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Identifying Security Vulnerabilities in C/C++Programming

Matthew Bishop, PhD

4.6

Based on 79 ratings

, see reviews

Matthew Bishop, PhD

This course builds upon the skills and coding practices learned in both Principles of Secure Coding and Identifying Security Vulnerabilities, courses one and two, in this specialization. This course uses the focusing technique that asks you to think about: “what to watch out for” and “where to look” to evaluate and ultimately remediate fragile C++ library code.

The techniques you’ll be examining will make your programs perform accurately and be resistant to attempts to perform inaccurately. This is really what the term secure programming means. You will be shown common errors that people make, and then learn how to program more robustly. You will apply tips and best practices to help you improve your programming style and help you to avoid common problems like buffer overflows, which may or may not cause security problems.

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Syllabus

Users, Privileges, and Environment Variables

In this module, you will be able to manage users and privileges when you run programs or sub-programs. You will be able to identify and use the different types of privileges on a Linux (and UNIX-like) system. You'll be able to identify how program shells preserve environment settings. You will be able to examine how your shell (or other program that uses the PATH variable) deals with multiple versions of that variable.

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Teaches methods to secure C++ programming code

Explores common errors in C++ programming and techniques to avoid them

Emphasizes validation and verification to prevent security vulnerabilities

Covers cryptography, randomness, and string attacks

Suitable for learners with foundational knowledge in secure coding practices

Prerequisites include knowledge of C++ and secure coding practices

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Reviews summary

Identifying c/c++ security vulnerabilities

According to learners, this course is a largely positive deep dive into identifying security vulnerabilities specifically within C/C++ codebases. Many appreciate how it builds effectively on previous courses in the specialization, offering a practical focus with useful labs and hands-on activities. The explanations for complex topics like buffer overflows and race conditions are frequently highlighted as clear and insightful. However, some note a significant prerequisite knowledge of C/C++ is essential, and those without it may struggle with the assignments and pace. While the overall sentiment is positive, a few find certain modules rushed or assignments sometimes tricky.

Integrates well with prior courses.

"Excellent course! Builds very well on the first two."

"This specialization is a must for C/C++ developers."

"It effectively extends the concepts from the previous courses."

Complex vulnerabilities explained clearly.

"The explanations of buffer and integer overflows were particularly clear."

"Race conditions module was eye-opening."

"The demos were very clear."

"I found the explanations of tricky concepts like race conditions easy to follow."

Hands-on labs reinforce theoretical concepts.

"Labs were challenging but very useful."

"Some labs were tricky to set up, but the concepts taught were valuable."

"The labs were key to understanding the concepts hands-on."

"The hands-on labs truly cemented my understanding of buffer overflows."

Some topics might not be covered in enough depth.

"The material is good, but it felt a bit rushed in places, especially the cryptography module."

"Good overview, but not very deep."

"Wish there was more time spent on the crypto topics."

Some assignments have issues or unclear instructions.

"Some assignments were frustrating due to unclear instructions or environment issues."

"Labs were helpful but sometimes buggy."

"Found it hard to follow the examples and labs."

"A couple of the assignments had setup issues that took extra time."

Strong C/C++ skills are needed to succeed.

"Requires a good C/C++ foundation."

"Struggled with the prerequisites. Assumes too much prior knowledge in C/C++..."

"Useful course... Requires strong C/C++ background."

"You need solid C/C++ skills to keep up with the exercises."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Identifying Security Vulnerabilities in C/C++Programming with these activities:

Review C++ programming concepts

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Refreshing C++ fundamentals will provide a solid foundation for the course.

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Review basic syntax, data types, and control flow.
Practice writing simple C++ programs.

Read "Secure Coding: Principles and Practices"

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of secure coding principles and best practices.

View The Art of Software Security Assessment on Amazon

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Read each chapter thoroughly.
Take notes and highlight important concepts.
Complete the exercises and review the solutions.

