What Is RASP? Exploring Its Unique Role in Cybersecurity

Your firewall protects your applications and network from threats to network security by blocking malicious traffic. However, what if the threats originate internally? And what if they occur during application runtime? 

In those situations, you need a self-protection layer at the application level to detect anomalies and prevent cyber attacks. Runtime application self-protection (RASP) software offers exactly this.

RASP adds security checks to app environments and uses sensors in its code to recognize suspicious exploitation attempts. These attempts can be structured query language (SQL) injection or cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. 

When RASP software detects a threat, it automatically ends a user’s session, blocks harmful requests, or notifies security teams to investigate. Changes in the code aren't required for RASP to function. It allows teams to update or move applications to different platforms, like moving an app from on-site servers to the cloud. 

RASP understands applications’ behavior better than other tools. It can minimize false positives and effectively differentiate between real threats and careless authorized user actions. In this way, it keeps security teams focused on their most critical problems.

Why is RASP important?

RASP expands the limitations of intrusion prevention systems (IPS) and web application firewalls (WAF). These tools inspect and analyze network traffic, but they don’t examine how applications process traffic and data within it. It leaves a gap in security since there is a lack of visibility. 

RASP resides within the application’s runtime environment. It examines hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests, which may be harmless for one app, but devastating for another. Moreover, RASP analyzes data within the application because it might look different in transit. 

Modern applications use protocols beyond HTTP. For example, JavaScript generates WebSocket in browsers or mobile apps. RASP works well with diverse protocols.

In the same way, modern apps work with dynamic environments like containers, infrastructure as a service (IaaS), or platform as a service (PaaS). RASP secures applications in these environments while keeping up with the pace of DevOps integration, deployment, and delivery. 

How does RASP work?

RASP validates data requests directly within applications. It gives you visibility into and protection against threats as they block attacks. 

Whenever there’s a security incident, RASP takes control to address the problem. It alerts security teams with regard to potential threats in diagnostic mode and stops the threat when its solution goes into protection mode.

For example, RASP can stop detected SQL injection attacks and alert relevant human teams about the breach. 

RASP bundles with a web application firewall (WAF) to secure networks with context on an application’s runtime. In this way, you can fine-tune security for each application’s specific needs. Developers can involve RASP in function calls in source code or as a wrapper to secure applications with a single button push. 

Use cases of RASP

RASP’s flexibility allows developers to integrate it into various applications, making it a versatile security tool. However, some use cases for RASP are more commonly seen, such as:

• Web application protection: Web applications and APIs play a critical role in an organization’s infrastructure, but they are often vulnerable to numerous cyber threats. These applications are exposed to the public internet, making them susceptible to a range of exploitable vulnerabilities. Deploying RASP to safeguard these web-facing applications and APIs helps reduce the cybersecurity risks and minimize the attack surface of an organization’s online infrastructure.
• API security: APIs are integral to modern applications but are often targeted by cyberattacks. RASP’s ability to monitor and defend in real-time makes it effective for securing APIs, ensuring they’re not exploited by attackers trying to bypass authentication or inject malicious code.
• Mobile application security: Due to the sensitive data they often contain, attackers are increasingly targeting mobile applications. RASP can be used to add an additional layer of protection, monitoring interactions within mobile apps to detect and prevent attacks before they can cause damage.
• Zero-day vulnerability mitigation: While organizations typically have procedures in place to quickly apply patches for known vulnerabilities, they can only do so once a patch is available. RASP can be deployed as an immediate protective measure, securing critical applications, including web applications and APIs, against zero-day vulnerabilities that haven't been patched yet.
• Containerized environment protection: With the rise of containerized applications, securing these environments becomes vital. RASP can be integrated into containerized applications, offering protection against security vulnerabilities within the containerized infrastructure without disrupting deployment processes.
• Cloud application security: Protecting cloud applications can be challenging because they operate on external, leased infrastructure beyond an organization’s network perimeter. By integrating RASP into cloud-based applications, organizations can ensure robust security regardless of the underlying infrastructure, providing a portable and infrastructure-agnostic layer of protection.

