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Checkmarx

83
135
+ 1
0
Snyk

467
377
+ 1
20
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Checkmarx vs Snyk: What are the differences?

Introduction: In this article, we will compare Checkmarx and Snyk, two popular security testing tools, and highlight their key differences.

  1. Supported Languages: Checkmarx supports a wide range of programming languages including Java, C#, C++, Python, Ruby, and more, making it suitable for a variety of projects. On the other hand, Snyk primarily focuses on supporting JavaScript and its related frameworks, which makes it especially valuable for web applications developed using these technologies.

  2. Static Analysis vs. Developer-Centric Testing: Checkmarx primarily utilizes static analysis techniques to identify code vulnerabilities and potential security risks. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the source code, including detecting code-level vulnerabilities and insecure configurations. In contrast, Snyk focuses on developer-centric testing, integrating into the developer workflow and providing real-time vulnerability scanning and patching during development and deployment processes.

  3. Integration and Automation: Checkmarx provides integrations with various Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) and continuous integration tools like Jenkins and TeamCity. It allows for automatic scanning during the development stage and integrates well with existing development workflows. On the other hand, Snyk also offers integrations with popular CI/CD tools but focuses on providing seamless integration and automation within developer-driven platforms like GitHub, Bitbucket, and others.

  4. Open Source vs. Proprietary: Checkmarx is a proprietary tool that offers a comprehensive set of features and support but requires licensing. Snyk, on the other hand, is based on an open-source model and provides free access for scanning open-source projects, making it an attractive choice for open-source developers.

  5. Vulnerability Databases and Intelligence: Checkmarx has its own vulnerability database and intelligence platform, which provides insights into emerging threats and zero-day vulnerabilities. It offers customized dashboards and reporting capabilities for advanced vulnerability management. In contrast, Snyk leverages multiple vulnerability databases and intelligence sources to provide comprehensive vulnerability information for open-source dependencies.

  6. Remediation Guidance and Developer Training: Checkmarx offers detailed remediation guidance for identified vulnerabilities, helping developers to understand the root causes and suggesting steps to fix the issues. It also offers training programs tailored for developers to improve their secure coding practices. Snyk, although it provides some remediation guidance, primarily focuses on assisting developers with automatically applying patches and providing actionable insights within their development environments.

In Summary, Checkmarx is a comprehensive static analysis tool with broad language support and extensive vulnerability management capabilities. Snyk, on the other hand, focuses on developer-centric testing, providing real-time vulnerability scanning and tight integration with developer tools, making it a suitable choice for JavaScript-based web applications and open-source projects.

Advice on Checkmarx and Snyk
Bryan Dady
SRE Manager at Subsplash · | 5 upvotes · 447.6K views

I'm beginning to research the right way to better integrate how we achieve SCA / shift-left / SecureDevOps / secure software supply chain. If you use or have evaluated WhiteSource, Snyk, Sonatype Nexus, SonarQube or similar, I would very much appreciate your perspective on strengths and weaknesses and how you selected your ultimate solution. I want to integrate with GitLab CI.

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Replies (1)
Moises Figueroa
DevOps Engineer at Ingenium Code · | 2 upvotes · 34.9K views
Recommends

I'd recommend Snyk since it provides an IDE extension for Developers, SAST, auto PR security fixes, container, IaC and includes open source scanning as well. I like their scoring method as well for better prioritization. I was able to remove most of the containers and cli tools I had in my pipelines since Snyk covers secrets, vulns, security and some code cleaning. SAST has false positives but the scoring helps. Also had to spend time putting some training docs but their engineers helped out with content.

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Manage your open source components, licenses, and vulnerabilities
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Pros of Checkmarx
Pros of Snyk
    Be the first to leave a pro
    • 10
      Github Integration
    • 5
      Free for open source projects
    • 4
      Finds lots of real vulnerabilities
    • 1
      Easy to deployed

    Sign up to add or upvote prosMake informed product decisions

    Cons of Checkmarx
    Cons of Snyk
      Be the first to leave a con
      • 2
        Does not integrated with SonarQube
      • 1
        No malware detection
      • 1
        No surface monitoring
      • 1
        Complex UI
      • 1
        False positives

      Sign up to add or upvote consMake informed product decisions

      What is Checkmarx?

      It is a provider of state-of-the-art application security solution: static code analysis software, seamlessly integrated into development process.

      What is Snyk?

      Automatically find & fix vulnerabilities in your code, containers, Kubernetes, and Terraform

      Need advice about which tool to choose?Ask the StackShare community!

      What companies use Checkmarx?
      What companies use Snyk?
      Manage your open source components, licenses, and vulnerabilities
      Learn More

      Sign up to get full access to all the companiesMake informed product decisions

      What tools integrate with Checkmarx?
      What tools integrate with Snyk?

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      What are some alternatives to Checkmarx and Snyk?
      SonarQube
      SonarQube provides an overview of the overall health of your source code and even more importantly, it highlights issues found on new code. With a Quality Gate set on your project, you will simply fix the Leak and start mechanically improving.
      Veracode
      It seamlessly integrates application security into the software lifecycle, effectively eliminating vulnerabilities during the lowest-cost point in the development/deployment chain, and blocking threats while in production.
      Black Duck
      It is a solution that helps development teams manage risks that come with the use of open source. It gives you complete visibility into open source management, combining sophisticated, multi-factor open source detection capabilities with the Black Duck KnowledgeBase.
      WhiteSource
      The leading solution for agile open source security and license compliance management, WhiteSource integrates with the DevOps pipeline to detect vulnerable open source libraries in real-time.
      ShiftLeft
      ShiftLeft CORE provides fast and accurate application security findings built directly into the development workflow.
      See all alternatives