6 Best RASP Tools (2026)
Every RASP tool reviewed. Runtime self-protection that blocks SQL injection, XSS, and zero-days from inside the application. Open-source and commercial.
- We reviewed 6 active RASP tools — 1 open-source (OpenRASP by Baidu) and 5 commercial (Contrast Protect, Datadog ASM, Dynatrace, Imperva RASP, Waratek). OpenRASP is the only free option.
- The RASP market reached $2.02B in 2025, projected to grow to $7.17B by 2030 at 28.82% CAGR (Mordor Intelligence). RASP adds 2-10% latency but produces far fewer false positives than WAFs.
- Significant consolidation reshaped the market: Sqreen acquired by Datadog (2021), Signal Sciences by Fastly (2020), K2 Cyber Security by New Relic (2022), and Hdiv Security by Datadog (2022).
- RASP differs from WAFs fundamentally — WAFs inspect HTTP traffic patterns externally, while RASP runs inside the application and sees actual code execution, making more accurate blocking decisions.
- Java and .NET have the best RASP agent coverage. Go and Rust have almost no RASP options. Always start in monitor mode before enabling blocking in production.
What is RASP?
Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP) is a security technology that runs inside your application to detect and block attacks in real-time. Unlike WAFs that inspect traffic at the network perimeter, RASP agents sit inside the application runtime and make blocking decisions based on how the application actually processes each request.
RASP is not a scanning tool — it does not find vulnerabilities for you to fix later. It monitors and blocks attacks as they happen, acting as a last line of defense when other controls miss something.
Excellent to avoid false positives, but may cause performance issues as the RASP agent sits between the application and server.
The need for RASP has grown as web application attacks have scaled up. For historical context, CDNetworks reported that attacks on web applications increased by over 800% in H1 2020 compared to H1 2019, with over 4.2 billion web application attacks blocked (CDNetworks, H1 2020). The trend has continued since then. The RASP market reached $2.02 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow to $7.17 billion by 2030 at a 28.82% CAGR (Mordor Intelligence, 2025).
“WAFs are like airport security — they check everyone at the gate but can’t stop threats once they’re on the plane,” explains Kunal Anand, former CTO & CISO of Imperva and current CPO at F5. “RASP is the air marshal sitting in the cabin, watching what actually happens during the flight.”
Advantages
- • No need to train or configure rules
- • Context-aware blocking reduces false positives
- • Protects against zero-day attacks
- • Immediate protection while fixing vulnerabilities
- • Detailed attack telemetry for forensics
Limitations
- • Performance overhead (2-10% latency)
- • Language dependent (agent support varies)
- • Risk of over-reliance instead of fixing vulns
- • False sense of security if misconfigured
- • Deployment complexity for containerized apps
I have deployed RASP tools at financial services companies where false positive rates are unacceptable.
The key is starting in monitor mode, then moving to blocking once you trust the tool. AppSec Santa reviews every active RASP tool to help you compare them.
How RASP Works
RASP uses runtime instrumentation to detect attacks as they happen.
Here is the typical workflow:
Agent Installation
The RASP agent is installed into the application runtime (JVM, .NET CLR, Node.js, etc.) or loaded as a library. This happens once during deployment, either by modifying startup scripts or container images.
Function Hooking
The agent hooks into security-sensitive functions like SQL execution, file I/O, command execution, and network calls. These hooks intercept data before dangerous operations complete.
Context Analysis
When a hooked function is called, RASP analyzes the input against the code path to determine if it is an attack. Unlike WAFs, RASP sees whether untrusted data actually reaches dangerous functions.
Block or Report
Depending on your configuration, RASP either blocks the request immediately or logs it for review. Always start in monitor mode to understand baseline behavior before enabling blocking.
