Managing security policies at scale can be a complex and error-prone process. For teams navigating the nuances of static application security testing (SAST), ensuring that rules and configurations are always accurate and effective is critical. The Semgrep Policy Management API offers a solution to automate and streamline these workflows (prioritizing, triaging and tracking remediation, etc.), making policy management more efficient, reliable, and scalable.
The Limitations of Manual Policy Management
Manually adjusting security rules —such as adding, updating, or disabling them —is often error-prone and time-consuming, leading to delays, inconsistent enforcement, and an increased risk of misconfigurations.
Introducing the Semgrep Policy Management API
The Semgrep Policy Management API transforms how policies are managed by allowing customers to automate repetitive tasks and integrating them into existing workflows. With this API, you can:
Add, update, or disable rules programmatically across multiple policies.
Apply rules in different modes—monitor, comment, block, or disable—to align with specific security workflows.
Integrate policy management into CI/CD pipelines, ensuring consistent enforcement at every stage of development.
This automation-first approach allows teams to reduce manual overhead, improve accuracy, and focus on addressing critical security issues.
Key Features and Endpoints
Our Policy Management API includes robust capabilities to simplify and enhance policy workflows:
(1) List All Policies
GET /deployments/{deployment_id}/policies
Provides an overview of all policies associated with a deployment, offering visibility into policy structures and configurations.
(2) Retrieve Policy Rules
GET /deployments/{deployment_id}/policies/{policy_id}
Lists all rules associated with a policy, including metadata such as severity, confidence level, and programming language.
(3) Add or Update Policy Rules
PUT /deployments/{deployment_id}/policies/{policy_id}
Enables the addition, modification, or disabling of rules within a policy, offering fine-grained control over configurations.
These endpoints are designed to align closely with existing UI functionalities while enabling enhanced automation and integration.
Why This Matters for AppSec Workflows
Semgrep’s Policy Management API provides a programmatic way to ensure policies evolve alongside codebases and organizational needs. It eliminates the need for manual updates, reduces the risk of errors, and enables rapid adjustments to address emerging security requirements.
For teams adopting shift-left security practices, the API serves as a programmatic way to set up secure guardrails enabling them to catch and address vulnerabilities earlier in the development lifecycle.
Whether refining policy modes to reduce noise or enforcing stricter controls for critical vulnerabilities, the API supports a proactive approach to application security.
Built with Scalability and Flexibility in Mind
The design of our Policy Management API emphasizes both usability and scalability:
Hierarchy Preservation: Individual rule configurations take precedence over ruleset-level settings, ensuring granular control without unexpected overrides.
Lean Responses: To optimize performance, the API excludes non-essential data while including data like disabled rules for greater visibility.
Future-Ready Architecture: While focused on core functionalities, the API is designed to accommodate future expansions, such as more advanced ruleset management.
These considerations ensure the API can meet the needs of diverse teams and complex workflows.
Empowering Security Teams Through Automation
Semgrep’s Policy Management API redefines how policies are managed, offering a seamless and automated solution for application security teams. By integrating directly into existing workflows, it enhances efficiency, reduces friction, and empowers teams to focus on delivering secure, high-quality software.
For more information, explore Semgrep’s Policy Management API documentation and see how it can transform your security workflows today. Also, book a demo and see Semgrep Policy Management API in action.
