This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.

Embed security throughout software development and cloud environments

Software moves fast, and security can’t be an afterthought.

Prep yourself on how to build security into software from the first line of code.

You’ll practise secure coding, create and analyse threat models, protect software supply chains, and implement cloud and container security. Along the way, you’ll produce outputs such as vulnerability reports, secure code fixes, and a capstone threat model project.

Secure foundations and code-level protection

Vulnerabilities can hide in the smallest pieces of code, and understanding them is key to building safer applications.

You’ll be guided through OWASP secure coding practices where you’ll learn spotting flaws and applying fixes in live code. Exercising a focus on strengthening security without slowing development, combining theory with hands-on practice.

Threat modelling and software supply chain security

Identifying risks before they become vulnerabilities is critical in modern software.

You’ll create comprehensive threat models, generate SBOMs, and track third-party dependencies. These activities show how secure-by-design principles can be applied across applications and supply chains.

Cloud, containers, and CI/CD security

Applications are increasingly deployed in cloud environments and containerised systems. You’ll learn how to integrate automated security checks into CI/CD pipelines, ensuring development stays fast while maintaining robust protection.

You’ll walk away with a capstone project that brings all these skills together, with a portfolio-ready output that showcases your applied security expertise.

You may like to undertake more sustained study on this topic through our ExpertTrack: Cyber Governance, Risk, Law & Leadership Pathway.

Syllabus

Week 1
Secure Development and Code Security
- Lesson 1: Course Introduction
  Discover how to embed security into every stage of software development. Learn secure coding, threat modelling, supply chain defence, and cloud-native protection with hands-on tools and industry frameworks.
- Lesson 2: Building Security from the Ground Up
  Explore how to embed security into applications from the start. Learn CISA’s Secure by Design principles, adopt defensive coding practices, and enforce secure configurations that make software resilient against modern threats.
- Lesson 3: OWASP Top 10 Prevention
  Master defences against the world’s most critical vulnerabilities. This lesson teaches you how to identify, prevent, and mitigate risks like injection, broken access control, insecure design, and supply chain weaknesses.
- Lesson 4: Application Security Testing and Protection
  Discover how to identify and remediate vulnerabilities through automated static/dynamic testing and real-time protection. Learn to integrate security testing seamlessly into workflows and deploy defences that adapt at runtime.
Week 2
Threat Modelling Best Practices
- Lesson 5: Threat Modelling Foundations
  Understand the differences between threats, vulnerabilities, and risks, then use frameworks like STRIDE to systematically uncover potential attack vectors across applications.
- Lesson 6: Tools for Threat Modelling
  Get hands-on with leading tools and methodologies, including OWASP Threat Dragon, attack trees, and rapid prototyping. Learn structured approaches that make threat modeling scalable and practical in fast-paced development cycles.
- Lesson 7: Managing Threat Modelling Findings
  Move from theory to action by learning how to assess risks, prioritise remediation, and design security controls. You’ll practise turning technical findings into executive-level insights and practical design improvements.
Week 3
Supply Chain Security
- Lesson 8: Understanding the Software Supply Chain
  Explore real-world supply chain threats, from malicious dependencies to major breaches like SolarWinds. Learn how SBOMs and dependency management strategies bring visibility and resilience to your applications.
- Lesson 9: Collecting Artefacts and Understanding Risk
  Learn how to secure build processes and software artefacts using frameworks like SLSA, code signing, and verification methods. Assess third-party vendors to ensure trust and reduce ecosystem risks.
- Lesson 10: Managing and Monitoring the Supply Chain
  Build continuous monitoring and incident response capabilities that protect against emerging vulnerabilities. Learn compliance requirements and develop response plans that minimise business impact during attacks.
Week 4
Cloud Security and Container Security
- Lesson 11: Cloud and Container Fundamentals
  Understand the unique security challenges of cloud-native systems. Learn how to secure workloads, containers, and serverless applications using zero-trust principles and secure Infrastructure as Code.
- Lesson 12: Container Security Practices
  Harden container environments from build to runtime. Master Kubernetes security, enforce RBAC, secure registries, and deploy runtime detection to protect against evolving container-based threats.
- Lesson 13: Cloud-Native Defences
  Build layered defences for dynamic cloud systems. Learn micro-segmentation, secrets management, and automated governance strategies that maintain compliance without slowing down agility.
- Lesson 14 : Course Conclusion
  Review the key practices from secure coding to cloud defence, celebrate your progress, and gain practical guidance for applying advanced security techniques and driving transformation in your organisation.

Who is this accredited by?

The CPD Certification Service:

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now
Join - $69

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Apply secure coding practices and OWASP top 10 prevention techniques to eliminate vulnerabilities during development phases.
Analyze application architectures to identify critical security threats and design comprehensive threat models for risk mitigation.
Evaluate software supply chains and implement security controls for open-source components, dependencies, and vendor relationships.
Design secure cloud-native and container architectures with automated monitoring and compliance validation capabilities.

Who is the course for?

This course suits anyone looking to strengthen their skills in application security. From security engineers, developers, DevOps and cloud engineers to IT managers and product leaders can apply hands-on secure coding, threat modelling, and cloud security techniques.

Who will you learn with?

Paul Siegel

Who developed the course?

Starweaver

Starweaver is a next generation platform that engages your workforce as no other. Combining business and technical skills, Starweaver provides real-time skill building that is in line with your business objectives and strategies, and in your associates day to day tasks and jobs.

What's included?

This is a premium course. These courses are designed for professionals from specific industries looking to learn with a smaller group of like-minded individuals.

Unlimited access to this course
Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you're eligible
Download and print your Certificate of Achievement anytime

Join - $69

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