Application Security (AppSec) Fundamentals

Security Operations and Risk Protection October 25, 2025
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Introduction

Application security has become critically important as organizations increasingly rely on software applications to conduct business operations and store sensitive information. This course provides fundamental knowledge of application security principles, practices, and technologies that protect software from security threats throughout the development lifecycle. Participants will learn common application vulnerabilities, secure coding practices, and security testing methodologies that prevent exploitation and data breaches. The curriculum balances technical concepts with practical security measures that can be implemented across various stages of application development and deployment.

Objectives

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

  • Identify common application security vulnerabilities
  • Understand secure software development lifecycle principles
  • Apply basic secure coding practices
  • Conduct application security testing
  • Implement application security controls
  • Understand web application security fundamentals
  • Participate in application security reviews
  • Recognize and prevent injection attacks
  • Implement authentication and authorization security
  • Understand encryption and data protection in applications

Target Audience

  • Software Developers
  • Application Testers
  • IT Security Staff
  • System Administrators
  • Project Managers
  • Quality Assurance Professionals
  • DevOps Engineers
  • Technical Product Managers

Methodology

  • Hands-on vulnerability identification exercises
  • Secure coding practice sessions
  • Code review workshops
  • Security tool demonstration and practice
  • Case studies of application security breaches
  • Threat modeling exercises
  • Security testing simulations

Personal Impact

  • Enhanced understanding of application security risks
  • Improved secure coding skills
  • Stronger ability to identify security vulnerabilities
  • Increased confidence in security testing
  • Better collaboration with security teams
  • Enhanced problem-solving for security issues

Organizational Impact

  • Reduced application security vulnerabilities
  • Decreased risk of data breaches
  • Improved regulatory compliance
  • Lower costs from security incidents
  • Enhanced customer trust and reputation
  • More secure software products

Course Outline

Application Security Foundation

Core Concepts
  • Application security importance and impact
  • Common application attack vectors
  • Security vs. functionality balance
  • Regulatory and compliance requirements
  • Business case for application security
Development Lifecycle
  • Secure SDLC principles
  • Security requirements gathering
  • Threat modeling basics
  • Security design principles
  • Security testing integration

Common Vulnerabilities and Attacks

OWASP Top Ten
  • Injection attacks and prevention
  • Authentication vulnerabilities
  • Sensitive data exposure
  • XML external entities (XXE)
  • Security misconfigurations
Additional Threats
  • Cross-site scripting (XSS)
  • Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)
  • Insecure deserialization
  • Using components with known vulnerabilities
  • Insufficient logging and monitoring

Secure Development Practices

Coding Standards
  • Input validation techniques
  • Output encoding methods
  • Error handling security
  • Session management security
  • Cryptography implementation basics
Development Environment
  • Secure development tools
  • Code review processes
  • Version control security
  • Dependency management
  • Build process security

Security Testing Techniques

Testing Methods
  • Static application security testing
  • Dynamic application security testing
  • Interactive application security testing
  • Penetration testing basics
  • Code review techniques
Vulnerability Assessment
  • Vulnerability scanning tools
  • Result analysis and prioritization
  • False positive identification
  • Remediation tracking
  • Testing automation

Security Controls Implementation

Technical Controls
  • Web application firewalls
  • Authentication systems
  • Authorization mechanisms
  • Data protection controls
  • API security measures
Process Controls
  • Change management security
  • Incident response for applications
  • Patch management processes
  • Security training for developers
  • Compliance monitoring

Operational Security

Deployment Security
  • Environment hardening
  • Configuration management
  • Secret management
  • Container security basics
  • Cloud application security
Monitoring and Maintenance
  • Application logging security
  • Security monitoring
  • Vulnerability management
  • Patch implementation
  • Continuous improvement

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