stands Out

Most cybersecurity measures work from the outside in, preventing threats from accessing an application. While this approach will indeed prevent many attacks, it won’t be able to stop everything. There are certain attacks like zero-day vulnerability exploits, that traditional security measures won’t recognize and therefore won’t prevent.

By taking an inside-out approach to cybersecurity, RASP is able to monitor the runtime environment in real-time. Instead of looking for malicious threat markers, like traditional security tools, it can instead observe the functioning of the application.

If RASP detects uncharacteristic, suspicious, or simply unusual behavior within the application, it can instantly spring into action to isolate potential threats and reduce their access to the app as a whole. This strategy provides an instant response to absolutely any threat, not only those with known attack vectors.

RASP is unique as, by monitoring the runtime environment, it can offer the following security solutions:

• Real-Time Threat Detection: Instantly detect potentially malicious activity within an application and disable it. This approach will catch anything that slips through the gaps of other security components, creating a holistic approach that prevents the vast majority of malicious attacks.
• Zero-Day Vulnerability Neutralization: RASP security components are one of the only cybersecurity tools that can detect and neutralize zero-day threats. Considering there were 97 different major zero-day vulnerabilities in 2023 that caused damage to companies around the world, being able to detect these in an application and mobilize a defense could be the difference between a healthy application and one that is completely compromised by hackers.
• Low False-Positive Rates: Beyond just working during security events, RASP continuously gathers data in the background of an application’s runtime. With this additional insight, RASP tools can build up a more comprehensive understanding of what typical behavior looks like and what falls into suspicious territory. Due to this, RASP has a much lower false-positive rate than other application security components, helping create a safe but highly effective security solution.
• Security-Team Alerts: RASP will initiate self-protection when they detect a malicious program or behavior in an application’s runtime. Concurrently, they will alert security administrators to the potential threat and the action they’ve taken, helping to rapidly mobilize a comprehensive security response. These are especially useful in zero-day vulnerability exploits, where any additional time is vital to minimize the possibility of negative impacts on your business.
• Malware Isolation: By analyzing the typical runtime behavior of an application, RASP can rapidly identify when malware programs have infiltrated as they will locate any attempts at executing unusual code. By pinpointing these attempts, they can block the code from executing, rendering many malware programs completely useless in an application.

As a final line of defense, RASP is hugely effective at catching any form of malware or cyber threat that slips past other cybersecurity tools. Businesses that utilize RASP and combine them with existing cybersecurity architecture will create a comprehensive system of defenses that keep applications as safe as possible.

Enhancing AppSec with RASP

Modern businesses have numerous potential cybersecurity defenses that they can rely on when it comes to enhancing application security. While WAFs and other similar technology form a core part of effective protection, RASP is rapidly becoming a vital piece of cybersecurity infrastructure.

By protecting applications from the inside out by monitoring their runtime state, RASP is able to deliver a more comprehensive level of protection that even extends to detecting and neutralizing zero-day attacks. Where possible, businesses should be adding RASP to their existing security architecture.