Dynamic analysis definition
Dynamic analysis is the process of evaluating software or systems by observing their behavior and execution in real time. It involves running the software or system and monitoring its interactions, inputs, outputs, and resource usage to understand its functionality, performance, and potential vulnerabilities.
Dynamic analysis techniques help identify bugs, errors, security weaknesses, and performance bottlenecks by analyzing the software or system during runtime rather than examining its static code or design. Dynamic analysis is typically carried out by software developers or quality assurance teams.
See also: static code analysis
How dynamic analysis work
- The team prepares the software or system for analysis by adding instrumentation code. This code collects runtime information and data during the execution of the software.
- The software or system is run in a controlled environment designed for dynamic analysis (e.g., a test environment).
- The dynamic analysis tool monitors and records various aspects of the software's behavior (e.g., function calls, inputs, outputs, memory usage, and network communication).
- Different inputs and scenarios are tested to observe the system’s behavior under various conditions. The scenarios may include simulating user interactions or triggering specific events.
- Developers or QA teams analyze the recorded data and runtime behavior to identify anomalies, errors, security vulnerabilities, or performance issues.
- The teams document the findings and create a report detailing the identified issues and recommendations for improvement.