Quick Comparison of RASP Tools
| Tool | USP | License |
|---|---|---|
| Free / Open Source | ||
| OpenRASP | Most popular open-source RASP, by Baidu | Open Source |
| Commercial | ||
| Contrast Protect | Part of Contrast Security platform | Commercial |
| Datadog ASM | RASP engine from Sqreen, APM integration | Commercial |
| Dynatrace | RASP module in Dynatrace platform | Commercial |
| Imperva RASP | Combines well with Imperva WAF; now under Thales (acquired Dec 2023) | Commercial |
| Waratek | JVM-embedded, virtual patching | Commercial |
| Acquired | ||
| Signal Sciences | Acquired by Fastly → Next-Gen WAF | Commercial |
| K2 Cyber Security | Acquired by New Relic (2022) | Commercial |
| Deprecated | ||
| Hdiv Protection | No longer actively maintained | Commercial |
RASP vs WAF
Both RASP and WAF (Web Application Firewall) protect applications at runtime, but they work differently.
Understanding when to use each helps you make better decisions.
| Aspect | RASP | WAF |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Inside the application | In front of the application |
| Detection method | Code execution context | HTTP traffic patterns |
| False positives | Low (knows if input is dangerous) | Higher (pattern matching only) |
| Performance impact | 2-10% latency added | Minimal (separate infrastructure) |
| Deployment | Per-application agent install | Network-level, all apps at once |
| Best for | High-value apps needing accuracy | Broad coverage, DDoS protection |
My take: Use both if you can afford it. WAF provides perimeter defense and DDoS protection. RASP provides accurate, context-aware protection for your most critical applications. If you must choose one, WAF is the safer starting point because it requires no code changes.
Market Changes
The RASP market has seen significant consolidation:
Sqreen → Datadog (2021)
Datadog acquired Sqreen and integrated its RASP engine into Datadog Application Security Management (ASM). A strong option if you already use Datadog for APM.
Signal Sciences → Fastly (2020)
Signal Sciences was acquired by Fastly and became the foundation of Fastly's Next-Gen WAF. Still available but no longer sold as a standalone RASP.
K2 Cyber Security → New Relic (2022)
K2 Cyber Security was acquired by New Relic in September 2022 for $14.8 million. Technology integrated into New Relic's security monitoring.
Hdiv Security → Datadog (2022)
Hdiv Security was acquired by Datadog in 2022 and integrated into Datadog Code Security. The standalone product is no longer maintained.
How to Choose a RASP Tool
The RASP market is small compared to other AppSec categories.
Here are the factors I consider when recommending a tool:
Language Support
Check if the tool supports your primary language. Java and .NET have the best coverage. Node.js and Python support varies. Go and Rust have almost no RASP options.
Performance Overhead
Run benchmarks in your environment. Some tools add 2% latency, others add 10%. For latency-sensitive services, this matters. Waratek claims minimal overhead due to its virtualization-based architecture.
Existing Security Stack
If you already use Contrast for SAST/IAST, Contrast Protect is an easy add. If you use Imperva WAF, their RASP integrates well. If you use Datadog for APM, their RASP module is already there.
Open-source vs Commercial
OpenRASP is free and battle-tested at Baidu. Commercial tools offer better support and dashboards but cost significantly more.
Block vs Monitor Mode
Start in monitor mode to see what would be blocked. Move to blocking only after you trust the tool does not break legitimate requests. All major RASP tools support this workflow.
Contrast Protect
Application Detection and Response (ADR) Beyond RASP
Datadog Application Security
APM-Integrated Runtime Protection
Dynatrace
Full-Stack Observability with Built-in Security
Imperva RASP
Combines with Imperva WAF
ModSecurity
Open-Source WAF Engine
Waratek
Java Runtime Protection & Virtual Patching
Show 4 deprecated/acquired tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is RASP?
How is RASP different from a WAF?
Does RASP cause performance overhead?
Which languages do RASP tools support?
What is the best RASP tool?
Is there a free RASP tool?
Related Guides & Comparisons
Application Security Testing
Explore our complete resource hub with guides, comparisons, and best practices.
Explore Other Categories
RASP covers one aspect of application security. Browse other categories in our complete tools directory.
Application Security @ Invicti
10+ years in application security. Reviews and compares 170 AppSec tools across 11 categories to help teams pick the right solution. More about me →