Static Source Code Analysis vs. Binary Scanning

Static code analysis and binary scanning serve different purposes, but both are essential.  

While static code analysis improves the quality of your self-written code, binary scanning takes a broader view: it analyzes the entire firmware – even without source code. It uncovers vulnerabilities, detects unknown errors, and generates a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). Together, they form a powerful combination for embedded security.

Static Source Code Analysis

Static code analysis is foundational in modern software development. It scans your source code for bugs, style errors, and potential security issues. All before you ever compile and run it.

It provides great results for your self-developed application or product.

But here’s the catch: once you add third-party libraries and their open-source dependencies, you also inherit their potential vulnerabilities. On top of this you're now responsible for them – If you ship it, you own it.

Today’s embedded systems rely heavily on Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) like Linux.  

With FOSS, that means:

• Ensuring license compliance
• Monitoring public sources for security updates
• Updating components when new CVEs emerge

You could run static analysis on third-party code – but that’s easier said than done:

• The source code might not even be available (e.g., precompiled libraries)
• Large codebases can overwhelm developers
• Fixing all the errors yourself? Not scalable.
• And what happens when the next update causes merge conflicts?

Static code analysis is also blind to what happens after your code compiles. If something harmful sneaks in during packaging or deployment, static tools won’t detect it. Nor will they detect insecure configurations or design-level flaws.

Static Source Code Analysis: Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths:

• Detecting coding and style errors
• Mostly great results for self-developed app’s or products

Weaknesses:

• Relies on source code
• Can’t detect third-party vulnerabilities
• Doesn’t check for open source licensing problems
• Not suitable to fix large amounts of errors
• Blind to sensitive data like hardcoded passwords or private keys

Binary Scanning

Full visibility even without source code.

Think of binary scanning as the final QA check before shipping your product. Just like physical goods go through quality control, your firmware should go through security control.

Binary scanning analyzes the complete firmware image (compiled, packaged, and ready for shipping). It gives you visibility where static analysis cannot.

You’ll know exactly what’s inside:

• Embedded components (even statically linked ones)
• Known vulnerabilities (CVEs)
• Secrets like passwords and private keys
• Misconfigurations or risky control flows

Binary scanning provides you with more than the components of your software. It gives you a holistic view of all your findings: No need to mess around with compiler settings or the build process. Binary scanning helps you to separate real threats from false positives.

What Binary Firmware Analysis Looks Like:

1. Extraction: The binary image is unpacked recursively. Archives are automatically identified and extracted until every file is revealed.
2. File Classification: Each extracted file is analyzed and classified: plain text, binary, or script. The scan also inspects content to uncover sensitive data like embedded certificates or private keys.
3. Component Detection: Files are scanned for known signatures to identify applications, libraries, and even statically linked dependencies. Sources like embedded package managers are also analyzed. Accurate version detection is key for reliable vulnerability matching.
4. Check known vulnerabilities: Using the SBOM or component list, public databases like the NVD are queried for known vulnerabilities. A contextual and holistic view helps firmware-specific insights to filter out false positives, like CVEs that don’t apply to the architecture (e.g., x86 vs ARM).
5. Check unknown vulnerabilities and configuration errors: This step flags unwanted or risky components. Whether harmful, non-compliant, or leaking secrets like private keys or passwords. It also detects unsafe control flows, enabling deeper analysis for potential exploits.

Summary binary firmware analysis

• Focus on command injection, controlled format string and buffer overflow
• Works also for third-party components without source code
• Component detection 
• Detects compile time mitigation
• Detects unwanted/dangerous components 

ONEKEY platform: Automated Binary Firmware Scanning

Fast. Accurate. Effortless.

ONEKEY’s Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Platform (OCP) takes binary firmware analysis to the next level. It not only detects components and vulnerabilities but also understands contextual information found in a firmware. Therefore, reducing false positives dramatically.

What You Get with ONEKEY:

• SBOM generation directly from firmware images
• Intelligent CVE matching with architectural context
• Detection of static-linked and third-party components
• Automated deep scans for misconfigurations and risky files
• Identification of leaked credentials and keys
• Seamless CI/CD and ticketing system integration via API

Conclusion

The holistic picture:

Static code analysis helps mostly your own source code.
Binary scanning ensures your whole product with all its components is secure.

By combining both, you get full visibility. Starting from the first line of code to the final firmware image.

With ONEKEY, you automate the entire process, reduce risks, and stay ahead of threats - even without source code.

Interested in knowing what really is in your software and how to save a lot of time and money with Impact Assessment?

Book a Demo and see it for yourself

BUILD. COMPLY. RESIST. REPEAT.