We use Fortify Static Code Analyzer to analyze our code for security vulnerabilities. It helps us identify and address potential issues, ensuring our software is secure.
Developer at Protonmail
Provides best practices for fixing code but has a lot of bugs
Pros and Cons
- "Fortify Static Code Analyzer's most valuable features are its ability to provide best practices for fixing code and its examples and capabilities to address security problems in the code. It effectively identifies security vulnerabilities by analyzing the code and offering insights on improving it."
- "False positives need improvement in the future. Fortify's vulnerability remediation guidance helps improve code security, but I think they need to improve the focus of the solution, as it still contains many bugs and needs a thorough review."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Fortify Static Code Analyzer's most valuable features are its ability to provide best practices for fixing code and its examples and capabilities to address security problems in the code. It effectively identifies security vulnerabilities by analyzing the code and offering insights on improving it.
What needs improvement?
False positives need improvement in the future. Fortify's vulnerability remediation guidance helps improve code security, but I think they need to improve the focus of the solution, as it still
Contains many bugs and needs a thorough review.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortify Static Code Analyzer for the past three months.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
For stability, I would rate it as an eight out of ten. The stability has been reliable since using this solution, and I haven't encountered any issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability of Fortify Static Code Analyzer as seven out of ten. It is easy to scale, but on-premises cases require scaling the server to deploy it.
About ten to twenty users in my company are using Fortify Static Code Analyzer once a month. We do not plan to increase its usage in the future.
How are customer service and support?
I don't work with the support directly, and I have only seen the results of their intervention, which are satisfactory.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before using the Fortify Static Code Analyzer, I used Sonar. We switched because Fortify was better at fixing issues. We didn't evaluate other vendors and went straight with Fortify.
How was the initial setup?
It took about fifteen minutes to deploy Fortify. I would rate the initial setup of Fortify Static Code Analyzer as eight out of ten, as it was relatively easy to set up.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the pricing of Fortify Static Code Analyzer as a seven out of ten since it is a bit expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
What other advice do I have?
For someone considering Fortify Static Code Analyzer, I'd recommend checking other options like Checkmarx, as it might be a better fit depending on their use case.
Overall, I would rate the product a five out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jul 30, 2024
Flag as inappropriateCode Reviewer at HQ USMEPCOM
Code management solution that is straightforward to set up and effective at identifying vulnerabilities
Pros and Cons
- "I like the Fortify taxonomy as it provides us with a list of all of the vulnerabilities found. Fortify release updated rule packs quarterly, with accompanying documentation, that lets us know what new features are being released."
- "The troubleshooting capabilities of this solution could be improved. This would reduce the number of cases that users have to submit."
What is our primary use case?
I make use of this solution every day in my current position. I have experience in its installation and troubleshooting and always ensure I am up to date with their latest releases.
We use this solution to run and scan SQL code.
What is most valuable?
I like the Fortify taxonomy as it provides us with a list of all of the vulnerabilities found. Fortify release updated rule packs quarterly, with accompanying documentation, that lets us know what new features are being released. The GUI is really easy to navigate through and is very user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
The troubleshooting capabilities of this solution could be improved. This would reduce the number of cases that users have to submit. CyberRes is a partner I rely on as a first resource if I can't find the answer I need in documentation on Google. The information directly from Fortify is limited.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable solution. When I first started using Fortify, my desktop at work did not having enough RAM. It would take me 10 to 12 hours to do a scan.
How was the initial setup?
There is an installation guide that I've used many times. First, you need to make sure that your server has the right operating system, version, amount of space, and the correct version of Java installed. You also need to ensure you have the right version of specific databases. This will ensure that the backend is compatible with Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server and Postgres.
The installation is very easy because it is self-explanatory. Updates are also easy to manage once rule packs are released.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing is expensive and is in the 50K range.
What other advice do I have?
This is an excellent product and but is not for the faint at heart. You will need to be willing to learn and take the time to get to grips with how it works. I like it compared to some of the other static codes that I've used in the past.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Fortify Static Code Analyzer
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Fortify Static Code Analyzer. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Conformity Controller at Stet
Helps us identify vulnerabilities, but the upgrading process needs improvement
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features include its ability to detect vulnerabilities accurately and its integration with our CI/CD pipeline."
- "Streamlining the upgrade process and enhancing compatibility would make it easier for us to keep our security tools up-to-date."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for this solution is to analyze the security of our software applications during the development cycle. We use it to identify vulnerabilities and potential security issues before deploying the applications into production. Our environment comprises various software development projects, ranging from web applications to internal tools.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution has significantly improved our organization's security posture by helping us identify and address vulnerabilities early in development. It has reduced the risk of security breaches and helped us build more secure software products. However, upgrading the solution has been challenging due to database compatibility issues.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features include its ability to detect vulnerabilities accurately and its integration with our CI/CD pipeline. These features enable us to automate security testing and quickly identify issues, allowing us to fix them before deployment.
