- title: "SAST analyzer coverage changing in GitLab 16.0"  # (required) Clearly explain the change, or planned change. For example, "The `confidential` field for a `Note` is deprecated" or "CI/CD job names will be limited to 250 characters."
  announcement_milestone: "15.9"  # (required) The milestone when this feature was first announced as deprecated.
  removal_milestone: "16.0"  # (required) The milestone when this feature is planned to be removed
  breaking_change: true  # (required) Change to false if this is not a breaking change.
  reporter: connorgilbert  # (required) GitLab username of the person reporting the change
  stage: secure  # (required) String value of the stage that the feature was created in. e.g., Growth
  issue_url: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/390416  # (required) Link to the deprecation issue in GitLab
  body: |  # (required) Do not modify this line, instead modify the lines below.
    GitLab SAST uses various [analyzers](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/application_security/sast/analyzers/) to scan code for vulnerabilities.

    We're reducing the number of supported analyzers used by default in GitLab SAST.
    This is part of our long-term strategy to deliver a faster, more consistent user experience across different programming languages.

    Starting in GitLab 16.0, the GitLab SAST CI/CD template will no longer use the following analyzers, and they will enter End of Support status:

    - [Security Code Scan](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/security-products/analyzers/security-code-scan) (.NET)
    - [PHPCS Security Audit](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/security-products/analyzers/phpcs-security-audit) (PHP)

    We'll remove these analyzers from the [SAST CI/CD template](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/lib/gitlab/ci/templates/Security/SAST.gitlab-ci.yml) and replace them with GitLab-supported detection rules and the [Semgrep-based analyzer](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/security-products/analyzers/semgrep).
    Effective immediately, these analyzers will receive only security updates; other routine improvements or updates are not guaranteed.
    After these analyzers reach End of Support, no further updates will be provided.
    However, we won't delete container images previously published for these analyzers or remove the ability to run them by using a custom CI/CD pipeline job.

    We will also remove Scala from the scope of the [SpotBugs-based analyzer](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/security-products/analyzers/spotbugs) and replace it with the [Semgrep-based analyzer](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/security-products/analyzers/semgrep).
    This change will make it simpler to scan Scala code; compilation will no longer be required.
    This change will be reflected in the automatic language detection portion of the [GitLab-managed SAST CI/CD template](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/lib/gitlab/ci/templates/Security/SAST.gitlab-ci.yml).
    Note that the SpotBugs-based analyzer will continue to cover Groovy and Kotlin.

    If you've already dismissed a vulnerability finding from one of the deprecated analyzers, the replacement attempts to respect your previous dismissal. The system behavior depends on:

    - whether you've excluded the Semgrep-based analyzer from running in the past.
    - which analyzer first discovered the vulnerabilities shown in the project's Vulnerability Report.

    See [Vulnerability translation documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/application_security/sast/analyzers.html#vulnerability-translation) for further details.

    If you applied customizations to any of the affected analyzers or if you currently disable the Semgrep analyzer in your pipelines, you must take action as detailed in the [deprecation issue for this change](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/390416#breaking-change).