This course will walk you through how to recognize actual and potential software vulnerabilities and implement defenses for those vulnerabilities. You will explore most common security vulnerabilities faced by web applications today, examining each vulnerability from a coding perspective through a process of describing the threat and attack mechanisms, recognizing associated vulnerabilities, and, finally, designing and implementing effective defenses. 

This course combines engaging instructor-led presentations and useful demonstrations with valuable hands-on labs and engaging group activities. Throughout the course you will:  

• Grasp defensive, secure coding concepts and terminology, including the understanding of exploit phases and goals. 
• Explore the 2021 OWASP Top Ten (latest edition) as well as several additional prominent vulnerabilities. 
• Master the first axioms in security analysis and addressing security concerns across all web applications. 
• Learn how to perform ethical hacking and bug hunting in a safe and appropriate manner. 
• Identify and utilize effective defect/bug reporting mechanisms within your organization. 
• Learn how to avoid common pitfalls in bug hunting and vulnerability testing. 
• Develop an appreciation for the value of a multilayered defense strategy. 
• Understand potential sources of untrusted data and the consequences of improper handling. 
• Comprehend the vulnerabilities associated with authentication and authorization mechanisms. 
• Learn how to detect and mitigate threats to authentication and authorization functionalities. 
• Understand the mechanics and threats of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Injection attacks, and how to defend against them. 
• Comprehend the risks associated with XML processing, software uploads, and deserialization, and learn mitigation strategies. 
• Familiarize yourself with security tools, hardening techniques, ongoing threat intelligence resources 
• Optional / Bonus: Exploring AI in Web Application Security 

If your team requires different topics, additional skills or a custom approach, our team will collaborate with you to adjust the course to focus on your specific learning objectives and goals. 

This is an overview-level course ideally suited for web developers, software engineers, system administrators, and other technical stakeholders who are involved in the design, development, or maintenance of web applications. Security professionals looking to deepen their understanding of web application vulnerabilities and defense mechanisms would also greatly benefit. Moreover, project managers and leaders who wish to ensure their teams are following best practices for secure application development will find this course valuable in shaping their strategic direction. 

Please note that this list of topics is based on our standard course offering, evolved from typical industry uses and trends. We'll work with you to tune this course and level of coverage to target the skills you need most. Topics, agenda and labs are subject to change, and may adjust during live delivery based on audience skill level, interests and participation. 

Session: Bug Hunting Foundation  

Lesson: Why Hunt Bugs? 

• The Language of Cybersecurity 
• The Changing Cybersecurity Landscape 
• AppSec Dissection of SolarWinds 
• The Human Perimeter 
• Interpreting the Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report 
• First Axiom in Web Application Security Analysis  
• First Axiom in Addressing ALL Security Concerns  
• Lab: Case Study in Failure 

Lesson: Safe and Appropriate Bug Hunting/Hacking 

• Working Ethically 
• Respecting Privacy 
• Bug/Defect Notification 
• Bug Bounty Programs 
• Bug Hunting Mistakes to Avoid 

Session: Moving Forward From Hunting Bugs  

Lesson: Removing Bugs 

• Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) 
• OWASP Top Ten Overview 
• Web Application Security Consortium (WASC) 
• CERT Secure Coding Standards 
• Microsoft Security Response Center  
• Software-Specific Threat Intelligence 

Session: Foundation for Securing Web Applications  

Lesson: Principles of Information Security 

• Security Is a Lifecycle Issue 
• Minimize Attack Surface Area 
• Layers of Defense: Tenacious D 
• Compartmentalize 
• Consider All Application States 
• Do NOT Trust the Untrusted 
• AppSec Dissection of the Verkada Exploit 

Session: Bug Stomping 101  

Lesson: Unvalidated Data 

• Buffer Overflows 
• Integer Arithmetic Vulnerabilities 
• Defining and Defending Trust Boundaries 
• Rigorous., Positive Specifications 
• Whitelisting vs Blacklisting 
• Challenges: Free-Form Text, Email Addresses, and Uploaded Files 

Lesson: A01: Broken Access Control 

• Elevation of Privileges 
• Insufficient Flow Control 
• Unprotected URL/Resource Access/Forceful Browsing 
• Metadata Manipulation  
• Lab: Spotlight: Verizon 

Lesson: A02: Cryptographic Failures 

• Identifying Protection Needs 
• Evolving Privacy Considerations 
• Options for Protecting Data 
• Transport/Message Level Security 
• Weak Cryptographic Processing 
• Keys and Key Management 
• NIST Recommendations 

Lesson: A03: Injection 

• Injection Flaws 
• SQL Injection Attacks Evolve 
• Drill Down on Stored Procedures 
• Other Forms of Server-Side Injection 
• Minimizing Injection Flaws 
• Client-side Injection: XSS 
• Persistent, Reflective, and DOM-Based XSS 
• Best Practices for Untrusted Data 

Lesson: A04: Insecure Design 

• Secure Software Development Processes 
• Shifting Left 
• Cost of Continually Reinventing 
• Leveraging Common AppSec Practices and Control 
• Paralysis by Analysis 
• Actionable Application Security 
• Additional Tools for the Toolbox  
• Lab: Actionable AppSec 

Lesson: A05: Security Misconfiguration 

• System Hardening 
• Risks with Internet-Connected Resources (Servers to Cloud) 
• Minimalist Configurations 
• Application Whitelisting 
• Secure Baseline 
• Segmentation with Containers and Cloud  
• Lab: Configuration Guidance 
• Resolution of External References 
• Safe XML Processing  

Session: Bug Stomping 102  

Lesson: A06: Vulnerable and Outdated Components 

• Vulnerable Components 
• Software Inventory 
• Managing Updates: Balancing Risk and Timeliness 
• Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) 
• AppSec Dissection of Ongoing Microsoft Exchange Exploits 
• Lab: Spotlight: Equifax 

Lesson: A07: Identification and Authentication Failures 

• Quality and Protection of Authentication Data 
• Proper hashing of passwords 
• Handling Passwords on Server Side 
• Session Management 
• HttpOnly and Security Headers 

Lesson: A08: Software and Data Integrity Failures 

• Serialization/Deserialization  
• Issues with Consuming Vulnerable Software 
• Using Trusted Repositories 
• CI/CD Pipeline Issues 
• Protecting Software Development Resources 

Lesson: A09: Security Logging and Monitoring Failures 

• Detecting Threats and Active Attacks 
• Best Practices for Determining What to Log 
• Safe Logging in Support of Forensics 
• Lab: Auditing and Logging Guidance 

Lesson: A10: Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) 

• Understanding SSRF 
• Remote Resource Access Scenarios 
• Complexity of Cloud Services 
• SSRF Defense in Depth 
• Positive Allow Lists 

Session: Moving Forward  

Lesson: Applications: What Next? 

• Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures 
• CWE/SANS Top 25 Most Dangerous SW Errors 
• Strength Training: Project Teams/Developers 
• Strength Training: IT Organizations 
• Lab: Spotlight: Capital One 

Optional / Bonus Content 

Bonus Chapter: Leveraging AI in Web Application Security Development 

• Introduction to AI in Web Application Security 
• AI-Powered Threat Detection 
• AI for Secure Coding 
• AI in Authentication and Access Control 
• AI in Incident Response 
• Challenges and Ethical Considerations in AI for Security