We need heroes to secure our code. Have developers got what it takes?
In a world where cyber threats continue to multiply, are your coders stepping up? Is the human element of secure coding – the all-important developer – ready to play their part in securing our connected world? To answer this question, let’s look at some insights from a recent study on developers attitudes towards secure coding, secure code practices, and security operations, conducted by Secure Code Warrior with Evans Data Corp.
Developers’ secure coding skills – perceptions vs. reality
In the soon-to-be-released Shifting from reaction to prevention: The changing face of application security, 97% of developers surveyed believe they have had sufficient training in secure coding, and 95% agreed that training in secure coding had been valuable to their career. But before we accept these claims at face value, we need to reflect and ask some important questions. Why are code vulnerabilities still so prevalent? ‘Why, if developers are so well trained in secure coding, do the same old vulnerabilities keep cropping up, again and again and again – with the same 10 software vulnerabilities causing the majority of security breaches in the last 20+ years?’
What’s really going on?
Developers say that they are well trained in security, but could this be overconfidence? A telling factor is that this positive self-assessment contradicts developers’ own views on the difficulty of secure coding. Even though most developers say that they have had valuable and sufficient training, most developers and development managers still find implementing secure code practices more than a little difficult.
- More than 91% of development managers say implementing secure code practices is tough.
- More than 88% of developers find coding securely is challenging. As the all important ‘human element’ of secure coding, developers are not getting the secure code training they need – which points to a need for better secure code training and upskilling that makes security intrinsic to how they think.
Why is implementing secure code so challenging?
To understand why developers and development managers feel that implementing secure code is challenging, they were asked to identify their major concerns with its implementation.
This revealed that 28% find the learning process challenging, while 24% find that the learning process is itself boring.
These top concerns have associated implications. There is a need for more engaging training because the learning process is hard. There is also a need for training that is more relevant to developers because the learning process is boring, highlighting the need for developer-focused adult learning.
"I want to learn something so it sticks, and that I can apply to other scenarios appropriately. That would be Secure Code Warrior."
Senior Staff Software Engineer @ ForgeRock
The missing link
As champions of change in secure coding, Secure Code Warrior takes a human-led approach that makes building secure coding skills a positive and rewarding experience. We get developers fully engaged with secure coding practices through 100% hands-on, fun and interactive training that equips them to identify and fix security issues as they code. All of which reduces cost and time to release by preventing vulnerabilities before they become tomorrow’s news.
But don’t take our word for it:
"The Secure Code Warrior® portal is a great platform to learn about security vulnerabilities across multiple technologies. It is both, interesting and interactive."
Security Tester, Small Business Retail Company
TVID: 5AC-3CA-F68
"Secure Code Warrior’s use of gamification has helped us emphasize the importance of secure coding in a refreshingly fun and engaging way."
Software Engineer, Global 500 Financial Services Company
TVID: B0D-73D-BE3
And there’s plenty more where those came from. So if you’d like to see this new approach to secure code training up close and personal, and see how it turns developers into true security superheroes, we’d love to show you.
.avif)
.avif)
In a world where cyber threats continue to multiply, are your coders stepping up? Is the human element of secure coding – the all-important developer – ready to play their part in securing our connected world? To answer this question, let’s look at some insights from a recent study on developers attitudes towards secure coding, secure code practices, and security operations, conducted by Secure Code Warrior with Evans Data Corp.
Secure Code Warrior makes secure coding a positive and engaging experience for developers as they increase their skills. We guide each coder along their own preferred learning pathway, so that security-skilled developers become the everyday superheroes of our connected world.
Secure Code Warrior is here for your organization to help you secure code across the entire software development lifecycle and create a culture in which cybersecurity is top of mind. Whether you’re an AppSec Manager, Developer, CISO, or anyone involved in security, we can help your organization reduce risks associated with insecure code.
Book a demo
Secure Code Warrior makes secure coding a positive and engaging experience for developers as they increase their skills. We guide each coder along their own preferred learning pathway, so that security-skilled developers become the everyday superheroes of our connected world.
This article was written by Secure Code Warrior's team of industry experts, committed to empowering developers with the knowledge and skills to build secure software from the start. Drawing on deep expertise in secure coding practices, industry trends, and real-world insights.
