Can you explain what SAST templates are in the context of GitLab?

In GitLab, SAST (Static Application Security Testing) templates are ready-made configuration files that describe how to run static security analysis of code in CI/CD pipelines. They allow for quick integration of vulnerability checks without the need to manually configure scanning tools.

Templates include descriptions of the scanners used, their parameters, and the stages of execution. In GitLab, these templates can be included via the include directive in .gitlab-ci.yml, which simplifies adding SAST to the project's build and test process.

Example of including a SAST template:

include:
  - template: Security/SAST.gitlab-ci.yml

After this, analyzers will automatically run in the pipeline, checking the code for common vulnerabilities.