DAST scans can be executed in which of the following manners?

DAST, or Dynamic Application Security Testing, is a security testing methodology that involves testing applications in their running state, simulating attacks from an external perspective. The essence of DAST is that it evaluates the security of an application by executing it and assessing how it responds to various inputs and scenarios.

The correct choice outlines that DAST scans can be performed in both manual and automated forms. Automated DAST scans can be highly efficient, allowing organizations to frequently and consistently assess their applications for vulnerabilities. This method is widely used in continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) environments, as tools can automatically run scans whenever there are new builds or changes to the codebase.

On the other hand, manual DAST allows security professionals to perform in-depth testing that may target specific vulnerabilities or flows that an automated tool might miss. This approach can be crucial for complex and mission-critical applications where understanding the context of vulnerabilities is important.

The combination of both methods provides a comprehensive strategy for identifying potential security flaws in applications. Therefore, the ability to execute DAST scans both manually and automatically enhances flexibility and thoroughness in application security assessment efforts.