In a world where cyber threats continue to multiply, are your coders stepping up? Is the human element of secure coding – the all-important developer – ready to play their part in securing our connected world? To answer this question, let’s look at some insights from a recent study on developers attitudes towards secure coding, secure code practices, and security operations, conducted by Secure Code Warrior with Evans Data Corp.
Developers’ secure coding skills – perceptions vs. reality
In the soon-to-be-released Shifting from reaction to prevention: The changing face of application security, 97% of developers surveyed believe they have had sufficient training in secure coding, and 95% agreed that training in secure coding had been valuable to their career. But before we accept these claims at face value, we need to reflect and ask some important questions. Why are code vulnerabilities still so prevalent? ‘Why, if developers are so well trained in secure coding, do the same old vulnerabilities keep cropping up, again and again and again – with the same 10 software vulnerabilities causing the majority of security breaches in the last 20+ years?’
What’s really going on?
Developers say that they are well trained in security, but could this be overconfidence? A telling factor is that this positive self-assessment contradicts developers’ own views on the difficulty of secure coding. Even though most developers say that they have had valuable and sufficient training, most developers and development managers still find implementing secure code practices more than a little difficult.
- More than 91% of development managers say implementing secure code practices is tough.
- More than 88% of developers find coding securely is challenging. As the all important ‘human element’ of secure coding, developers are not getting the secure code training they need – which points to a need for better secure code training and upskilling that makes security intrinsic to how they think.
Why is implementing secure code so challenging?
To understand why developers and development managers feel that implementing secure code is challenging, they were asked to identify their major concerns with its implementation.
This revealed that 28% find the learning process challenging, while 24% find that the learning process is itself boring.
These top concerns have associated implications. There is a need for more engaging training because the learning process is hard. There is also a need for training that is more relevant to developers because the learning process is boring, highlighting the need for developer-focused adult learning.
"I want to learn something so it sticks, and that I can apply to other scenarios appropriately. That would be Secure Code Warrior."
Senior Staff Software Engineer @ ForgeRock
The missing link
As champions of change in secure coding, Secure Code Warrior takes a human-led approach that makes building secure coding skills a positive and rewarding experience. We get developers fully engaged with secure coding practices through 100% hands-on, fun and interactive training that equips them to identify and fix security issues as they code. All of which reduces cost and time to release by preventing vulnerabilities before they become tomorrow’s news.
But don’t take our word for it:
"The Secure Code Warrior® portal is a great platform to learn about security vulnerabilities across multiple technologies. It is both, interesting and interactive."
Security Tester, Small Business Retail Company
TVID: 5AC-3CA-F68
"Secure Code Warrior’s use of gamification has helped us emphasize the importance of secure coding in a refreshingly fun and engaging way."
Software Engineer, Global 500 Financial Services Company
TVID: B0D-73D-BE3
And there’s plenty more where those came from. So if you’d like to see this new approach to secure code training up close and personal, and see how it turns developers into true security superheroes, we’d love to show you.
In a world where cyber threats continue to multiply, are your coders stepping up? Is the human element of secure coding – the all-important developer – ready to play their part in securing our connected world? To answer this question, let’s look at some insights from a recent study on developers attitudes towards secure coding, secure code practices, and security operations, conducted by Secure Code Warrior with Evans Data Corp.
Developers’ secure coding skills – perceptions vs. reality
In the soon-to-be-released Shifting from reaction to prevention: The changing face of application security, 97% of developers surveyed believe they have had sufficient training in secure coding, and 95% agreed that training in secure coding had been valuable to their career. But before we accept these claims at face value, we need to reflect and ask some important questions. Why are code vulnerabilities still so prevalent? ‘Why, if developers are so well trained in secure coding, do the same old vulnerabilities keep cropping up, again and again and again – with the same 10 software vulnerabilities causing the majority of security breaches in the last 20+ years?’
What’s really going on?
Developers say that they are well trained in security, but could this be overconfidence? A telling factor is that this positive self-assessment contradicts developers’ own views on the difficulty of secure coding. Even though most developers say that they have had valuable and sufficient training, most developers and development managers still find implementing secure code practices more than a little difficult.
