Principles of Secure Coding

This course is part of Secure Coding Practices Specialization

Instructor: Matthew Bishop, PhD

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24,008 already enrolled

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

377 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

93%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

377 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

93%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

C (Programming Language)

Details to know

Shareable certificate

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Assessments

8 assignments

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Secure Coding Practices Specialization

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There are 4 modules in this course

This course introduces you to the principles of secure programming. It begins by discussing the philosophy and principles of secure programming, and then presenting robust programming and the relationship between it and secure programming. We'll go through a detailed example of writing robust code and we'll see many common programming problems and show their connection to writing robust, secure programs in general. We’ll examine eight design principles that govern secure coding and how to apply them to your own work. We’ll discuss how poor design choices drive implementation in coding. We’ll differentiate between informal, formal, and ad hoc coding methods. Throughout, methods for improving the security and robustness of your programs will be emphasized and you will have an opportunity to practice these concepts through various lab activities. A knowledge of the C programming language is helpful, but not required to participate in the lab exercises.

In this module, you'll be able to describe key concepts in secure programming including typical problems and procedures. You'll be able to differentiate between robust programming and secure programming and you'll generalize from philosophies of "what to watch out for" and "where to look" to specific situations.

What's included

10 videos1 reading2 assignments1 discussion prompt

10 videos Total 66 minutes

Course Introduction 3 minutes
Module 1 Introduction 2 minutes
The Philosophy of Secure Programming 3 minutes
Defining Secure Programming 4 minutes
Robust vs. Secure Programming 14 minutes
Security Policies and Procedures 8 minutes
Secure Programming General Philosophy 10 minutes
Checking Design and Implementation 10 minutes
Where to Look for Vulnerabilities 11 minutes
Secure Programming Summary 1 minute

1 reading Total 10 minutes

A Note From UC Davis 10 minutes

2 assignments Total 75 minutes

Module 1 Practice Quiz 30 minutes
Module 1 Quiz 45 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Learning Goals 10 minutes

In this module, you will be able to recall eight software design principles that govern secure programming. You will write a short program, in any language you like, to determine whether the system enforces the Principle of Complete Mediation. You'll be able to apply design principles from Saltzer, Schroeder and Kaashoek to code situations.

What's included

11 videos1 reading2 assignments1 discussion prompt

11 videos Total 36 minutes

Module 2 Introduction 1 minute
Secure Programming Design Principles Overview 2 minutes
Principle of Least Privilege 3 minutes
Fail-Safe Defaults 3 minutes
Principle of Economy of Mechanism 2 minutes
Principle of Complete Mediation 2 minutes
Separation of Privilege Principle 3 minutes
Principle of Open Design 7 minutes
Principle of Least Common Mechanism 5 minutes
Principle of Least Astonishment 6 minutes
Secure Programming Design Principles Summary 1 minute

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Complete Mediation - What Is Going On? 10 minutes

2 assignments Total 60 minutes

Module 2 Practice Quiz 30 minutes
Module 2 Quiz 30 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 150 minutes

Complete Mediation (Suggested Activity) 150 minutes

In this module, you will be able to explain the issues that can arise from fragile programming. You'll be able to discuss how design issues drive implementation and be able to distinguish between robust and fragile code. You'll be able to explain what can go wrong in fragile code and be able to write a robust version of fragile code.

What's included

9 videos2 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

9 videos Total 61 minutes

Module 3 Introduction 2 minutes
Robust Programming Overview 1 minute
Robust Programming Basic Principles 3 minutes
An Example Of Fragile Code 14 minutes
Error Handling 11 minutes
Cohesion, New Interfaces, and Token Generation 14 minutes
Token Generation and Interpretation 5 minutes
Creating and Deleting a Queue 6 minutes
Adding and Removing Elements to a Queue 5 minutes

2 readings Total 15 minutes

Before You Begin This Module... 5 minutes
Fragile Programs - What Is Going On? 10 minutes

2 assignments Total 45 minutes

Module 3 Practice Quiz 15 minutes
Module 3 Quiz 30 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 150 minutes

Fragile Programs (Suggested Activity) 150 minutes

In this module, you will be able to describe how to use techniques that mimic formal methods to improve the robustness and security of programs. You will also be able to compare and contrast formal, informal, and ad hoc programming methods. You'll be able to write a program to demonstrate how a poorly-written program or library can cause incorrect results.