¶ Security Testing
¶ Software Engineering
¶ Introduction to Software Engineering Through the Lens of Security Testing
Every engineer has a moment when they realize that building software isn’t just about writing features or fixing bugs—it’s about protecting something valuable. It might happen the first time a customer reports suspicious account activity. It might happen after a late-night emergency where a server has been compromised. It might happen when a vulnerability is discovered in a piece of code that has been running quietly for years. Whenever it occurs, the realization is the same: software is never just software. It’s trust. And trust must be protected.
Security testing sits at the center of this realization. It’s the practice of intentionally probing for weaknesses, exposing assumptions, identifying cracks in the foundation, and understanding the ways things can fail—not to shame the code or the team, but to build systems that withstand the unpredictable, the malicious, and the unknown. In a world where software powers everything from banking systems to health care, from transportation to communication, security testing is not optional. It’s a core responsibility of engineering.
This course is built around that responsibility—not to overwhelm you with fear, but to illuminate the importance, the logic, and the craft behind security testing. It’s easy to imagine security as something handled by specialized teams tucked away in a corner of the organization. But mature engineering recognizes that security belongs to everyone. Every line of code, every configuration, every API, every database query carries a potential risk. And every engineer, regardless of role, contributes to the resilience of the system.
Security testing is not just a technical discipline. It’s a mindset. It nudges us to challenge assumptions, question defaults, expect the unexpected, and explore behavior beyond what is “supposed” to happen. It forces us to think like adversaries—not because we want to break things, but because someone else will. The more we learn to think this way, the safer our systems become.
In the early days of software, security wasn’t always top of mind. Systems lived in isolated environments. Networks were smaller. Attack surfaces were limited. Tools were simpler. Today, the landscape is vastly different. Modern software is built atop countless dependencies, APIs, cloud systems, third-party services, libraries, and frameworks. A single application might interact with a dozen external systems and rely on hundreds of packages. Each of these connections is a potential pathway for attack.
Security testing helps us see those pathways before they become problems. It gives us visibility into the complex, interconnected reality of modern systems. It reveals how decisions made in one part of the system ripple outward. It highlights the dangers of assuming “this function is harmless” or “this input is safe.” It trains us to scrutinize the ordinary.
What often surprises newcomers to security testing is how creative the field is. Unlike functional tests, which verify intended behavior, security tests explore unintended behavior. They look for edge cases, strange conditions, malformed inputs, timing issues, race conditions, misconfigurations, and logic oversights. They explore how systems might be manipulated, overloaded, or misled. And because real attackers don’t follow documentation or expected workflows, security testing embraces a mindset of exploration.
This creativity is both challenging and exciting. It invites engineers to become investigators, explorers, and even storytellers—piecing together the narrative of how an application might behave under pressure or deception.
Security testing also forces us to confront the human side of engineering. Many vulnerabilities emerge not from code itself, but from decisions, habits, shortcuts, assumptions, or misunderstandings. A rushed release. A poorly handled exception. A forgotten input validation. A convenience function left in production. A configuration copied from development without restrictions. Security testing brings these moments to the surface gently, allowing teams to improve their practices and culture.
Another important dimension is that security testing extends beyond the application layer. True security spans infrastructure, networks, identity management, logging, session control, data encryption, browser behavior, and even physical access in some environments. It involves understanding how attackers chain together multiple minor weaknesses—none harmful by themselves, but devastating when combined.
Over the course of this program, you’ll see how these layers interact. You’ll learn how vulnerabilities emerge not from isolated mistakes, but from systems behaving in unexpected ways. You’ll discover how to use tools to identify vulnerabilities, how to simulate attacks safely, how to interpret findings, and how to build habits that reduce risk over time.
But just as importantly, you’ll explore the deeper questions: What does it mean to build secure software? How do teams balance usability and protection? How do we avoid overconfidence or complacency? How do we design systems that degrade gracefully, even when attacked?
Security testing teaches humility. No system is perfectly secure. No engineer is infallible. No assumption is safe forever. Technologies change, threats evolve, and attacks become more sophisticated. Security testing is about adapting, learning, and staying vigilant—not because paranoia is healthy, but because awareness is necessary.
Many teams discover that security testing strengthens collaboration. It brings developers, testers, architects, DevOps, and security specialists together. It encourages people to share knowledge, question decisions respectfully, and build shared understanding. Instead of seeing security as an obstacle, they begin to see it as an enabler—something that makes innovation safer, deployment more confident, and users more protected.