- More than 91% of development managers say implementing secure code practices is tough.
- More than 88% of developers find coding securely is challenging. As the all important ‘human element’ of secure coding, developers are not getting the secure code training they need – which points to a need for better secure code training and upskilling that makes security intrinsic to how they think.
Why is implementing secure code so challenging?
To understand why developers and development managers feel that implementing secure code is challenging, they were asked to identify their major concerns with its implementation.
This revealed that 28% find the learning process challenging, while 24% find that the learning process is itself boring.
These top concerns have associated implications. There is a need for more engaging training because the learning process is hard. There is also a need for training that is more relevant to developers because the learning process is boring, highlighting the need for developer-focused adult learning.
"I want to learn something so it sticks, and that I can apply to other scenarios appropriately. That would be Secure Code Warrior."
Senior Staff Software Engineer @ ForgeRock
The missing link
As champions of change in secure coding, Secure Code Warrior takes a human-led approach that makes building secure coding skills a positive and rewarding experience. We get developers fully engaged with secure coding practices through 100% hands-on, fun and interactive training that equips them to identify and fix security issues as they code. All of which reduces cost and time to release by preventing vulnerabilities before they become tomorrow’s news.
But don’t take our word for it:
"The Secure Code Warrior® portal is a great platform to learn about security vulnerabilities across multiple technologies. It is both, interesting and interactive."
Security Tester, Small Business Retail Company
TVID: 5AC-3CA-F68
"Secure Code Warrior’s use of gamification has helped us emphasize the importance of secure coding in a refreshingly fun and engaging way."
Software Engineer, Global 500 Financial Services Company
TVID: B0D-73D-BE3
And there’s plenty more where those came from. So if you’d like to see this new approach to secure code training up close and personal, and see how it turns developers into true security superheroes, we’d love to show you.
Click on the link below and download the PDF of this resource.
Secure Code Warrior is here for your organization to help you secure code across the entire software development lifecycle and create a culture in which cybersecurity is top of mind. Whether you’re an AppSec Manager, Developer, CISO, or anyone involved in security, we can help your organization reduce risks associated with insecure code.
View reportBook a demo
Secure Code Warrior makes secure coding a positive and engaging experience for developers as they increase their skills. We guide each coder along their own preferred learning pathway, so that security-skilled developers become the everyday superheroes of our connected world.
This article was written by Secure Code Warrior's team of industry experts, committed to empowering developers with the knowledge and skills to build secure software from the start. Drawing on deep expertise in secure coding practices, industry trends, and real-world insights.
In a world where cyber threats continue to multiply, are your coders stepping up? Is the human element of secure coding – the all-important developer – ready to play their part in securing our connected world? To answer this question, let’s look at some insights from a recent study on developers attitudes towards secure coding, secure code practices, and security operations, conducted by Secure Code Warrior with Evans Data Corp.
Developers’ secure coding skills – perceptions vs. reality
In the soon-to-be-released Shifting from reaction to prevention: The changing face of application security, 97% of developers surveyed believe they have had sufficient training in secure coding, and 95% agreed that training in secure coding had been valuable to their career. But before we accept these claims at face value, we need to reflect and ask some important questions. Why are code vulnerabilities still so prevalent? ‘Why, if developers are so well trained in secure coding, do the same old vulnerabilities keep cropping up, again and again and again – with the same 10 software vulnerabilities causing the majority of security breaches in the last 20+ years?’
What’s really going on?
Developers say that they are well trained in security, but could this be overconfidence? A telling factor is that this positive self-assessment contradicts developers’ own views on the difficulty of secure coding. Even though most developers say that they have had valuable and sufficient training, most developers and development managers still find implementing secure code practices more than a little difficult.
- More than 91% of development managers say implementing secure code practices is tough.
- More than 88% of developers find coding securely is challenging. As the all important ‘human element’ of secure coding, developers are not getting the secure code training they need – which points to a need for better secure code training and upskilling that makes security intrinsic to how they think.
Why is implementing secure code so challenging?
To understand why developers and development managers feel that implementing secure code is challenging, they were asked to identify their major concerns with its implementation.
This revealed that 28% find the learning process challenging, while 24% find that the learning process is itself boring.