How RASP and WAF work together

RASP and WAF are both critical security technologies, and while they have overlapping functions, they work in different ways to protect applications. Here's how they can complement each other:

Layered security approach

A WAF sits at the edge of the network, filtering and blocking malicious traffic before it reaches the application. It primarily focuses on defending against external threats such as SQL injection, XSS, and other OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities. In contrast, RASP operates within the application, providing real-time protection by monitoring and responding to threats as they occur during runtime. This layered approach ensures comprehensive protection against both external and internal threats.

Complementary protection

While a WAF can prevent certain types of attacks from reaching the application, it can't always detect sophisticated, application-specific vulnerabilities that attackers may exploit once inside the system. RASP, operating within the application, can identify and mitigate these attacks in real-time, such as those targeting vulnerabilities that the WAF may not fully block.

Response to attacks

A WAF typically blocks or allows traffic based on predefined rules, which can sometimes result in false positives or missed threats if the rules are not properly configured. RASP, on the other hand, can automatically detect and mitigate attacks in real time without blocking legitimate traffic. For example, RASP can stop an exploit attempt by blocking a malicious function call or altering the application’s behavior to neutralize the threat.

Visibility and insights

RASP provides deep visibility into the application’s behavior, generating alerts and logs for detailed forensic analysis. It can capture the specifics of an attack, including the exact point of exploitation and the impact on the application. A WAF offers a more general view of web traffic and threats. Together, they provide a broader picture of potential vulnerabilities and attacks, aiding in incident response and troubleshooting.

Adaptive protection

RASP can offer adaptive protection, adjusting its behavior based on real-time threat intelligence within the application. For example, if it detects a new attack vector, it can adapt its defenses on the fly. A WAF, while capable of updates, typically relies on signature-based defenses and may need manual updates to respond to new threats.

Benefits of RASP

RASP uses contextual information from application runtime to look for anomalies and damaging behavior. This context helps teams protect applications more broadly and accurately. 

Below are some more benefits you can expect when you set up RASP.

• Needs lower investment. RASP is much cheaper to deploy and operate than traditional WAF. However, to get more comprehensive protection, it is advisable to use two in a bundle.
• Requires less resources. You can deploy RASP onto existing servers to avoid capital expenses on hardware. Moreover, you don’t need extensive tuning or model building because RASP observes actual application behavior.
• It offers better protection. Since security is built into the app, RASP keeps false positives at bay, helping the security team focus on genuine security events and incidents.
• Facilitates agile development. RASP supports agile, cloud apps, and web services to accelerate development and guarantee comprehensive security. It protects you and your organization against cyber attacks, whether from an application programming interface (API) or a user interface.
• Provides comprehensive application security monitoring.  RASP simplifies monitoring the entire application or creating policies to log events from particular application activities without modifying the source code. It gives users more visibility when detecting and analyzing application layer attacks.

What to look out for when setting up RASP

While RASP offers many benefits, it also has some challenges when it comes to app performance, integrations, and resource consumption. Take a look at some of these notable RASP challenges. 

• Slows down applications. RASP operates inside the application, which slows down performance because of the extra security checks and monitoring.
• Complicates implementation. Integrating RASP into existing applications is a complex process and it requires expert configuration.
• Uses more resources. There might be a strain on your servers, which in turn might nudge operational costs upward.
• Needs expert personnel. RASP requires skilled security professionals to manage and configure it properly. Hiring professionals on contract or full-time adds some costs. 

5 RASP software to protect your applications

RASP tools integrate into applications' runtime environments and provide continuous protection against attacks from within the app. Companies use RASP to add a self-protection layer that complements other security measures, like WAFs. 

To be included in the RASP software list, a product must:

• Control application runtime execution
• Analyze the application's performance and behavior
• Identify unusual behavior and detect intrusion

These are the leading RASP software tools from G2’s Fall 2024 Grid® Report. Some reviews might have been edited for clarity. 

1. Dynatrace

Dynatrace’s RASP solution offers security directly into each app’s runtime environment and details insights into security issues. It helps developers quickly fix vulnerabilities and keeps applications secure in dynamic environments like hybrid or cloud infrastructures. 

