Secure Coding and SSDLC for Developers
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Secure Coding and SSDLC for Developers
This course is part of Secure Coding for Application Development Specialization
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What you'll learn
Analyze secure coding vulnerabilities and apply controls to prevent injection, authentication, and session risks.
Apply SSDLC practices to integrate security across design, development, testing, and deployment stages.
Evaluate application security using SAST, DAST, and threat modeling to identify and mitigate risks.
Implement DevSecOps practices to automate security checks and enforce secure CI/CD release workflows.
Skills you'll gain
- Systems Development Life Cycle
- Secure Coding
- Cyber Risk
- Cyber Security Strategy
- Software Development Life Cycle
- Threat Detection
- CI/CD
- DevSecOps
- DevOps
- Vulnerability Assessments
- Cyber Governance
- Security Controls
- Authentications
- Threat Modeling
- Application Security
- Cyber Security Assessment
- Security Testing
- Security Requirements Analysis
Tools you'll learn
Details to know
April 2026
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There are 4 modules in this course
This program equips software developers, DevOps engineers, security engineers, and IT professionals with the foundational knowledge and practical skills required to design, build, and maintain secure software systems in modern development environments. You will begin by exploring the principles of secure coding and the real-world impact of insecure software, examining how vulnerabilities arise and how attackers exploit weaknesses in application logic, input handling, and authentication flows. Through practical examples, you will learn to differentiate between secure and insecure coding patterns and understand how early design decisions influence application security outcomes.
Building on this foundation, the course introduces secure development environments and essential security analysis techniques using Linux. You will work with command-line tools to navigate file systems, analyze logs, and identify security-relevant artifacts. Using Kali Linux and regular expressions, you will perform structured analysis of logs and code to detect anomalies and potential threats. You will also explore frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK to map application-level attacks and understand how vulnerabilities are exploited in real-world scenarios, enabling a deeper understanding of attacker behavior within software systems. Next, the curriculum focuses on implementing core secure coding controls within applications. You will learn how to validate inputs to prevent injection attacks, implement secure authentication and authorization mechanisms, manage sessions effectively, and protect identity flows. Through hands-on exercises, you will apply secure coding techniques to harden application components, reduce attack surfaces, and enforce robust access controls that align with modern security best practices. The course then advances into the Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC), where you will integrate security across all phases of development—from requirements and design to testing and deployment. You will explore how to embed security controls early through shift-left practices, apply basic threat modeling techniques to identify risks, and incorporate security testing approaches such as Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST). You will also learn how to establish feedback loops that continuously improve code security and reduce vulnerabilities over time. Finally, the program introduces DevSecOps principles and security automation in modern CI/CD pipelines. You will learn how to integrate automated security checks into development workflows, enforce security gates, and manage dependency risks using Software Composition Analysis (SCA). Through practical scenarios, you will understand how security becomes a continuous, automated process that supports faster and safer software delivery. The course culminates in a comprehensive practice project where you will apply secure coding practices, SSDLC principles, and DevSecOps controls to design and evaluate a secure release workflow. By the end of this course, you will be able to: -Analyze the impact of insecure software and identify common vulnerability patterns in application code. -Apply secure coding practices to prevent injection attacks, enforce authentication, and manage sessions securely. -Use Linux-based tools and techniques to analyze logs, detect threats, and support secure development workflows. -Implement SSDLC practices by integrating security controls across development, testing, and release phases. -Apply threat modeling concepts to identify and mitigate risks early in the development lifecycle. -Use SAST and DAST techniques to detect vulnerabilities and improve application security. -Integrate automated security checks and dependency analysis within CI/CD pipelines using DevSecOps practices. -Design and evaluate secure software delivery workflows that align with modern security and compliance standards. This course is designed for: Software Developers and Application Engineers DevOps and Platform Engineers Security Engineers and Application Security Professionals IT Professionals and System Administrators Students and Early-Career Software and Security Practitioners
Analyze the impact of insecure software by examining common vulnerability patterns, real-world security failures, and how attackers exploit weaknesses in application logic, input handling, and authentication mechanisms. Develop foundational secure coding skills by applying core security principles, validating inputs, and implementing secure authentication and session controls to prevent common attacks. Build practical analysis capabilities using Linux and Kali tools to navigate systems, analyze logs, apply regular expressions, and map application-level threats using frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK, enabling a deeper understanding of how vulnerabilities translate into real-world attack behavior.
