Why secure code training doesn’t stack up (and what you can do about it)
Boring, boring, boring! That’s one of the main responses you’ll hear from developers whenever secure code training is mentioned. At Secure Code Warrior we believe there must be a better way, so we engaged with Evans Data Corp. to conduct primary research into developers’ attitudes towards secure coding, secure code practices, and security operations (download your copy of the whitepaper here).
In the soon-to-be-released Shifting from reaction to prevention: The changing face of application security, developers were asked about their main problems with current secure code training – and the answer was revealing.
Training that brings developers down
40% of surveyed developers felt that secure coding is taught in a vacuum. Another 40% felt the training was too theoretical, not related to their work, and not ‘hands-on’ enough. 30% identified a lack of training in the language:framework they work in every day. This is serious because it tells us that current secure code training is contextually irrelevant and has no meaningful relationship with what developers do every day.
For many developers, their main challenge is staying awake during mind-numbing, hands-off activities that are neither effective nor inspiring them to keep security front-of-mind.
Training in a vacuum prevents developers from making the cognitive links between the laboratory and the real world.
3 things developers want from secure code training:
- Overwhelmingly, developers say they want training that is more hands-on and more contextually relevant to their everyday work.
- 65% of developers say more training is required in language-specific vulnerabilities and the OWASP Top 10.
- 75% of developers surveyed prefer structured, on-the-job training.
Training that lifts developers up
When it comes to on-the-job training, developers bring with them a certain level of experience and existing knowledge. This points to the need for 'scaffolded’ learning. This is training that is structured – or scaffolded – to build on what the developer already knows. Scaffolded education both activates and enhances any prior experience while continuing to build new skills in bite-sized chunks. This makes it the perfect means for on-the-job learning.
Imparting skills that stick
When it comes to developer security training, we know that developers prefer the learn-by-doing method to the drudgery of theory-based static learning. In that sense, learning to code securely in a hyper-relevant, contextual environment is key. As champions of change in secure coding, Secure Code Warrior delivers contextual, hands-on education in relevant programming languages and frameworks, with challenges that mimic those developers face in the real world. Learning content includes over 5,500 challenges and missions covering over 147 different vulnerability types, including the all-important OWASP Top 10, OWASP Mobile Top 10, OWASP API Security Top 10 and CWE/SANS Top 25.
If you’d like to see the potential impact on your teams and their ability to deliver secure code faster, book a demo now.
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Boring, boring, boring! That’s one of the main responses you’ll hear from developers whenever secure code training is mentioned. At Secure Code Warrior we believe there must be a better way.
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.
Secure Code Warrior builds a culture of security-driven developers by giving them the skills to code securely. Our flagship Agile Learning Platform delivers relevant skills-based pathways, hands-on missions, and contextual tools for developers to rapidly learn, build, and apply their skills to write secure code at speed.
Boring, boring, boring! That’s one of the main responses you’ll hear from developers whenever secure code training is mentioned. At Secure Code Warrior we believe there must be a better way, so we engaged with Evans Data Corp. to conduct primary research into developers’ attitudes towards secure coding, secure code practices, and security operations (download your copy of the whitepaper here).
In the soon-to-be-released Shifting from reaction to prevention: The changing face of application security, developers were asked about their main problems with current secure code training – and the answer was revealing.
Training that brings developers down
40% of surveyed developers felt that secure coding is taught in a vacuum. Another 40% felt the training was too theoretical, not related to their work, and not ‘hands-on’ enough. 30% identified a lack of training in the language:framework they work in every day. This is serious because it tells us that current secure code training is contextually irrelevant and has no meaningful relationship with what developers do every day.
For many developers, their main challenge is staying awake during mind-numbing, hands-off activities that are neither effective nor inspiring them to keep security front-of-mind.
Training in a vacuum prevents developers from making the cognitive links between the laboratory and the real world.
3 things developers want from secure code training:
- Overwhelmingly, developers say they want training that is more hands-on and more contextually relevant to their everyday work.
- 65% of developers say more training is required in language-specific vulnerabilities and the OWASP Top 10.
- 75% of developers surveyed prefer structured, on-the-job training.
Training that lifts developers up
When it comes to on-the-job training, developers bring with them a certain level of experience and existing knowledge. This points to the need for 'scaffolded’ learning. This is training that is structured – or scaffolded – to build on what the developer already knows. Scaffolded education both activates and enhances any prior experience while continuing to build new skills in bite-sized chunks. This makes it the perfect means for on-the-job learning.
Imparting skills that stick
When it comes to developer security training, we know that developers prefer the learn-by-doing method to the drudgery of theory-based static learning. In that sense, learning to code securely in a hyper-relevant, contextual environment is key. As champions of change in secure coding, Secure Code Warrior delivers contextual, hands-on education in relevant programming languages and frameworks, with challenges that mimic those developers face in the real world. Learning content includes over 5,500 challenges and missions covering over 147 different vulnerability types, including the all-important OWASP Top 10, OWASP Mobile Top 10, OWASP API Security Top 10 and CWE/SANS Top 25.
If you’d like to see the potential impact on your teams and their ability to deliver secure code faster, book a demo now.
Boring, boring, boring! That’s one of the main responses you’ll hear from developers whenever secure code training is mentioned. At Secure Code Warrior we believe there must be a better way, so we engaged with Evans Data Corp. to conduct primary research into developers’ attitudes towards secure coding, secure code practices, and security operations (download your copy of the whitepaper here).
In the soon-to-be-released Shifting from reaction to prevention: The changing face of application security, developers were asked about their main problems with current secure code training – and the answer was revealing.