What needs improvement?
The product could be improved by upgrading and compatibility with databases such as MySQL. Streamlining the upgrade process and enhancing compatibility would make it easier for us to keep our security tools up-to-date.
Enhancing integration with ticket management systems like Jira in the next release would facilitate issue tracking and resolution.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Fortify Static Code Analyzer for approximately eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution has been stable overall, with minimal disruptions to our development process.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product has good scalability, allowing us to analyze code across various projects and scale as our development needs grow.
How are customer service and support?
There is room for improvement in the technical support services in terms of responsiveness and proactive assistance.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward for basic installation and configuration. However, we encountered complexities during the upgrade process, particularly database compatibility issues.
What was our ROI?
While it's challenging to quantify the exact ROI, the solution has helped us prevent potential security breaches and mitigate risks, which ultimately contributes to our organization's overall ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The setup costs and pricing for Fortify may vary depending on the organization's needs and requirements.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did evaluate other options before choosing this solution. However, Fortify stood out due to its comprehensive feature set and reputation in the industry.
What other advice do I have?
Fortify Static Code Analyzer has been a valuable tool for our organization's security efforts. However, organizations should be prepared to invest time and resources in managing and upgrading the solution to maximize its effectiveness.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: May 30, 2024
Flag as inappropriateSenior Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Useful deployment, secure, and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "Fortify Static Code Analyzer tells us if there are any security leaks or not. If there are, then it's notifying us and does not allow us to pass the DevOps pipeline. If it is finds everything's perfect, as per our given guidelines, then it is allowing us to go ahead and start it, and we are able to deploy it."
- "Fortify Static Code Analyzer is a good solution, but sometimes we receive false positives. If they could reduce the number of false positives it would be good."
What is our primary use case?
Fortify Static Code Analyzer is used for scanning the container image, such as Kubernetes or Docker, and its main role is to do the static security analysis.
What is most valuable?
Fortify Static Code Analyzer tells us if there are any security leaks or not. If there are, then it's notifying us and does not allow us to pass the DevOps pipeline. If it is finds everything's perfect, as per our given guidelines, then it is allowing us to go ahead and start it, and we are able to deploy it.
What needs improvement?
Fortify Static Code Analyzer is a good solution, but sometimes we receive false positives. If they could reduce the number of false positives it would be good.
The solution could be more user-friendly. You have the CLI for business people sometimes, we are not able to give a good overview. Generally, the business people you choose would want to see the dashboard.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Fortify Static Code Analyzer within the last 12 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Fortify Static Code Analyzer.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Fortify Static Code Analyzer is scalable. However, they could improve. The time it takes to scale could improve.
We have 30,000 employees in my company and 20 percent of the company is using the solution.
How are customer service and support?
I rate the support for Fortify Static Code Analyzer a four out of five.
What about the implementation team?
We have a team that did the implementation of the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Fortify Static Code Analyzer could be reduced.
What other advice do I have?
We are looking for a different solution.
My advice for others is to look for other solutions before you choose Fortify Static Code Analyzer.
I rate Fortify Static Code Analyzer an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Sr DevOps Engineer at incatech
Stable and easy to set up with great code analysis capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "We write software, and therefore, the most valuable aspect for us is basically the code analysis part."
- "It comes with a hefty licensing fee."
What is our primary use case?
We usually run the product through the pipelines through GitLab, CICD, or Jenkins pipelines. I'm currently experimenting with AWS CodePipeline right now with integrating those types of tools into the pipeline.
What is most valuable?
We write software, and therefore, the most valuable aspect for us is basically the code analysis part. It's mostly used for the software that we actually write and we use it to identify whatever it is that we're looking for, whether it's the bugs or the technical data and so forth.
The setup is pretty easy.
The solution is pretty stable.
What needs improvement?
We use several other tools. We also use SonarQube. If one tool does not meet our requirements, I kind of implement another. We actually use SonarQube and Fortify together as the tools that we use to do the static code and dynamic testing, and also for security. You combine various tools in a pipeline to verify the code. Basically, it's not necessarily a standalone solution. You need to work with others to get what you need.