What's included
17 videos8 readings4 assignments
17 videos•Total 84 minutes
- Specialization Introduction•5 minutes
- Course Introduction•4 minutes
- Defining Secure Coding and Software Security Failures•5 minutes
- Applying Core Security Principles in Code Design•4 minutes
- Examining Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities and Their Impact•4 minutes
- Demonstration: Using AI-Powered Secure Coding Analysis Tool•5 minutes
- Demonstration: Ethical Vulnerability Screening Using Sola Security•6 minutes
- Using Linux Command Line for Secure Development•5 minutes
- Demonstration: Exploring the Kali Linux Environment for Application Security Testing•6 minutes
- Navigating the Linux File System for Logs, Code, and Security Artifacts•5 minutes
- Applying Linux Regular Expressions for Secure Code Review•5 minutes
- Demonstration: Mapping Application Attacks Using MITRE ATT&CK Navigator•5 minutes
- Validating Input and Preventing Injection Vulnerabilities•5 minutes
- Implementing Secure Authentication and Authorization Controls•5 minutes
- Demonstration: Hardening Login Inputs Against Injection Attacks•6 minutes
- Managing Sessions and Protecting Identity Flows•4 minutes
- Demonstration: Controlling Access and Securing Session State•6 minutes
8 readings•Total 70 minutes
- Course Overview•5 minutes
- Beyond Code: Engineering Security into Software Systems•10 minutes
- AI-Driven Secure Coding and Vulnerability Detection with Sola Security•10 minutes
- Kali Linux Terminal: Core Interface for Secure Development and Security Testing•10 minutes
- Log Analysis and Threat Mapping for Secure Software Development•10 minutes
- Securing Application Entry Points and Identity Flows•10 minutes
- Protecting Application Inputs and Identity Access•10 minutes
- Module Summary: Foundations of Secure Coding and Software Risk•5 minutes
4 assignments•Total 48 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Secure Coding Foundations and Risk Drivers•30 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Establishing Secure Coding Fundamentals•6 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Secure Development Environment and Linux for Security Analysis•6 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Implementing Core Secure Coding Controls•6 minutes
Implement security across the software development lifecycle by integrating secure practices into requirements, design, development, testing, and release phases. Apply structured approaches such as shift-left security and basic threat modeling to identify risks early and reduce downstream vulnerabilities. Develop practical skills in security testing by analyzing applications using Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), while incorporating continuous feedback mechanisms to improve code quality and ensure security is embedded as an ongoing process within development workflows.
What's included
9 videos4 readings3 assignments
9 videos•Total 47 minutes
- Comparing Traditional SDLC and Secure SDLC•6 minutes
- Integrating Security Controls Across SDLC Phases•5 minutes
- Applying Shift-Left Security to Reduce Late-Stage Risk•6 minutes
- Demonstration: Mapping Security Activities to SDLC Phases•5 minutes
- Examining Static Application Security Testing (SAST)•5 minutes
- Analyzing Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)•5 minutes
- Applying Security Feedback Loops in Development •4 minutes
- Demonstration: Integrating Static Analysis Feedback into Development Iterations•6 minutes
- Demonstration: Simulating Dynamic Testing and Dependency Scanning•5 minutes
4 readings•Total 35 minutes
- Embedding Security Across the Software Development Lifecycle•10 minutes
- Continuous Security Testing in Modern Development Workflows•10 minutes
- Closing the Loop: Continuous Security Validation in Development•10 minutes
- Module Summary: Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC)•5 minutes
3 assignments•Total 42 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC)•30 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Integrating Security Across the SDLC•6 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Applying Security Testing and Feedback Mechanisms•6 minutes
Analyze the role of DevSecOps in modern software delivery by examining how security can be integrated into continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. Develop practical skills in automating security controls by implementing security as code, enforcing automated security gates, and integrating vulnerability detection into development workflows. Evaluate dependency risks using Software Composition Analysis (SCA) and apply automated security practices to ensure secure, scalable, and reliable software releases in fast-paced engineering environments.
What's included
9 videos4 readings3 assignments
9 videos•Total 44 minutes
- Defining DevSecOps•5 minutes
- Security as a Code•5 minutes
- Applying DevSecOps Core Principles•5 minutes
- Demonstration: Executing a Secure DevSecOps Workflow•5 minutes
- Analyzing DevSecOps Adoption Drivers•4 minutes
- Implementing Automation in DevSecOps Workflows•5 minutes
- Examining Software Composition Analysis (SCA) for Dependency Security•4 minutes
- Demonstration: Enforcing Automated Security Gates in a CI/CD Pipeline•6 minutes
- Demonstration: Analyzing Dependency Security Using SCA in a DevSecOps Workflow•6 minutes
4 readings•Total 35 minutes
- Operationalizing Security with DevSecOps Practices•10 minutes
- Driving Secure Automation with DevSecOps and Dependency Awareness•10 minutes
- Enforcing Security Controls in Automated DevSecOps Pipelines•10 minutes
- Module Summary: DevSecOps Adoption and Security Automation•5 minutes
3 assignments•Total 42 minutes
- Knowledge Check: DevSecOps Adoption and Security Automation•30 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Establishing DevSecOps Foundations•6 minutes
- Test Your Knowledge: Driving DevSecOps Adoption and Security Automation•6 minutes
This module is designed to assess an individual on the various concepts and teachings covered in this course. Evaluate your knowledge with a comprehensive graded quiz.
What's included
1 video1 reading2 assignments
1 video•Total 5 minutes
- Course Summary•5 minutes
1 reading•Total 30 minutes
- Practice Project: Secure Application Development and DevSecOps Implementation•30 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- End Course Knowledge Check: Secure Coding and SSDLC for Developers•30 minutes
- Secure Application Risk Assessment and Remediation Plan•30 minutes
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Frequently asked questions
This course is ideal for developers, DevOps engineers, security professionals, and anyone interested in building secure software systems.
Basic knowledge of programming and software development concepts is helpful, but no prior cybersecurity experience is required.
You will learn input validation, authentication, authorization, session management, and techniques to prevent common vulnerabilities.
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¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.
