Year 12 — Secure Software Architecture¶

This module teaches students to build secure software systems from the ground up, integrating security principles throughout the software development lifecycle. Through practical Python examples, students learn to identify vulnerabilities, implement security controls, and create systems that protect user data and maintain system integrity.

Module Overview¶

Security is not an afterthought—it’s a fundamental requirement of modern software systems. This module teaches security-by-design principles, showing students how to build applications that are secure from the start, protect user privacy, and resist common attacks.

Key focus areas:

Security foundations and threat modeling
Core security principles and cryptography
Input validation and data protection
Secure system design and API security
Security testing and vulnerability management

Learning Outcomes¶

Students will develop the ability to:

Integrate security into software design and development processes (SE-12-01)
Apply core security principles including confidentiality, integrity, and availability (SE-12-07)
Implement secure systems with proper authentication, authorization, and data protection (SE-12-03, SE-12-04)
Test and evaluate security through systematic assessment and vulnerability management (SE-12-06)
Consider security ethics and legal implications in software development (SE-12-05)

Chapters¶

Chapter 14: Security Foundations¶

Business case for security, integrating security into SDLC, threat modeling, and user-centered security design that balances protection with usability.

Chapter 15: Core Security Principles¶

CIA triad (confidentiality, integrity, availability), AAA framework (authentication, authorization, accountability), cryptography fundamentals, and secure data protection techniques.

Chapter 16: Input Security and Data Protection¶

Input validation and sanitization, preventing injection attacks, privacy-by-design principles, and compliance with data protection regulations.

Chapter 17: System Security and APIs¶

Secure API design with authentication methods, secure execution and resource management, session handling, and protection against common system-level attacks.

Chapter 18: Security Testing and Vulnerabilities¶

Security testing fundamentals, vulnerability assessment, web application security, and systematic approaches to finding and fixing security weaknesses.

Chapter 19: Security in Context¶

Security in development teams, enterprise security benefits, ethical and legal considerations, and evaluating security program effectiveness.

Implementation Philosophy¶

This module emphasizes security-by-design thinking:

Python-only examples showing vulnerabilities and secure implementations
Progressive security integration from design to deployment
Practical focus on OWASP Top 10 and real-world attack patterns
Balance between security, usability, and performance
Ethical considerations and responsible security practices

Prerequisites¶

Solid Python programming skills
Understanding of web development concepts
Basic knowledge of software development processes

Getting Started¶

Begin with Chapter 14 to understand security’s business value and design integration
Progress through Chapters 15-17 to master security principles and implementation
Complete with Chapters 18-19 to learn testing and broader security implications

The module builds comprehensive security skills from foundational concepts to enterprise-level security management.