The breadth of knowledge required to be a proficient Web Application Security consultant can be staggering. Web applications are becoming more complicated by the day, meaning full-coverage web application security assessments require an ever expanding amount of technical knowledge and experience. To make matters worse, the complexity of modern applications creates massive blind spots for automated tooling, leaving people as the lone means of discovery for potential security issues concealed by these limitations. With a desire to prepare people to fill this gap, Practical Security Services designed PWASA to provide comprehensive web application security assessment training with a variety of application architectures.
PWASA provides comprehensive training on the latest open source tools and manual techniques for performing end-to-end web application security assessments. After a quick overview of the web application security assessment methodology, the instructor will lead students through the process of assessing the security of multiple applications using the techniques and approaches developed from a career of real world web application security assessment and development experiences. Students will be introduced to the best tools currently available for the specific steps of the methodology, including Burp Suite Pro, and taught how to integrate these tools with automated and manual testing techniques and vulnerability knowledge to maximize discovery potential during full-coverage engagements. Where relevant, students will be led through the source code to discover or validate vulnerabilities and gain a better understanding of how and why they exist. A major goal of this course is teaching students the glue that brings the tools, techniques, knowledge, and methodology together to successfully perform full-coverage web application security assessments that disclose a high percentage of the security issues. The end result is an individual with the confidence and skill to perform web application security assessments as a Web Application Security professional.
The majority of the course will be spent performing a hands-on simulated web application security assessment of several target applications. These targets consist of custom built server-side and client-side rendered frontends, REST and GraphQL APIs, and various authentication schemes, in order to demonstrate modern architectural design and real vulnerability patterns as encountered in the wild.
PWASA is a PortSwigger preferred Burp Suite Training course. PWASA students will learn basic and advanced usage techniques for Burp Suite Pro, as well as discover obscure functionality hidden within the vast capabilities of the tool. Students will also receive a trial license for Burp Suite Pro to use during and after the course.
Students taking this course should have introductory knowledge of the OWASP Top 10 and a thorough understanding of the HTTP protocol. Students do not need to be comfortable finding or exploiting common web vulnerabilities, but a general understanding is ideal. However, understanding the HTTP protocol is vital. PWASA does not cover basic HTTP, but will reference it repeatedly assuming students are familiar with the protocol. PWASA may also do this with some vulnerabilities, but will discuss them in further detail at a later time during the class. Knowledge of web technologies and programming constructs will also be helpful, but are not required, as PWASA uses code to discover and validate vulnerabilities where relevant. Practical Security Services offers an optional HTTP primer add-on that covers the basics of HTTP, Object-Oriented programming as it applies to the Document Object Model, and architectural design patterns for web applications.
While this is not an advanced course, PWASA will strive to cover advanced topics if the ability level of the student population allows. Please prepare yourselves for the above requirements if you do not already meet them coming into the course. Anyone looking to get into Web Application Security or hone their craft should be working on their software development skills. If not already doing so, this is a good time to get started.