Watch tutorials on input sanitization

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Following tutorials will provide additional guidance on preventing input-based vulnerabilities.

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Search for reputable tutorials on input sanitization.
Watch the tutorials and take notes on key techniques.
Apply the techniques in your own code.

Four other activities

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Practice buffer and numeric overflow examples

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Practicing examples will help solidify your understanding of these vulnerabilities.

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Review the examples provided in the course materials.
Implement example problems on your own without looking at solutions.
Compare your solutions to provided answers to identify any errors.

Create a program that validates inputs

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Creating a program will provide hands-on experience in implementing validation techniques.

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Design the program's input and output.
Implement input validation to ensure correct data types and values.
Test the program with various inputs to verify its functionality.

Analyze cryptography algorithms

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Analyzing algorithms will deepen your understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.

Browse courses on Cryptography

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Choose several cryptography algorithms to analyze.
Implement each algorithm in a programming language.
Test the algorithms with various inputs to compare their performance.
Research the theoretical and practical aspects of the algorithms.

Contribute to a cryptography library

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Contributing to open source will provide practical experience in implementing cryptography techniques.

Browse courses on Cryptography

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Identify a suitable cryptography library to contribute to.
Review the library's documentation and codebase.
Identify a specific area to contribute to, such as adding a new algorithm or improving existing code.
Implement your contribution and submit a pull request.
Collaborate with other developers to improve the library.

Career center

Learners who complete Identifying Security Vulnerabilities in C/C++Programming will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Information Security Analyst

As an Information Security Analyst, you will be responsible for identifying, analyzing, and mitigating security risks to an organization's computer systems and networks. This course will improve your effectiveness in this role by helping you to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Security Analyst

Security Analysts investigate and analyze security incidents. This course will help you to develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, such as identifying and remediating security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Analyst

Security Engineer

Security Engineers design, implement, and maintain security systems. This course will help you to develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, such as identifying and remediating security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer

Penetration Tester

Penetration Testers assess the security of computer systems and networks by attempting to exploit vulnerabilities. This course will help you to develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, such as identifying and remediating security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester

Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of software systems. This course covers several topics that are relevant to this role such as identifying and remediating security vulnerabilities, validation and verification, and randomness.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Security Consultant

Security Consultants provide advice and guidance to organizations on how to improve their security posture. This course will help you to develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, such as identifying and remediating security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Consultant

Malware Analyst

Malware Analysts investigate and analyze malware. This course will help you to develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, such as identifying and remediating security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Malware Analyst

Security Architect

Security Architects design, implement, and manage an organization's security infrastructure. By taking this course, you can learn how to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in C++ code, which will make you a more competitive candidate for this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Architect

Web Developer

Web Developers design, create, and maintain websites. In this field, it is important to pay attention to security as there are many ways to leave a user vulnerable, which this course addresses by teaching you how to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

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Systems Administrator

Systems Administrators are responsible for the maintenance and security of computer systems. This course will help you to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in C++ code, a valuable skill for this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator

Database Administrator

Database Administrators are responsible for the maintenance and security of databases. This course may be useful to you in this role as it will help you to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

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Software Developer

Software Developers create and maintain software applications. This course may be useful to you in this role as it will help you to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Chief Information Security Officer

You will play a leading role in the development and implementation of security programs to safeguard the organization's data and systems. This course can help set you on the path to this position as you will learn how to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities, skills that are in high demand for CISOs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Information Security Officer

Network Administrator

Network Administrators are responsible for the maintenance and security of computer networks. This course may be useful to you in this role as it will help you to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Administrator

Cybersecurity Engineer

Your day-to-day work will include designing, implementing, and maintaining security systems to protect an organization's networks and data. This course may be helpful to you in this role as it will help you to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in C++ code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Engineer

Reading list

We've selected 13 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Identifying Security Vulnerabilities in C/C++Programming.