It comes with a hefty licensing fee. We get around it by leveraging SonarQube, which is free. We're trying to get plugins now for SonarQube to match what Fortify could do. It would be ideal if it also had some sort of open-source version we could use.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been dealing with the solution for maybe almost two years or so.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good. I'm not running into anything that gives me a problem as far as my pipelines are concerned. I'm okay with it. I haven't really dug into a deep dive with it, however, for what I use it for, is sufficient, and I get the results that I'm looking for.
How are customer service and technical support?
I haven't really dealt with technical support. Anything that I can't solve, I can Google. Then there's also the exchange code area. Usually, you find your answers if somebody has run into something, or if I run into something. If I can't find any answers, I would of course reach out to support, however, so far, that hasn't been necessary.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also use SonarQube in tandem with this product. SonarQube is primarily a static code analyzer, and then Fortify was made more for the security side. With the new plugins that go into SonarQube, it's trying to catch up with Fortify. I have the same from the opposite side, asFortify has a different use case that we use it for.
SonarQube is trying to be just as efficient as Fortify with what Fortify can do, via the extensions that you can put in. However, when you get that extension that matches Fortify, it's kind of like SonarQube becomes more of a paid product at that point, however, even then, it's not near the price point that Fortify is.
How was the initial setup?
Everything is basically straightforward with the setups. Most of the static code is actually done by SonarQube, however, we run it through Fortify afterward. However, due to the large license fee, we need to find workarounds like this.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing is extremely expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using. I can't recall the exact version number off-hand.
I deal with the dev-ops engineers. We usually go for items that are cost-effective. If you've got the money for the license, then it's definitely a good solution to have. We have it at a higher level platform, however, I only use it at a certain level for our development environment.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. It's a great product, however, it's a bit expensive.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Director of Security at Merito
Super scalable, fairly stable, very flexible, and can do anything you want it to do
Pros and Cons
- "Its flexibility is most valuable. It is such a flexible tool. It can be implemented in a number of ways. It can do anything you want it to do. It can be fully automated within a DevOps pipeline. It can also be used in an ad hoc, special test case scenario and anywhere in between."
- "I know the areas that they are trying to improve on. They've been getting feedback for several years. There are two main points. The first thing is keeping current with static code languages. I know it is difficult because code languages pop up all the time or there are new variants, but it is something that Fortify needs to put a better focus on. They need to keep current with their language support. The second thing is a philosophical issue, and I don't know if they'll ever change it. They've done a decent job of putting tools in place to mitigate things, but static code analysis is inherently noisy. If you just take a tool out of the box and run a scan, you're going to get a lot of results back, and not all of those results are interesting or important, which is different for every organization. Currently, we get four to five errors on the side of tagging, and it notifies you of every tiny inconsistency. If the tool sees something that it doesn't know, it flags, which becomes work that has to be done afterward. Clients don't typically like it. There has got to be a way of prioritizing. There are a ton of filter options within Fortify, but the problem is that you've got to go through the crazy noisy scan once before you know which filters you need to put in place to get to the interesting stuff. I keep hearing from their product team that they're working on a way to do container or docker scanning. That's a huge market mover. A lot of people are interested in that right now, and it is relevant. That is definitely something that I'd love to see in the next version or two."
What is our primary use case?
I work for a company that implements these solutions for customers. So, we've got it everywhere. I've done implementations that are very simple and are developer workstation-based or security analyst desktop-based. We also have implementations all the way up through their big kahuna, which is decentralized and automated scanning.
What is most valuable?
Its flexibility is most valuable. It is such a flexible tool. It can be implemented in a number of ways. It can do anything you want it to do. It can be fully automated within a DevOps pipeline. It can also be used in an ad hoc, special test case scenario and anywhere in between.
What needs improvement?
I know the areas that they are trying to improve on. They've been getting feedback for several years. There are two main points. The first thing is keeping current with static code languages. I know it is difficult because code languages pop up all the time or there are new variants, but it is something that Fortify needs to put a better focus on. They need to keep current with their language support.
The second thing is a philosophical issue, and I don't know if they'll ever change it. They've done a decent job of putting tools in place to mitigate things, but static code analysis is inherently noisy. If you just take a tool out of the box and run a scan, you're going to get a lot of results back, and not all of those results are interesting or important, which is different for every organization. Currently, we get four to five errors on the side of tagging, and it notifies you of every tiny inconsistency. If the tool sees something that it doesn't know, it flags, which becomes work that has to be done afterward. Clients don't typically like it. There has got to be a way of prioritizing. There are a ton of filter options within Fortify, but the problem is that you've got to go through the crazy noisy scan once before you know which filters you need to put in place to get to the interesting stuff.
I keep hearing from their product team that they're working on a way to do container or docker scanning. That's a huge market mover. A lot of people are interested in that right now, and it is relevant. That is definitely something that I'd love to see in the next version or two.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is fairly stable. I haven't experienced any real catastrophic or fundamental flaws with it since version 19.10. This was the last one that had a real major flaw that needed hotfixes quickly.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is super scalable. That's definitely a bright spot.
With a solution like this, the number of users varies so much. We typically try to build a program with a client where there is a small team operating the tool. They typically just automate it and plug it into their DevOps pipeline, but the entire development organization consumes the results and does the work. There is the infrastructure management side to keep the solution updated and make sure the infrastructure is running, and then there are security analysts who are tweaking the filters, writing custom rules, and doing this kind of stuff to further advance the program using the tool.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I started working with Fortify in 2011. In the last couple of years, we've branched out and started exploring other solutions, mostly because of our customers' requests. However, we're still not seeing the same level of advancement and ability with some of the other solutions.
We've gone down the route of evaluating Checkmarx and implementing Checkmarx with a few of our clients. It went okay, but it is not stellar. We're right in the midst of evaluating and onboarding the Synopsys toolset. I will have more input on that in about a month or so.
How was the initial setup?
It can be very simple. It could be simple as a desktop installation or just a VM install. It could also be complicated if you're going for their full distributed scanning model, which is their scan central.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It has a couple of license models. The one that we use most frequently is called their flexible deployment. We use this one because it is flexible and based on the number of code-contributing developers in the organization.
It includes almost everything in the Fortify suite for one developer price. It gives access to not just the secure code analyzer (SCA) but also to FSC, the secure code. It gives us accessibility to scan central, which is the decentralized scanning farm. It also gives us access to the software security center, which is the vulnerability management platform.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise others to definitely do their homework in planning. It is not something where you just open the box and go. There needs to be some foresight, some planning, and a lot of input from various stakeholders. You got to talk to your infrastructure team and make sure that you have suitable hardware for this in order for it to perform at its peak.
I would rate Fortify Static Code Analyzer an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Cloud Security Analyst at a agriculture with 1-10 employees
Identifies issues like password credentials and access keys embedded in the code
Pros and Cons
- "Integrating the Fortify Static Code Analyzer into our software development lifecycle was straightforward. It highlights important information beyond just syntax errors. It identifies issues like password credentials and access keys embedded in the code."
- "The product shows false positives for Python applications."
What is our primary use case?
We use the tool for web-based applications.
What is most valuable?
Integrating the Fortify Static Code Analyzer into our software development lifecycle was straightforward. It highlights important information beyond just syntax errors. It identifies issues like password credentials and access keys embedded in the code.
I have integrated the solution with GitLab, Jira, and ITSM.
What needs improvement?
The product shows false positives for Python applications.
What other advice do I have?
I haven't customized many rules, but some customizations that have been applied have been particularly useful in our pipeline. For instance, if our application is found to be very vulnerable, we don't proceed with deployment. We utilize static analysis, and the pipeline is halted until the vulnerabilities are addressed. Similarly, I've applied this approach in Fortify Static Code Analyzer and Checkmark SCA to stop the execution pipeline for highly vulnerable applications.
I utilize validation in the code to manage false positives in the results. In this case, the application helps identify false positives, and I spend extra time validating them.
I would recommend Fortify Static Code Analyzer for .NET applications and not for Python ones. I rate it an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Apr 3, 2024
Flag as inappropriateConformity Controller at Stet
Stable, with good documentation but the pricing is a bit high
Pros and Cons
- "We've found the documentation to be very good."
- "The pricing is a bit high."
What is most valuable?
The solution has been quite stable over the years.
We've found the documentation to be very good.
When there are issues, there is a lot of explanation about what they are and how to solve problems. Communication is very clear.
What needs improvement?
The pricing is a bit high.
We have not enough for really sharing between with editor. Therefore, we have to use an older version of a product.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've used the solution for 12 or so years at this point. It's been well over a decade. We've used it for quite a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution is pretty good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's pretty reliable.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is good. When we put in requests, we get feedback and results. Older requests get treated with priority, and newer requests go into a queue.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing of the solution is a bit high. It would be nice if it was more competitive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
While we do want to continue to use the product, we want to negotiate with Microsoft about the licensing. in the meantime, we will likely evaluate a few other options.
What other advice do I have?
We're just an end-user and a customer. We don't have a business relationship with Fortify.
We are not using the latest version of the solution right now. We're waiting for the Fortify version with PCI DSS 4.0.
I'd rate the solution at a six out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Download our free Fortify Static Code Analyzer Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
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Updated: November 2024
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