These top concerns have associated implications. There is a need for more engaging training because the learning process is hard. There is also a need for training that is more relevant to developers because the learning process is boring, highlighting the need for developer-focused adult learning.
"I want to learn something so it sticks, and that I can apply to other scenarios appropriately. That would be Secure Code Warrior."
Senior Staff Software Engineer @ ForgeRock
The missing link
As champions of change in secure coding, Secure Code Warrior takes a human-led approach that makes building secure coding skills a positive and rewarding experience. We get developers fully engaged with secure coding practices through 100% hands-on, fun and interactive training that equips them to identify and fix security issues as they code. All of which reduces cost and time to release by preventing vulnerabilities before they become tomorrow’s news.
But don’t take our word for it:
"The Secure Code Warrior® portal is a great platform to learn about security vulnerabilities across multiple technologies. It is both, interesting and interactive."
Security Tester, Small Business Retail Company
TVID: 5AC-3CA-F68
"Secure Code Warrior’s use of gamification has helped us emphasize the importance of secure coding in a refreshingly fun and engaging way."
Software Engineer, Global 500 Financial Services Company
TVID: B0D-73D-BE3
And there’s plenty more where those came from. So if you’d like to see this new approach to secure code training up close and personal, and see how it turns developers into true security superheroes, we’d love to show you.
Table of contents
Secure Code Warrior makes secure coding a positive and engaging experience for developers as they increase their skills. We guide each coder along their own preferred learning pathway, so that security-skilled developers become the everyday superheroes of our connected world.
Secure Code Warrior is here for your organization to help you secure code across the entire software development lifecycle and create a culture in which cybersecurity is top of mind. Whether you’re an AppSec Manager, Developer, CISO, or anyone involved in security, we can help your organization reduce risks associated with insecure code.
Book a demoDownloadResources to get you started
Benchmarking Security Skills: Streamlining Secure-by-Design in the Enterprise
Finding meaningful data on the success of Secure-by-Design initiatives is notoriously difficult. CISOs are often challenged when attempting to prove the return on investment (ROI) and business value of security program activities at both the people and company levels. Not to mention, it’s particularly difficult for enterprises to gain insights into how their organizations are benchmarked against current industry standards. The President’s National Cybersecurity Strategy challenged stakeholders to “embrace security and resilience by design.” The key to making Secure-by-Design initiatives work is not only giving developers the skills to ensure secure code, but also assuring the regulators that those skills are in place. In this presentation, we share a myriad of qualitative and quantitative data, derived from multiple primary sources, including internal data points collected from over 250,000 developers, data-driven customer insights, and public studies. Leveraging this aggregation of data points, we aim to communicate a vision of the current state of Secure-by-Design initiatives across multiple verticals. The report details why this space is currently underutilized, the significant impact a successful upskilling program can have on cybersecurity risk mitigation, and the potential to eliminate categories of vulnerabilities from a codebase.
Secure code training topics & content
Our industry-leading content is always evolving to fit the ever changing software development landscape with your role in mind. Topics covering everything from AI to XQuery Injection, offered for a variety of roles from Architects and Engineers to Product Managers and QA. Get a sneak peak of what our content catalog has to offer by topic and role.
Quests: Industry leading learning to keep developers ahead of the game mitigating risk.
Quests is a learning platform that helps developers mitigate software security risks by enhancing their secure coding skills. With curated learning paths, hands-on challenges, and interactive activities, it empowers developers to identify and prevent vulnerabilities.
Resources to get you started
Is Vibe Coding Going to Turn Your Codebase Into a Frat Party?
Vibe coding is like a college frat party, and AI is the centerpiece of all the festivities, the keg. It’s a lot of fun to let loose, get creative, and see where your imagination can take you, but after a few keg stands, drinking (or, using AI) in moderation is undoubtedly the safer long-term solution.
The Decade of the Defenders: Secure Code Warrior Turns Ten
Secure Code Warrior's founding team has stayed together, steering the ship through every lesson, triumph, and setback for an entire decade. We’re scaling up and ready to face our next chapter, SCW 2.0, as the leaders in developer risk management.
Developer-driven coding.
Securely.
Contact us today and make software security an intrinsic part of your development process.
