(SCTP Module) Web Architecture and Application Development & Exploitation
About This Course
The module covers essential protocols, client-side and server-side technologies, and database management, all while prioritizing best practices in secure coding. learners will dive deep into HTTP/HTTPS, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and MySQL, building a solid foundation for developing secure and reliable web applications. After which it will delve deeper into foundational WebApp architecture, security best practices, and advanced web protocols. learners will also progress into the intricacies of web languages, emphasizing the security aspects of JavaScript, database creation, and SQL injection techniques, enhancing their expertise in identifying vulnerabilities, mastering tools like Burpsuite and advanced XSS techniques.
What You'll Learn
1. Explain the fundamentals of HTTP and TLS, including request/response structure, status codes, headers, and how TLS establishes secure channels.
2. Describe HTML and CSS structure and semantics, and evaluate client-side security issues that arise from markup and styling choices.
3. Demonstrate core JavaScript concepts and manipulate the DOM to show how client-side logic can create or prevent vulnerabilities.
4. Detect and debug Cross‑Site Scripting (XSS) vectors in client-side code using browser developer tools and controlled test cases.
5. Explain basic PHP server-side execution and assess common server-side security pitfalls in PHP applications.
6. Describe relational database concepts and SQL fundamentals, and analyze how improper database interaction can introduce vulnerabilities.
7. Perform web reconnaissance using OSINT and specialized tools to enumerate targets, endpoints, and surface attackable inputs.
8. Use Burp Suite effectively — including its core features, common plugins, and automation/workflow techniques — to streamline web testing.
9. Differentiate types of XSS (stored, reflected, DOM-based) and craft proof-of-concept payloads for each type in a safe, lab environment.
10. Implement and validate robust input validation strategies and construct secure Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to mitigate client-side attacks.
11. Identify command injection flaws, exploit them in a controlled setting to demonstrate impact, and propose secure coding mitigations.
12. Detect and exploit SQL injection vulnerabilities using safe lab techniques, and recommend parameterization and other defenses.
13. Assess file upload features for security weaknesses, exploit unsafe upload handling where present, and design secure upload controls.
14. Explain Local File Inclusion (LFI) and Remote File Inclusion (RFI) mechanics, detect such flaws, and propose mitigation strategies.
Entry Requirements
Qualifications in Information and Digital Technologies, and/or Engineering at minimum ITE NITEC/Higher NITEC.