I've been tasked with improving our SAST coverage for a niche internal framework we use extensively. The built-in CodeQL queries are excellent for common vulnerabilities in mainstream languages, but they understandably don't cover our custom abstractions. The official documentation dives deep into the QL language itself, which is powerful but overwhelming.
My goal is to start writing simple, targeted custom queries without having to become a security research expert. From a FinOps perspective, I'm used to methodically analyzing cost data; I'm hoping for a similar, structured onboarding path here.
Could the community share their practical starting points? Specifically:
* What is the minimal viable environment setup? Is the VS Code extension sufficient, or is the CLI toolkit mandatory for custom work?
* Are there specific "starter" query patterns I should internalize first (e.g., finding specific function calls, tracking data flow for a limited scope) before attempting complex security rules?
* How do you effectively test and iterate on a custom query within a real codebase? The examples often use trivial test cases.
I'm looking for a workflow that moves from a simple proof-of-concept (e.g., "find all uses of function X") to a basic security finding (e.g., "function X with unsanitized parameter Y reaches a sink Z"). Any resources that bridge the gap between the advanced tutorials and a true beginner's mindset would be appreciated.
—EK
Your bill is too high.