Secure Coding in Java

Course Summary

The Secure Coding in Java course teaches developers how to identify and mitigate common Java-specific security flaws in code. Participants will learn secure coding practices that prevent exploitation and ensure more robust, production-ready applications.

Prerequisites:
In order to succeed in this course, you will need:

Proficiency with Java (core syntax, OOP)
Familiarity with web and enterprise Java (JSP/Servlets, Spring, or Jakarta EE is helpful)
Some exposure to common security threats (e.g., OWASP Top 10)

Purpose	Gain an understanding of secure coding practices when programming in Java
Audience	Developers needing a better understanding of secure coding practices
Role	Software Developers
Skill level	Intermediate
Style	Lecture \| Hands-on Activities \| Labs
Duration	4 days
Related technologies	Java

Learning objectives

Understand and prevent common Java security vulnerabilities, including injection, deserialization, and denial-of-service
Apply secure coding practices for input validation, resource management, and exception handling
Safely use Java APIs, cryptographic libraries, and language features to avoid introducing security risks
Implement secure authentication, session handling, and access control based on industry best practices
Integrate code analysis tools and secure design principles into the development lifecycle

What you'll learn:

In this Secure Coding in Java course, you'll learn:

Introduction to Java Secure Coding

Why secure coding matters in Java
Common security issues in Java applications
Overview of Java memory and runtime safety
Security-relevant differences between Java and C/C++

Secure Input and Output Handling

Preventing injection attacks (SQL, command, LDAP)
Encoding vs escaping
Secure handling of files and streams
Logging securely (avoiding log injection, sensitive data exposure)

Preventing Injection Attacks in Java

SQL Injection in JDBC and ORM (e.g., Hibernate)
Command injection
Secure use of prepared statements
Input validation with regex and allow-lists

Secure Object Lifecycle Management

Understanding Java object initialization risks
Avoiding partially constructed objects
Safe cloning and copying practices

Resource Management and Denial of Service

Proper use of try-with-resources
Handling I/O safely to avoid resource leaks
Detecting and avoiding potential DoS attacks (e.g., uncontrolled loops, regex denial-of-service)

Secure Use of Java APIs

Avoiding insecure APIs (e.g., Runtime.exec, older crypto APIs)
Safe use of reflection and dynamic code execution
Best practices for secure class loading

Managing Authentication and Authorization

Secure password handling and storage (e.g., bcrypt, PBKDF2)
Secure session and cookie management
Implementing RBAC and least privilege

Secure Serialization and Deserialization

Risks of Java object serialization
Common vulnerabilities: insecure deserialization (e.g., using ObjectInputStream)
Secure patterns (e.g., whitelisting classes, using JSON/XML instead)

Cryptographic Practices in Java

Using JCA/JCE safely
Common crypto pitfalls (weak algorithms, hardcoded keys)
Secure random number generation (SecureRandom)

Defensive Programming in Java

Failing securely and safely
Assertions vs validation
Error handling and exception hygiene
Protecting against information leakage

Secure Design Principles in Java

Principle of least privilege
Secure defaults and fail-safe design
Defense in depth with Java security mechanisms (e.g., SecurityManager, access modifiers)

Reviewing, Testing, and Maintaining Secure Java Code

Static and dynamic code analysis tools for Java (e.g., SpotBugs, SonarQube, OWASP Dependency-Check)
Threat modeling and code reviews
Secure development lifecycle (SDLC) integration