Skip to main content
Image coming soon

Pragmatic Application Security Programs for Senior Leaders

$199.00
Adding to cart… The item has been added

A tailored course, built for your situation

Pragmatic Application Security Programs for Senior Leaders

A 12-module implementation-grade course for business and technology leaders advancing secure software delivery

$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.
Leaders are expected to deliver security outcomes without clear frameworks for prioritization, resourcing, or cross-team alignment.

The situation this course is for

Application security is no longer a technical silo, it's a leadership challenge. Senior professionals face pressure to demonstrate measurable progress, integrate security into delivery pipelines, and justify investment, all while navigating competing priorities and limited bandwidth. Without a structured, pragmatic approach, efforts become reactive, fragmented, or misaligned with business goals.

Who this is for

Senior business and technology leaders, engineering VPs, CISOs, product directors, compliance leads, and technology strategists, who need to establish, scale, or refine application security programs with real-world constraints.

Who this is not for

Individual contributors focused on hands-on tooling, penetration testing, or code-level vulnerabilities. This is not a technical 'how-to-secure-code' course.

What you walk away with

  • Define a business-aligned application security strategy that secures executive buy-in
  • Prioritize initiatives using risk-based, resource-aware frameworks
  • Integrate security into product and development lifecycles without slowing delivery
  • Build measurable KPIs and reporting structures for board-level communication
  • Deploy a scalable program using the included implementation playbook

The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)

