diff --git a/appsec/embed.go b/appsec/embed.go
index ac8bea8..52cf177 100644
--- a/appsec/embed.go
+++ b/appsec/embed.go
@@ -5,10 +5,16 @@
 
 package appsec
 
-import _ "embed" // Blank import comment for golint compliance
+import (
+	_ "embed" // Blank import comment for golint compliance
+	"unsafe"
+)
 
-// StaticRecommendedRules holds the recommended AppSec security rules (v1.14.2)
-// Source: https://github.com/DataDog/appsec-event-rules/blob/1.14.2/build/recommended.json
-//
-//go:embed rules.json
-var StaticRecommendedRules string
+var (
+	//go:embed rules.json
+	staticRecommendedRules []byte
+
+	// StaticRecommendedRules holds the recommended AppSec security rules (v1.14.2)
+	// Source: https://github.com/DataDog/appsec-event-rules/blob/1.14.2/build/recommended.json
+	StaticRecommendedRules = unsafe.String(&staticRecommendedRules[0], len(staticRecommendedRules))
+)
diff --git a/appsec/rules.go b/appsec/rules.go
index 29a46bf..50bc023 100644
--- a/appsec/rules.go
+++ b/appsec/rules.go
@@ -2,23 +2,20 @@
 // under the Apache License Version 2.0.
 // This product includes software developed at Datadog (https://www.datadoghq.com/).
 // Copyright 2023-present Datadog, Inc.
+
 package appsec
 
 import "encoding/json"
 
 // DefaultRuleset returns the marshaled default recommended security rules for AppSec
 func DefaultRuleset() ([]byte, error) {
-	rules, err := DefaultRulesetMap()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return json.Marshal(rules)
+	return staticRecommendedRules, nil
 }
 
 // DefaultRulesetMap returns the unmarshaled default recommended security rules for AppSec
 func DefaultRulesetMap() (map[string]any, error) {
 	var rules map[string]any
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(StaticRecommendedRules), &rules); err != nil {
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(staticRecommendedRules, &rules); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/appsec/rules_test.go b/appsec/rules_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f03545b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/appsec/rules_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// Unless explicitly stated otherwise all files in this repository are licensed
+// under the Apache License Version 2.0.
+// This product includes software developed at Datadog (https://www.datadoghq.com/).
+// Copyright 2023-present Datadog, Inc.
+
+package appsec
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestDefaultRuleset(t *testing.T) {
+	rules, err := DefaultRuleset()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NotEmpty(t, rules)
+}
+
+func TestDefaultRulesetMap(t *testing.T) {
+	rules, err := DefaultRulesetMap()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NotEmpty(t, rules)
+}