A few weeks ago, a vendor messaged me in a mild panic.
They had just won a government project in Singapore for a Learning Management System setup. Everything looked fine. Hardware was sorted. Documentation approved. The team felt confident.
Then the requirements list arrived.
And there it was.
A wall of terms:
DAST. SAST. VAPT. SSAT. SSCT.
Their response?
“Is this a secret cybersecurity exam?”
If you’ve ever worked on a government project, you’ve likely had the same moment. These terms show up everywhere, and yet most people only understand them halfway.
So let’s break them down in simple language, with one clear question guiding the story:
What does each test do, and when do you actually need it?
DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing): Testing the Running System
Imagine your system is already live. Screens are running, apps are working, login pages are active.
DAST tries to break it.
It behaves like an outsider with no access to the code. It pokes, sends suspicious inputs, and tries common attack tricks like SQL injection or XSS.
Think of it as checking doors and windows from the outside.
SAST (Static Application Security Testing): Fixing Problems Before They Go Live
If DAST tests a running system, SAST checks the code while it’s still being written.
It doesn’t need the system running. It reads the source code line by line and flags risky coding patterns.
This prevents problems before they ever reach production.
It’s the equivalent of checking the blueprint before the building is finished.
VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing): Find Weaknesses and Exploit Them
VAPT has two steps.
- Vulnerability Assessment: Find weaknesses.
- Penetration Testing: Try exploiting them.
It’s not just scanning. It’s confirming whether a vulnerability can become a real threat.
This is where someone actively tries to break in.
Think of it as stress-testing your locks with real tools.
SSAT (System Security Acceptance Test): The Government Readiness Test
Now we enter the Singapore-specific space.
SSAT is required before a system goes live, especially for on-premise or air-gapped environments.
It checks:
- The whole system working together
- Configurations
- Authentication
- Network behaviour
- Vulnerabilities
- Logs
It asks one question:
Is this system safe enough for deployment?
It is broad, structured, and usually conducted by independent assessors.
SSCT (System Security Compliance Test): The Compliance Check
While SSAT checks readiness, SSCT checks rules.
It ensures the system follows required standards and documentation.
It may include scans and testing, but its primary purpose is compliance.
So in simple terms:
| Test | Purpose |
| SSAT | Is the system secure enough to go live? |
| SSCT | Does the system follow the required standards? |
Both are common for Singapore government deployments, especially those handled by DSTA, GovTech, or sensitive agencies.
A Simple Way to Remember Them
| Test | When It Happens | What It Focuses On |
| SAST | During development | Code quality and safe coding |
| DAST | When system is running | External visible vulnerabilities |
| VAPT | Before or after deployment | Real-world attack simulation |
| SSAT | Before go-live (SG Gov) | Security readiness |
| SSCT | Before or after go-live (SG Gov) | Compliance and documentation |
Why This Matters
Government projects handle sensitive systems:
- CCTV
- Access control
- Citizen data
- Public safety infrastructure
- Building management
- Classified systems
And many run on-premise or fully air-gapped, which means there’s no “push update” button, no quick hotfix, and no cloud audit trail.
A failure isn’t just downtime. It could be a safety failure, a surveillance gap, or a breach that goes undetected. That’s why these tests exist.
These terms may feel overwhelming at first, but they aren’t there to make life difficult.
They exist to prevent major incidents before they happen.
If you’re supplying systems to the Singapore government, you don’t just need working technology.
You need secure, tested and compliant technology.
And understanding these five tests is a crucial first step.
