Skip to content

Mastering Semgrep: A Guide to Writing Effective Rules

Original Post: Writing Semgrep rules

This post outlines a methodology for writing effective Semgrep rules. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, the process shared includes common steps many find effective:

  1. Brainstorm Goals: Identify what you want to find, such as known vulnerabilities, business logic bugs, or the use of dangerous functions.
  2. Concrete Examples: Determine what these patterns look like in code with specific examples.
  3. Create Initial Rule: Write an initial Semgrep rule based on these examples and test it against sample code snippets.
  4. Iterate and Refine: Test your rule on one repository and then on multiple repositories to refine it, reducing false positives and negatives.
  5. Integrate into CI: Add your rule to your Continuous Integration (CI) system to ensure ongoing code quality. Consider how you’ll handle the results (e.g., blocking builds or alerting teams).

The post emphasizes the importance of continuously improving rules based on feedback and real-world usage to increase their accuracy and effectiveness.

Go here to read the Original Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *