Brakeman is a static analysis security scanner specifically designed for Ruby on Rails applications.
Unlike runtime scanners, Brakeman inspects your source code directly and identifies potential vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, mass assignment, and unsafe use of Rails APIs.
Getting started requires only adding the gem or installing it as a standalone binary and running the brakeman command, which outputs a detailed security report.
It supports Rails 5 through to Rails 8, is fully compatible with Ruby 3+, and integrates easily with CI pipelines for automated checks.
Its key strengths are its speed, focus on Rails conventions, and proactive identification of vulnerabilities before deployment.
Alternatives include using general-purpose SAST tools like SonarQube or bundler-audit for dependency checks, but Brakeman remains the most Rails-focused and actively maintained option.
Unlike runtime scanners, Brakeman inspects your source code directly and identifies potential vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, mass assignment, and unsafe use of Rails APIs.
Getting started requires only adding the gem or installing it as a standalone binary and running the brakeman command, which outputs a detailed security report.
It supports Rails 5 through to Rails 8, is fully compatible with Ruby 3+, and integrates easily with CI pipelines for automated checks.
Its key strengths are its speed, focus on Rails conventions, and proactive identification of vulnerabilities before deployment.
Alternatives include using general-purpose SAST tools like SonarQube or bundler-audit for dependency checks, but Brakeman remains the most Rails-focused and actively maintained option.