Bearer
Open-source SAST tool focused on data security and privacy risk in application code.
About Bearer
Bearer is an open-source static application security testing tool with a unique focus on data security and privacy risk. Unlike general-purpose SAST tools, Bearer maps how sensitive data—PII, credentials, financial data—flows through an application's codebase and flags security issues specifically related to how that data is handled, stored, and transmitted. This data-centric approach makes Bearer particularly valuable for organizations building privacy-sensitive applications or those needing to demonstrate GDPR and SOC 2 compliance posture. Bearer's rules engine identifies risky patterns like logging sensitive data, sending PII to third-party services without consent, and insecure data storage. It runs in CI/CD pipelines and generates reports that are useful for both developers and compliance teams. The open-source version is freely available with an optional cloud dashboard.
Pros
- Unique data-flow analysis catches privacy risks other SAST tools miss
- Open-source core with active community and transparent rules
- Compliance-friendly reports useful for GDPR and SOC 2 audits
Cons
- Narrower focus on data security means it misses some general vulnerability classes
- Cloud features require paid subscription