What users like best:

“The product works very well and does exactly as advertised. You can easily build a dashboard from system data to know exactly what is happening in your systems.”

- Dynatrace Review, Matt M.

What users dislike:

“Feeling like experimentation is costly. With DDU cost and especially data query language (DQL) queries cost, it makes learning how to best use them feel dangerous and costly. Trial and error is a great way to learn, but it can really burn the money with Dynatrace.”

- Dynatrace Review, Nicholas W.

2. Appdome

Appdome is a no-code mobile app security platform that offers RASP capabilities to safeguard mobile applications from real-time threats. By integrating RASP directly into the app’s code during the development process, Appdome provides a dynamic layer of security that works during runtime to detect and block attacks.

What users like best:

"One of the things I appreciate most about Appdome is how seamlessly it integrates with our applications. The implementation process is intuitive, and it offers a wide range of features tailored to mobile device security. While we encountered a few challenges during the integration, the support team went above and beyond to help resolve them. They were proactive in troubleshooting, even assisting with tasks like opening an account at Unicred, despite the capital quota requirements. Since the integration stabilized, we’ve been using the tool frequently with minimal issues."

- Appdome Review, Michel P.

What users dislike:

"The interface for manual builds can be complex due to the wide range of features available. While this provides great functionality, it can be challenging for those who are new to the platform."

- Appdome Review,  Neil R.

3. APP Shielding

APP Shielding continuously monitors application behavior and detects any unusual activity, blocking attacks in real time. It safeguards company applications from cyber attacks without sacrificing user experience.

What users like best:

“APP Shielding provides best-in-class features for protecting mobile apps against various types of fraudulent acts, social engineering attacks, and various other threats with the convenience of easy implementation.

The application can be easily integrated and configured to be automated.”

- APP Shielding Review, Prashanth A.

What users dislike:

“The integration process is intricate and time-consuming, posing problems for developers. The software lacks user documentation, making navigation and understanding its capabilities somewhat difficult.”

- APP Shielding Review, Philip T. 

4. Contrast Security 

Contrast Security gives yo detailed insights into security vulnerabilities so your developers can address issues fast and accurately. It’s particularly effective for businesses that are seeking to improve their security posture without a lot of manual intervention. 

What users like best:

“Contrast allows us to test an application during  runtime, which reduces the number of false positives we have to deal with in traditional static application security testing (SAST) scans. Interactive application security testing (IAST) combines SAST and dynamic application security testing (DAST) into one platform as it identifies the issues in open-source libraries and custom code. The integrations are easy and don't consume more system resources to run the agent. The sales, management, and support team have the customer-first approach; their support is amazing, and they cater to your needs.” 

- Contrast Security Review, Kiran S.

What users dislike:

“It would be really useful to get some kind of log for the vulnerabilities that were closed as remediated/fixed/not a problem to know why contrast reopened them as reported status.”

- Contrast Security Review, Natasha M. 

5. DexGuard

DexGuard is designed specifically to enhance the security of Android applications by providing robust RASP capabilities. It integrates directly into the app’s code, offering real-time protection against various threats during runtime, particularly for mobile applications.

What users like best:

“As a user of DexGuard, I find it to be an outstanding security solution for my Android app. It provides robust protection for both my app's data and code, ensuring its security and reliability. Additionally, the customer support is exceptional – they are always easy to reach and responsive to any inquiries."

- DexGuard Review, Shubhra M.

What users dislike:

"A more user-friendly interface would greatly improve the overall experience and make the platform more accessible, especially for users focused on app protection."

- DexGuard Review, Harshita T.

Always alert, always protecting!

RASP continuously monitors your apps in real-time, detecting and stopping attacks as they happen. It analyzes each app’s behavior and automatically blocks threats without triggering false alarms. This precision ensures that your applications run smoothly without interruptions, allowing security teams to focus on broader cybersecurity efforts.

Furthermore, RASP provides deep insights into potential vulnerabilities, offering proactive protection against new and emerging threats. Its seamless integration helps strengthen your app's defence without slowing down performance, giving you peace of mind that your applications are secure at all times.

Learn more about zero-trust networking and how it helps companies strengthen security.