Module 1. Foundations of Application Security Leadership
Establish the core principles, scope, and strategic value of application security programs.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Defining application security in business terms
  2. The evolution from compliance to strategic enablement
  3. Key stakeholders and their expectations
  4. Aligning security with product and engineering goals
  5. Common misconceptions and how to address them
  6. The role of leadership in shaping culture
  7. Security as a business enabler, not a gate
  8. Balancing risk, speed, and innovation
  9. Establishing program boundaries and scope
  10. Creating a shared language across teams
  11. Mapping security to customer trust
  12. Setting expectations for measurable impact
Module 2. Risk Prioritization for Executives
Learn to focus on risks that matter most to the business.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Beyond CVSS: business impact scoring
  2. Identifying crown jewel applications
  3. Threat modeling at scale
  4. Leveraging breach intelligence without fear
  5. Risk aggregation across portfolios
  6. Time-to-exploit vs. time-to-fix analysis
  7. Prioritizing by customer impact
  8. Using data to depoliticize decisions
  9. The 80/20 rule in vulnerability management
  10. Integrating threat intelligence practically
  11. Scenario planning for emerging risks
  12. Communicating risk to non-technical leaders
Module 3. Building the Security-Development Partnership
Foster collaboration between security and engineering teams.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Understanding developer incentives and constraints
  2. Embedding security into agile workflows
  3. Creating shared ownership models
  4. Designing feedback loops that work
  5. Reducing friction in security tooling
  6. Security champions: selection and support
  7. Measuring engineering team engagement
  8. Avoiding the 'security police' perception
  9. Co-developing policies with engineering leads
  10. Integrating security into CI/CD pipelines
  11. Handling escalations constructively
  12. Celebrating secure delivery wins
Module 4. Scaling Programs Across Teams and Products
Grow security initiatives without proportional headcount increases.
12 chapters in this module
  1. The maturity model for application security
  2. Tiered approaches by product criticality
  3. Automating policy enforcement at scale
  4. Standardizing secure configurations
  5. Centralized vs. decentralized models
  6. Managing third-party and open-source risk
  7. Onboarding new teams efficiently
  8. Knowledge transfer and documentation
  9. Using metrics to guide expansion
  10. Handling technical debt across portfolios
  11. Scaling training and awareness
  12. Maintaining consistency without rigidity
Module 5. Metrics That Matter to Leadership
Develop reports that resonate with executives and boards.
12 chapters in this module
  1. From scan results to business insights
  2. Defining leading vs. lagging indicators
  3. Tracking mean time to remediate (MTTR)
  4. Measuring program adoption and coverage
  5. Security's impact on release velocity
  6. Customer trust and brand protection metrics
  7. Benchmarking against industry peers
  8. Visualizing risk for board presentations
  9. Avoiding vanity metrics
  10. Tying security to financial outcomes
  11. Reporting frequency and format
  12. Using dashboards to drive action
Module 6. Budgeting and Resource Justification
Make the business case for investment in application security.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Cost of delay in security remediation
  2. Estimating breach impact scenarios
  3. Building a multi-year funding model
  4. Comparing build vs. buy decisions
  5. Leveraging compliance requirements strategically
  6. Securing funding outside security budgets
  7. Tracking ROI of security initiatives
  8. Negotiating headcount and tools
  9. Using pilot programs to prove value
  10. Aligning with digital transformation spend
  11. Managing vendor relationships
  12. Optimizing spend across tools and teams
Module 7. Compliance as a Strategic Asset
Turn regulatory requirements into program accelerators.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Mapping controls to business capabilities
  2. Using compliance to justify automation
  3. Streamlining audit preparation
  4. Beyond checkboxes: real security outcomes
  5. GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and sector-specific rules
  6. SOC 2 and ISO 27001 alignment
  7. Leveraging compliance for customer trust
  8. Automating evidence collection
  9. Reducing compliance burden over time
  10. Training teams on compliance relevance
  11. Auditor relationships and expectations
  12. Using compliance gaps to prioritize
Module 8. Third-Party and Supply Chain Risk
Manage risk beyond your direct codebase.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Assessing vendor security maturity
  2. Contractual security requirements
  3. Open source license and vulnerability tracking
  4. Software bills of materials (SBOMs)
  5. Managing API and integration risks
  6. Due diligence in M&A and partnerships
  7. Monitoring third-party incidents
  8. Enforcing security in vendor onboarding
  9. Shared responsibility models
  10. Incident response coordination
  11. Reducing supplier-induced technical debt
  12. Building exit strategies for risky vendors
Module 9. Incident Readiness and Response Leadership
Prepare for breaches without living in fear.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Defining incident severity levels
  2. Building cross-functional response teams
  3. Communication protocols during crises
  4. Tabletop exercises for leadership
  5. Minimizing business disruption
  6. Customer and regulator notification planning
  7. Post-mortem processes that drive improvement
  8. Legal and PR coordination
  9. Maintaining calm under pressure
  10. Learning from near-misses
  11. Documenting response playbooks
  12. Testing readiness without panic
Module 10. Culture, Change, and Influence
Lead transformation without formal authority.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Understanding resistance to security
  2. Influence tactics for technical leaders
  3. Storytelling to build buy-in
  4. Celebrating small wins publicly
  5. Addressing burnout and fatigue
  6. Creating psychological safety in reporting
  7. Modeling secure behaviors as a leader
  8. Coaching managers on security expectations
  9. Handling pushback from peers
  10. Sustaining momentum over time
  11. Adapting messaging by audience
  12. Building a long-term security vision
Module 11. Emerging Technologies and Future-Proofing
Anticipate shifts in architecture and risk.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Security implications of AI and ML
  2. API-first and microservices security
  3. Cloud-native security considerations
  4. Zero trust architecture integration
  5. Securing low-code and citizen development
  6. Edge computing and IoT risks
  7. Quantum readiness and crypto-agility
  8. Managing shadow IT securely
  9. Evaluating new tools and frameworks
  10. Balancing innovation and control
  11. Future skills for security teams
  12. Building adaptability into the program
Module 12. Sustaining and Evolving the Program
Ensure long-term relevance and impact.
12 chapters in this module
  1. Annual program review and refresh
  2. Benchmarking against evolving threats
  3. Updating strategy with business changes
  4. Rotating leadership and knowledge retention
  5. Investing in team development
  6. Managing executive turnover
  7. Scaling communication across the org
  8. Integrating lessons from incidents
  9. Reassessing tooling and automation
  10. Aligning with new product launches
  11. Celebrating program maturity
  12. Handing off to next-generation leaders

How this maps to your situation

  • You're launching a new product and need to embed security from the start.
  • You're responding to increased board interest in cyber resilience.
  • You're scaling engineering teams and seeing security gaps emerge.
  • You're justifying budget for security tools or headcount.

Before vs. after

Before
Application security feels reactive, fragmented, and hard to justify, dependent on individual effort rather than systemic process.
After
You lead a structured, scalable program that aligns with business goals, earns executive trust, and integrates smoothly into delivery workflows.

What's included with your purchase

  • 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
  • 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 3-4 hours per module, designed for busy leaders to complete at their own pace over 8-12 weeks.

If nothing changes
Without a pragmatic, leadership-grade approach, application security efforts remain ad hoc, under-resourced, and disconnected from business outcomes, increasing exposure while limiting career growth and organizational impact.

How this compares to the alternatives

Unlike generic security certifications or tool-specific training, this course focuses on the leadership, decision-making, and implementation challenges unique to senior roles, providing actionable frameworks, not just theory.

Frequently asked

Who is this course designed for?
Senior business and technology leaders responsible for shaping or overseeing application security strategy, including engineering executives, CISOs, product leaders, and compliance officers.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Is there a certificate upon completion?
Yes, a digital badge and certificate are available after completing all modules and assessments.
$199 one-time. Approximately 3-4 hours per module, designed for busy leaders to complete at their own pace over 8-12 weeks..

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
!