One of the great challenges in modern security is the sheer scale of the problem. With so many vulnerabilities emerging each year, it’s impossible to test everything manually or anticipate every attack. That’s why security testing blends automation with human insight. Automated tools can scan, probe, and highlight patterns quickly. They can detect known vulnerabilities, outdated packages, misconfigurations, and suspicious behaviors. But no automated tool can replace human intuition—the ability to think about logic, context, business rules, and the unique ways attackers might exploit them.
This course will help you develop both sides: the disciplined use of automated tools and the thoughtful application of human reasoning.
Security testing also reflects the idea that prevention is far cheaper than remediation. A vulnerability discovered in production can damage reputation, expose data, trigger legal issues, and create massive operational stress. The same vulnerability discovered during development becomes an opportunity to learn, improve, and strengthen the system. This shift—from reacting to preventing—is one of the most transformative effects of embracing security testing as part of everyday engineering.
As you progress through this course, you’ll explore the major categories of security testing: input validation, authentication, authorization, cross-site scripting, SQL injection, command injection, session management, CSRF attacks, file handling, race conditions, cryptographic flaws, insecure storage, dependency risks, API vulnerabilities, and much more. But beyond learning the mechanics, you’ll develop the ability to see patterns in these vulnerabilities—to understand the mental models attackers use, to anticipate their strategies, and to design systems that resist them.
You’ll also discover that security is not just a technical challenge—it’s a cultural one. Teams must create an environment where security concerns are welcomed, not dismissed. Where raising a potential risk is seen as responsible, not obstructive. Where trade-offs between speed and safety are discussed openly. And where learning from mistakes is natural.
This cultural awareness is part of what makes security testing so meaningful. It reminds us that every engineer plays a role in protecting users. Every engineer contributes to safety. Every engineer can be part of the solution.
Perhaps the most important lesson you’ll take from this course is that security testing is not an isolated phase—it’s an integrated way of thinking. It belongs in design discussions, code reviews, daily development, deployment pipelines, and monitoring systems. It evolves as the system evolves. It grows with the team’s skill and awareness. And it becomes a natural part of the engineering workflow.
Security testing teaches engineers to look beyond their assumptions, to think critically, to anticipate consequences, to dig deeper, and to treat every user interaction with care. It transforms the act of building software from something purely functional into something deeply responsible.
And in today's world, that responsibility is more important than ever. Every breach, every leak, every exploit reminds us that trust is fragile. Security testing helps us protect that trust—not through fear, but through craftsmanship, knowledge, and vigilance.
By the end of this 100-article journey, you will understand security testing not as a checklist or a specialty, but as a foundational part of software engineering. You’ll know how to identify risks, design safer systems, build stronger defenses, and respond thoughtfully when vulnerabilities arise. You’ll gain the confidence to navigate the complex landscape of modern cyber threats. And you’ll develop a security mindset that will enrich every aspect of your engineering work.
This course is your invitation to explore that world thoughtfully—full of complexity, challenge, discovery, and purpose.
Let’s begin the journey.
¶ Security Testing
¶ Beginner Level
1. Introduction to Security Testing: Why It’s Crucial
2. The Importance of Security in Software Development
3. What is Security Testing? Key Concepts and Definitions
4. Types of Security Testing: Overview and Classification
5. Common Security Vulnerabilities in Software Applications
6. The OWASP Top 10: An Essential Guide for Security Testing
7. The Role of Penetration Testing in Security Testing
8. Understanding Threat Modeling in Security Testing
9. Introduction to Ethical Hacking and Its Role in Security Testing
10. What is a Security Test Plan and How to Create One
11. Basic Tools for Security Testing: A Beginner’s Guide
12. How to Perform a Vulnerability Assessment
13. Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC): Integration of Security Testing