Training that brings developers down
40% of surveyed developers felt that secure coding is taught in a vacuum. Another 40% felt the training was too theoretical, not related to their work, and not ‘hands-on’ enough. 30% identified a lack of training in the language:framework they work in every day. This is serious because it tells us that current secure code training is contextually irrelevant and has no meaningful relationship with what developers do every day.
For many developers, their main challenge is staying awake during mind-numbing, hands-off activities that are neither effective nor inspiring them to keep security front-of-mind.
Training in a vacuum prevents developers from making the cognitive links between the laboratory and the real world.
3 things developers want from secure code training:
- Overwhelmingly, developers say they want training that is more hands-on and more contextually relevant to their everyday work.
- 65% of developers say more training is required in language-specific vulnerabilities and the OWASP Top 10.
- 75% of developers surveyed prefer structured, on-the-job training.
Training that lifts developers up
When it comes to on-the-job training, developers bring with them a certain level of experience and existing knowledge. This points to the need for 'scaffolded’ learning. This is training that is structured – or scaffolded – to build on what the developer already knows. Scaffolded education both activates and enhances any prior experience while continuing to build new skills in bite-sized chunks. This makes it the perfect means for on-the-job learning.
Imparting skills that stick
When it comes to developer security training, we know that developers prefer the learn-by-doing method to the drudgery of theory-based static learning. In that sense, learning to code securely in a hyper-relevant, contextual environment is key. As champions of change in secure coding, Secure Code Warrior delivers contextual, hands-on education in relevant programming languages and frameworks, with challenges that mimic those developers face in the real world. Learning content includes over 5,500 challenges and missions covering over 147 different vulnerability types, including the all-important OWASP Top 10, OWASP Mobile Top 10, OWASP API Security Top 10 and CWE/SANS Top 25.
If you’d like to see the potential impact on your teams and their ability to deliver secure code faster, book a demo now.
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.
Secure Code Warrior builds a culture of security-driven developers by giving them the skills to code securely. Our flagship Agile Learning Platform delivers relevant skills-based pathways, hands-on missions, and contextual tools for developers to rapidly learn, build, and apply their skills to write secure code at speed.
Boring, boring, boring! That’s one of the main responses you’ll hear from developers whenever secure code training is mentioned. At Secure Code Warrior we believe there must be a better way, so we engaged with Evans Data Corp. to conduct primary research into developers’ attitudes towards secure coding, secure code practices, and security operations (download your copy of the whitepaper here).
In the soon-to-be-released Shifting from reaction to prevention: The changing face of application security, developers were asked about their main problems with current secure code training – and the answer was revealing.
Training that brings developers down
40% of surveyed developers felt that secure coding is taught in a vacuum. Another 40% felt the training was too theoretical, not related to their work, and not ‘hands-on’ enough. 30% identified a lack of training in the language:framework they work in every day. This is serious because it tells us that current secure code training is contextually irrelevant and has no meaningful relationship with what developers do every day.
For many developers, their main challenge is staying awake during mind-numbing, hands-off activities that are neither effective nor inspiring them to keep security front-of-mind.
Training in a vacuum prevents developers from making the cognitive links between the laboratory and the real world.
3 things developers want from secure code training:
- Overwhelmingly, developers say they want training that is more hands-on and more contextually relevant to their everyday work.
- 65% of developers say more training is required in language-specific vulnerabilities and the OWASP Top 10.
- 75% of developers surveyed prefer structured, on-the-job training.
Training that lifts developers up
When it comes to on-the-job training, developers bring with them a certain level of experience and existing knowledge. This points to the need for 'scaffolded’ learning. This is training that is structured – or scaffolded – to build on what the developer already knows. Scaffolded education both activates and enhances any prior experience while continuing to build new skills in bite-sized chunks. This makes it the perfect means for on-the-job learning.
Imparting skills that stick
When it comes to developer security training, we know that developers prefer the learn-by-doing method to the drudgery of theory-based static learning. In that sense, learning to code securely in a hyper-relevant, contextual environment is key. As champions of change in secure coding, Secure Code Warrior delivers contextual, hands-on education in relevant programming languages and frameworks, with challenges that mimic those developers face in the real world. Learning content includes over 5,500 challenges and missions covering over 147 different vulnerability types, including the all-important OWASP Top 10, OWASP Mobile Top 10, OWASP API Security Top 10 and CWE/SANS Top 25.
If you’d like to see the potential impact on your teams and their ability to deliver secure code faster, book a demo now.
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
Resources to get you started
10 Key Predictions: Secure Code Warrior on AI & Secure-by-Design’s Influence in 2025
Organizations are facing tough decisions on AI usage to support long-term productivity, sustainability, and security ROI. It’s become clear to us over the last few years that AI will never fully replace the role of the developer. From AI + developer partnerships to the increasing pressures (and confusion) around Secure-by-Design expectations, let’s take a closer look at what we can expect over the next year.
OWASP Top 10 For LLM Applications: What’s New, Changed, and How to Stay Secure
Stay ahead in securing LLM applications with the latest OWASP Top 10 updates. Discover what's new, what’s changed, and how Secure Code Warrior equips you with up-to-date learning resources to mitigate risks in Generative AI.
Trust Score Reveals the Value of Secure-by-Design Upskilling Initiatives
Our research has shown that secure code training works. Trust Score, using an algorithm drawing on more than 20 million learning data points from work by more than 250,000 learners at over 600 organizations, reveals its effectiveness in driving down vulnerabilities and how to make the initiative even more effective.
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Reactive Versus Preventive Security: Prevention Is a Better Cure
The idea of bringing preventive security to legacy code and systems at the same time as newer applications can seem daunting, but a Secure-by-Design approach, enforced by upskilling developers, can apply security best practices to those systems. It’s the best chance many organizations have of improving their security postures.
Developer-driven coding.
Securely.
Contact us today and make software security an intrinsic part of your development process.
