Source code inspection is the manual or automated review of program source code to find bugs, insecure patterns, backdoors, and other weaknesses before software is released. Inspectors look for issues such as unsafe input handling, weak cryptography, hard-coded secrets, injection risks, and logic flaws that scanners may miss.
In cyber security, source code inspection matters because many attacks begin with a defect already present in the application code. A vulnerability found early is cheaper and safer to fix than one discovered after deployment. Defenders use inspection during secure code review, commit checks, and continuous application security pipelines, often combining human review with tools that flag risky functions or suspicious changes. Attackers also rely on code inspection when they obtain leaked repositories or conduct internal assessments, because reading the code can reveal hidden endpoints, flawed authorization logic, or places where a small patch could close a larger weakness. Good inspection turns code review into a control, not just a quality check.