Security Code Scan review
Free, open-source taint analysis for .NET teams with flexible CI and IDE options.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Security Code Scan is an open-source static application security testing analyzer for C# and Visual Basic projects targeting .NET and .NET Core. It is aimed at development and security teams that want source-code analysis without a stated software cost. The analyzer identifies patterns associated with SQL injection, cross-site scripting, CSRF, and XXE, while its inter-procedural taint analysis follows data flows across method boundaries. Findings can appear during builds or through IntelliSense background analysis, giving .NET teams both build-time and editor-based feedback.
Its deployment options fit several .NET workflows. Teams can run Security Code Scan as a Visual Studio extension, a NuGet package, or a standalone command-line runner. It supports MSBuild and CI workflows through GitHub Actions and GitLab CI/CD, and it can produce SARIF results for custom integrations. DefectDojo is also listed among its integrations. Configurable external rules and custom taint sources, sinks, sanitizers, and validators provide control over how the analyzer models application-specific data flows. That combination makes it suitable for teams that need to adapt checks to their codebase rather than rely only on fixed patterns.
The main boundary is product scope: Security Code Scan analyzes .NET and .NET Core projects, so teams working across other languages or ecosystems should choose a broader SAST tool instead. Its open-source model also places more responsibility on the adopting team for deployment and workflow management. The published documentation indicates that code fixes are not implemented for every warning, so developers may need to investigate and remediate some findings manually. Choose it when your organization is centered on .NET and values configurable taint analysis, Visual Studio support, and CI integration; look elsewhere when multi-language coverage or consistently available automated fixes is essential.
Security Code Scan pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Inter-procedural taint analysis with configurable sources and sinks
- Visual Studio, NuGet, standalone, GitHub, and GitLab support
- SARIF output plus custom rules for integration workflows
- Where it doesn't
- Analysis is limited to .NET and .NET Core projects
- Code fixes are not implemented for every warning
- Requires teams to manage their own open-source deployment
Security Code Scan fact sheet, pricing and score →
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