Difference between Fortify SCA and Fortify SSC
What is the difference between Fortify SCA and Fortify SSC. Is there any difference between the reports generated by these softwares. I am aware that Fortify SSC is a web-based app. Can I use Fortify SCA as a web-based app as well?
Answer
SCA used to be known as the source code analyzer (in fortify 360), but is now Static code analyzer. Same acronym, same code, just the name changed.
SSC ("Software Security Center") used to be known as Fortify 360 Server. HP renamed it and made additional changes.
SCA is a command line program. You typically use SCA to scan the code (via sourceanalyzer or the sourceanalyzer.jar) from a static code analysis perspective, generate an FPR, file, then open that with Audit Workbench or upload it to SSC, where you can track trends, etc.
Audit Workbench is installed together with SCA; it is a graphical application that allows you to review the scan results, add audit data, apply filters, and run simple reports.
SSC on the other hand, is web-based; it's a java war that can be installed into tomcat or your favorite application server. The reports on SSC use a different technology and are better suited to running centralized metrics. You can report on the results of a particular scan, or the history (what changed between the current scan and any earlier ones). If you want diff's, trends, history etc of sca scans, use SSC to report after uploading FPR's over a period of time.
Without SSC, the basic reporting feature allows you to convert the FPR files (which are binary) to xml, pdf, or rtf, but that only gives you the results of that particular scan, not the history (what changed between the current scan and any earlier ones).
Off topic: There is also a dynamic analysis product, HP WebInspect. This product is also capable of exporting FPR files which can be likewise imported into SSC for reporting. If you wish to schedule dynamic scans on a regular basis, WebInspect Enterprise can do that.