Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used for code understanding, yet their practical effectiveness for vulnerability detection relative to Static Application Security Testing (SAST) remains insufficiently quantified. We present a controlled comparative study between GPT-4 (Advanced Data Analysis) and two SAST tools (SonarQube and Cloud Defence) on 32 curated security scenarios representing common coding pitfalls. Each scenario is scored with a binary detection rule, the two SAST outputs are aggregated using a logical OR baseline, and paired outcomes are evaluated using McNemar's test for statistical significance. In our dataset, GPT-4 correctly detected 30 of 32 scenarios (93.75\%), while the aggregated SAST baseline detected 11 of 32. The paired comparison shows a statistically significant difference in detection performance in favour of GPT-4. We also discuss security considerations and operational constraints for integrating LLM-enhanced vulnerability scanning into secure software development workflows.
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