14. The Role of Authentication and Authorization in Security Testing
15. Web Application Security Testing Basics
16. Testing for Input Validation Vulnerabilities
17. Identifying and Testing for Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerabilities
18. Basic SQL Injection Testing Techniques
19. How to Test for Security Misconfigurations
20. Common Authentication Flaws and How to Test for Them
¶ Intermediate Level
21. Conducting a Web Security Test: Tools and Best Practices
22. How to Test for Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
23. Advanced SQL Injection Testing Techniques
24. Automated vs. Manual Security Testing: What You Need to Know
25. The Role of Encryption in Security Testing: Protecting Data
26. Testing for Broken Access Control Vulnerabilities
27. Session Management Testing: Ensuring Secure User Sessions
28. Testing for Security Flaws in RESTful APIs
29. How to Conduct a Mobile App Security Test
30. Understanding and Mitigating Social Engineering Attacks
31. Introduction to Network Security Testing
32. How to Test for XML External Entity (XXE) Vulnerabilities
33. Secure Coding Practices: How They Influence Security Testing
34. Security Testing for Cloud Applications and Services
35. How to Perform a Risk Assessment in Security Testing
36. Testing for Insecure Deserialization Vulnerabilities
37. Secure Application Deployment: Testing for Configuration Issues
38. Testing for Information Disclosure: Common Attack Vectors
39. How to Identify and Test for Directory Traversal Vulnerabilities
40. Conducting a Security Review of Source Code
41. How to Set Up and Use a Security Testing Lab
42. Best Practices for Secure Data Storage and Transmission Testing
43. Vulnerability Scanning vs. Penetration Testing: What’s the Difference?
44. Web Application Firewalls (WAF): How to Test Their Effectiveness
45. The Role of Code Reviews in Security Testing
46. How to Perform Security Testing for Third-Party Integrations
47. Secure APIs: Testing for Security Gaps
48. Common Mistakes to Avoid in Security Testing
49. How to Test for Broken Cryptography in Software
50. Managing Security Test Reports: How to Communicate Findings Effectively
¶ Advanced Level
51. Advanced Penetration Testing Techniques for Software Applications
52. Security Testing for Microservices Architecture
53. Conducting Threat Intelligence to Enhance Security Testing
54. Using Fuzz Testing to Discover Security Vulnerabilities
55. Advanced Techniques for Exploiting SQL Injection Vulnerabilities
56. How to Test for Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
57. Conducting a Full Penetration Test of a Web Application
58. Integrating Security Testing in Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)
59. Advanced Session Hijacking Techniques and How to Prevent Them
60. Security Testing for Blockchain Applications
61. How to Perform Source Code Analysis for Security Flaws
62. Advanced Web Application Security Testing: Techniques and Tools
63. How to Exploit and Mitigate Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
64. Social Engineering Simulations: Testing Human Factors in Security
65. Understanding Zero-Day Vulnerabilities: How to Test for Them
66. Conducting Advanced Network Security Assessments
67. Security Testing for IoT Applications: Challenges and Solutions
68. How to Perform Security Audits for Cloud Infrastructure
69. Testing for Advanced Cryptographic Vulnerabilities
70. How to Handle Security Vulnerabilities in Legacy Systems
71. Advanced Malware Testing Techniques and Best Practices
72. Testing for Privacy Concerns in Software Applications
73. How to Test for API Rate Limiting and Throttling Vulnerabilities
74. Advanced Configuration Management Security Testing
75. Testing for Session Fixation Vulnerabilities
76. How to Perform a Security Posture Assessment for an Organization
77. Testing for Data Integrity and Non-Repudiation Vulnerabilities
78. Conducting Risk-Based Security Testing: A Comprehensive Approach
79. Security Testing for Containerized Environments (Docker, Kubernetes)
80. Advanced Techniques for Testing Broken Authentication Flaws
81. Testing for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Vulnerabilities
82. How to Test for Privilege Escalation in Operating Systems
83. Conducting a Security Audit of Third-Party Libraries and Dependencies
84. Exploring and Testing File Upload Vulnerabilities in Web Applications
85. Advanced Vulnerability Scanning Techniques and Their Limitations
86. How to Test for Security in Serverless Applications
87. Ethical Hacking Techniques for Mobile App Security Testing
88. Automating Security Testing: Best Practices and Tools
89. Security Testing for DevSecOps: Integrating Security into the Development Pipeline
90. Testing for Insecure Data Access and Permissions in Microservices
91. Performing Security Assessments for Cross-Domain Systems
92. Secure Code Injection Testing: Techniques and Tools
93. Ethical Hacking for Cloud Applications: Testing for Misconfigurations
94. How to Test for Business Logic Vulnerabilities
95. How to Implement Continuous Security Testing in Agile Development
96. Understanding Advanced Threat Vectors and How to Test for Them
97. Testing for File Inclusion Vulnerabilities in Web Applications
98. The Role of Security Testing in Compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS)
99. Post-Exploit Testing: How to Test After a Successful Exploit
100. Future Trends in Security Testing: Preparing for Emerging Threats