Fast Track to Securing Java / JEE Web Applications

Course Objectives

Students who attend Fast Track to Securing Java/JEE Web Applications will leave the course armed with the skills required to recognize actual and potential software vulnerabilities, implement defenses for those vulnerabilities, and test those defenses for sufficiency.   This course introduces developers to the most common security vulnerabilities faced by web applications today. Each vulnerability is examined from a Java/JEE perspective through a process of describing the threat and attack mechanisms, recognizing associated vulnerabilities, and, finally, designing, implementing, and testing effective defenses. 

Practical labs reinforce these concepts with real vulnerabilities and attacks.  Students are then challenged to design and implement the layered defenses they will need in defending their own applications. There is an emphasis on the underlying vulnerability patterns since the technologies, use cases, and methods of attack as constantly changing. The patterns remain the same through all the change and flux.

This course combines expert instructor-led discussions with practical hands-on skills that emphasize current techniques, best practices and standards. Working in this hands-on lab environment, guided by our expert practitioner, attendees will learn to:

• Develop an appreciation for the need and value of a multilayered defense in depth
• Understand potential sources for untrusted data
• Understand the consequences for not properly handling untrusted data such as denial of service, cross-site scripting, and injections
• To test web applications with various attack techniques to determine the existence of and effectiveness of layered defenses
• Prevent and defend the many potential vulnerabilities associated with untrusted data
• Understand the vulnerabilities of associated with authentication and authorization
• Detect, attack, and implement defenses for authentication and authorization functionality and services
• Understand the dangers and mechanisms behind Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Injection attacks
• Detect, attack, and implement defenses against XSS and Injection attacks
• Understand the risks associated with XML processing, file uploads, and server-side interpreters and how to best eliminate or  mitigate those risks
• Understand techniques and measures that can used to harden web and application servers as well as other components in your infrastructure

Need different skills or topics?  If your team requires different topics or tools, additional skills or custom approach, this course may be further adjusted to accommodate.  We offer additional Java / JEE, secure coding, development, hacking, database security, bug hunting and other related topics that may be blended with this course for a track that best suits your needs. Our team will collaborate with you to understand your needs and will target the course to focus on your specific learning objectives and goals.

Course Prerequisites

This is an intermediate -level programming course, designed for experienced Java developers who wish to get up and running on developing well defended software applications.  Familiarity with Java and JEE is required and real world programming experience is highly recommended.  Ideally students should have approximately 6 months to a year of Java and JEE working knowledge.

Please see the Related Courses Tab for Pre-Requisite course specifics and links, links to similar courses you might review as an alternative, as well as suggested Next-Step Follow-On Courses and Learning Path recommendations.

Course Agenda

Please note that this list of topics is based on our standard course offering, evolved from typical industry uses and trends. We’ll work with you to tune this course and level of coverage to target the skills you need most. Topics, agenda and labs are subject to change, and may adjust during live delivery based on audience interests, skill-level and participation.

Session: Foundation for Securing Web Applications

Lesson: Principles of Information Security

• Security Is a Lifecycle Issue
• Minimize Attack Surface Area
• Layers of Defense: Tenacious D
• Compartmentalize
• Consider All Application States
• Do NOT Trust the Untrusted
• Tutorial: Working with Eclipse (JEE Version) and Apache TomEE 7x
• Tutorial: Working with the HSQL Database
• Lab: Case Study Setup and Review

Lesson: Removing Bugs

• Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP)
• OWASP Top Ten Overview
• Web Application Security Consortium
• CERT Secure Coding Standards
• Bug Hunting Mistakes to Avoid
• Tools and Resources

Session: Bug Stomping 101

Lesson: Unvalidated Data

• Buffer Overflows
• Integer Arithmetic Vulnerabilities
• Unvalidated Data: Crossing Trust Boundaries
• Defending Trust Boundaries
• Whitelisting vs Blacklisting
• Lab: Defending Trust Boundaries

Lesson: A1: Injection

• Injection Flaws
• SQL Injection Attacks Evolve
• Drill Down on Stored Procedures
• Other Forms of Injection
• Minimizing Injection Flaws
• Lab: Defending Against SQL Injection

Lesson: A2: Broken Authentication

• Quality and Protection of Authentication Data
• Handling Passwords on Server Side
• SessionID Risk Reduction
• HttpOnly and Security Headers
• Lab: Defending Authentication

Lesson: A3: Sensitive Data Exposure

• Protecting Data Can Mitigate Impact
• In-Memory Data Handling
• Secure Pipes
• Failures in TLS/SSL Framework
• Lab: Defending Sensitive Data

Lesson: A4: XML External Entities (XXE)

• XML Parser Coercion
• XML Attacks: Structure
• XML Attacks: Injection
• Safe XML Processing
• Lab: Safe XML Processing
• Lab: Dynamic Loading Using XSLT

Lesson: A5: Broken Access Control

• Access Control Issues
• Excessive Privileges
• Insufficient Flow Control
• Unprotected URL/Resource Access
• Examples of Shabby Access Control
• Sessions and Session Management
• Lab: Unsafe Direct Object References
• Lab: Spotlight: Verizon

Session: Bug Stomping 102

Lesson: A6: Security Misconfiguration

• System Hardening: IA Mitigation
• Application Whitelisting
• Least Privileges
• Anti-Exploitation
• Secure Baseline

Lesson: A7: Cross Site Scripting (XSS)

• XSS Patterns
• Persistent XSS
• Reflective XSS
• DOM-Based XSS
• Best Practices for Untrusted Data
• Lab: Defending Against XSS

Lesson: A8/9: Deserialization/Vulnerable Components

• Deserialization Issues
• Identifying Serialization and Deserializations
• Vulnerable Components
• Software Inventory
• Managing Updates
• Lab: Spotlight: Equifax

Lesson: A10: Insufficient Logging and Monitoring

• Fingerprinting a Web Site
• Error-Handling Issues
• Logging In Support of Forensics
• Solving DLP Challenges

Lesson: Spoofing, CSRF, and Redirects

• Name Resolution Vulnerabilities
• Fake Certs and Mobile Apps
• Targeted Spoofing Attacks
• Cross Site Request Forgeries (CSRF)
• CSRF Defenses
• Lab: Cross-Site Request Forgeries

Session: Moving Forward

Lesson: Applications: What Next?

• Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
• CWE/SANS Top 25 Most Dangerous SW Errors
• Strength Training: Project Teams/Developers
• Strength Training: IT Organizations
• Leveraging Common AppSec Practices and Control
• Lab: Recent Incidents
• Lab: Spotlight: Capital One

Course Materials

Hands-on Setup Made Simple! All course materials, data sets, course software (limited version, for course use only), course notes and related resources (as applicable) are provided for attendees in our easy access, no installation required, remote lab environment for the duration of the course. In most cases, we can also offer local (non-cloud) set up as an alternative.  Our tech team will help set up, test and verify lab access for each attendee prior to the course start date, ensuring a smooth start to class and successful hands-on course experience for all participants. 

Every-Course Extras = High-Value & Long-Term Learning Support! Most courses also include our unique EveryCourse Extras package (Post-Course Resource Site access, Review Labs, Live Instructor Follow-on Support, Free *Live* Course Refresh Re-Takes, early access to Special Offers, Free Courses & more). Please ask for details.