A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering OWASP for Principal Software Engineers
Build defensible security architecture with full ownership of control decisions
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Who this is for
Principal-level software engineers in product and platform roles who are expected to lead security decisions without formal security titles
Who this is not for
Entry-level developers, compliance auditors, or managers without hands-on coding and system design responsibilities
What you walk away with
- Final approval authority on OWASP control applicability for new services
- Documented risk acceptance protocol that survives team turnover
- Clear escalation boundaries so only novel threats reach senior leadership
- Faster integration of security controls into CI/CD pipelines
- Recognition as the internal reference for secure architecture patterns
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Understanding OWASP in High-Velocity Development
Ground your security decisions in the actual attack patterns shaping today’s threat landscape. Learn how principal engineers at leading firms distinguish noise from real risk.
12 chapters in this module
- Top 3 trends in web application attacks
- How OWASP Top 10 maps to real incidents
- Distinguishing framework compliance from actual risk reduction
- When to go beyond the OWASP list
- Integrating threat modeling early
- Security as a developer responsibility
- Case study: API breach post-mortem
- Common misapplications of OWASP controls
- Building team-specific risk profiles
- OWASP vs NIST CSF vs CIS Controls
- Adapting to new services quickly
- Defining control ownership upfront
Module 2. Control Ownership Without Escalation
Take full responsibility for control decisions in your domain. Learn how to set boundaries so only novel or high-impact risks escalate.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining control scope per service type
- Documenting risk acceptance criteria
- Setting thresholds for automatic mitigation
- When to involve security teams
- Avoiding redundant reviews
- Building trust through consistency
- Handling peer pushback
- Creating decision logs
- Versioning control updates
- Ownership in cross-functional teams
- Handling inherited technical debt
- Transitioning ownership smoothly
Module 3. Integrating Controls Into CI/CD
Embed OWASP controls directly into development pipelines to prevent retro fixes. See how top engineering teams bake in security early.
12 chapters in this module
- Static analysis tool selection
- Configuring SAST for OWASP rules
- Automated dependency scanning
- Fail-fast vs fail-late strategies
- Managing false positives
- Gatekeeping pull requests
- Custom rule development
- Measuring control efficacy
- Updating checks quarterly
- Integrating dynamic analysis
- Tracking control coverage
- Reducing developer friction
Module 4. Architecture-Level Control Design
Design systems so OWASP controls are structural, not bolted on. Learn how principal engineers enforce secure patterns by default.
12 chapters in this module
- Secure-by-default templates
- Baseline configurations for new services
- Designing for least privilege
- Data flow mapping
- Authentication at the edge
- Session management patterns
- Input validation frameworks
- Error handling that doesn’t leak
- Secure API gateway patterns
- Encryption key management
- Auditing control effectiveness
- Updating designs post-incident
Module 5. Risk Acceptance and Justification
Formally accept risks with documentation that holds up under review. Build a library of justifications for common, low-impact decisions.
12 chapters in this module
- When to accept vs remediate
- Documenting threat likelihood
- Assessing business impact
- Using historical data
- Template for justifications
- Versioning risk decisions
- Legal and compliance thresholds
- Involving product teams
- Getting stakeholder alignment
- Updating acceptances annually
- Sunsetting old approvals
- Reporting to engineering leadership
Module 6. Cross-Team Influence Without Authority
Lead security outcomes without a mandate. Use proven patterns to gain buy-in from peer teams and senior leaders.
12 chapters in this module
- Building credibility through consistency
- Presenting control decisions clearly
- Creating shared documentation
- Running lightweight design reviews
- Onboarding new team members
- Sharing control templates
- Using metrics to show impact
- Handling pushback gracefully
- Documenting deviations
- Creating internal champions
- Scaling beyond your team
- Measuring peer adoption
Module 7. Handling Third-Party and Open Source Risks
Own security in a world of dependencies. Learn how to vet libraries, set policies, and enforce compliance at scale.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining acceptable sources
- Managing transitive dependencies
- Tracking license risks
- Monitoring for vulnerabilities
- Setting update cadence
- Automating patching
- Creating internal mirrors
- Managing supply chain attacks
- Using SBOMs effectively
- Enforcing policies in CI/CD
- Handling critical zero-days
- Documenting emergency overrides
Module 8. Incident Response and Post-Mortems
Turn breaches into control improvements. Learn how to lead post-mortems that strengthen systems without blame.
12 chapters in this module
- Initial response protocols
- Containment strategies
- Evidence preservation
- Running blameless reviews
- Identifying control failures
- Updating documentation
- Communicating learnings
- Prioritizing fixes
- Tracking action items
- Updating monitoring
- Reviewing risk acceptances
- Preventing recurrence
Module 9. Security Documentation That Scales
Build artifacts that survive team changes and leadership shifts. Create living documents that guide decisions for years.
12 chapters in this module
- Choosing documentation format
- Structuring control libraries
- Versioning with code
- Automating updates
- Making docs discoverable
- Using templates consistently
- Linking to architecture diagrams
- Integrating with runbooks
- Reviewing annually
- Archiving outdated controls
- Onboarding new engineers
- Measuring documentation quality
Module 10. Metrics That Show Security Impact
Demonstrate the value of your decisions with clear, actionable metrics that resonate with engineering and business leaders.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining security KPIs
- Measuring control coverage
- Tracking mean time to remediate
- False positive rates
- Developer friction scores
- Incident reduction trends
- Risk acceptance volume
- Peer team adoption
- Audit readiness scores
- Control effectiveness metrics
- Reporting to engineering leads
- Benchmarking over time
Module 11. Leading Security in Agile Environments
Make security keep pace with sprint cycles. Learn how to integrate controls without slowing delivery.
12 chapters in this module
- Embedding security in backlog
- Sizing control tasks
- Security sprint goals
- Pairing with QA teams
- Automated regression checks
- Handling technical debt
- Selling security to product
- Balancing speed and safety
- Tracking progress transparently
- Adapting controls per sprint
- Managing scope creep
- Celebrating secure launches
Module 12. Building a Legacy of Secure Engineering
Leave systems stronger than you found them. Ensure your decisions outlast your tenure with clear, defensible artifacts.
12 chapters in this module
- Creating handover packages
- Documenting design rationale
- Mentoring junior engineers
- Establishing team norms
- Architectural runway planning
- Succession planning
- Updating control libraries
- Reviewing inherited debt
- Setting new standards
- Institutionalizing best practices
- Measuring long-term impact
- Recognizing team contributions
How this maps to your situation
- New service launch with full control ownership
- Post-incident control review
- CI/CD pipeline upgrade
- Cross-team adoption of security standards
Before vs. after
Before
Security decisions require approvals, create friction, and often get reversed under delivery pressure.
After
You own the standard, make calls confidently, and see your controls adopted across teams without escalation.
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters total)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: Approximately 3 hours per module, designed to fit around full-time engineering work.
If nothing changes
Without clear ownership, security controls degrade over time, leading to preventable breaches and loss of engineering credibility.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic OWASP training, this course focuses on decision ownership, real-world tradeoffs, and integration into existing development workflows, tailored for senior engineers who lead without formal authority.
Frequently asked
Is this course technical or managerial?
It’s for technical leaders. You’ll gain decision-making frameworks and documentation patterns used by principal engineers at top product firms.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Do I need a security certification to benefit?
No. The course is designed for hands-on engineers who shape system design and want to own security outcomes.
$199 one-time. Approximately 3 hours per module, designed to fit around full-time engineering work..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours