Application security engineers are the people making sure your application software isn’t a vulnerable target for cyberattacks. These specialized security engineering gurus keep applications safe from threat actors who steal data, crash systems, and wreck reputations.
But what exactly does an application security engineer do? We’re here to break down their main focus areas and responsibilities, the skills they bring to security as a whole, how to get into this career field, and why this role is a must-have for modern businesses.
Application security engineers are cybersecurity professionals who specialize in securing the software application lifecycle. They’re security architects who beef up the barriers around your applications, making sure they don’t crumble under the weight of cyberattacks from threat actors.
They work at the intersection of software development and cybersecurity, bridging the gap between building functional applications and keeping them secure. They fix flaws, but also hunt them down before they become easy targets.
Unlike traditional security engineering professionals who might focus on broader network security or enterprise IT protection, application security engineers zoom specifically in on a business’s applications. They know how software works from the inside out, which makes them uniquely qualified to find and fix security weaknesses that others won’t spot.
Application security engineers spend loads of time reviewing code for potential vulnerabilities. They run both automated and manual security testing, looking for weaknesses that attackers love to target. Static application security testing (SAST) and dynamic application security testing (DAST) are always part of the testing regime.
Application security engineers create detailed threat models that highlight potential attack vectors and map out threat risk levels. Critical questions for threat modeling are:
Where could an attacker gain initial access to an application?
What would they target?
How can we block targeting attempts?
They design security controls and architecture patterns that are used across multiple applications and create security standards and guidelines for developers to follow when they’re building new applications.
When security incidents happen, application security engineers are part of the investigative team. They help dissect how the breach happened, what vulnerabilities were exploited, and how to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Development teams keep up with secure coding practices and emerging threats from the application security engineers. They host training sessions, create documentation, and serve as security consultants for various development projects.
Application security engineers use masters of the following hard and soft skills:
Programming languages: Web and mobile application languages like Java, Python, C#, JavaScript, and others. If you need to find security flaws in applications, then you need to know how code works from the ground up.
Security testing tools: Tools like Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) ZAP, Burp Suite, SonarQube, and Checkmarx help automate vulnerability discovery and streamline security testing
Web application security: Deep-rooted knowledge of web application vulnerabilities, like the OWASP Top 10, SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and authentication bypass vulnerabilities.
Application security engineers must be top-notch problem solvers with an offensive mindset. They analyze complex systems, spot potential weaknesses, and think like attackers to develop creative solutions to tough security challenges.
Solid communication is non-negotiable since application security engineers collaborate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders across organizations. They explain challenging security concepts to developers, management, and other teams to help drive decisions for better security.
These security terms are used interchangeably, but there are important differences you need to know. Software security covers security considerations during the entire software development process. Application security, on the other hand, focuses specifically on securing applications during runtime and their operational lifecycle.
Think of software security like building a house with a strong foundation, secure doors, and reinforced walls. Application security is the security system for the house, like cameras and security guards, once people are living in it.
An application security engineer’s main focus area is making sure applications stay secure when they're launched in the real world.
Cybercriminals know applications are often the weakest link in an organization's security posture.
Let’s look at the impact of a single application vulnerability:
A SQL injection flaw in a web application exposes an entire customer database
A cross-site scripting vulnerability lets attackers steal user sessions and impersonate legitimate users.
These aren't hypothetical situations—they're happening every day to organizations of all sizes and sectors.
The financial fallout of an application security mishap can be devastating. Millions of dollars vanish in data breaches between remediation costs, legal fees, regulatory fines, and lost business. And even worse, in some cases, ransom payments. In the long run, security incidents stemming from application security tarnish customer trust and brand reputation in ways that take years to bounce back from.
As businesses step up their security game, cybercriminals tirelessly develop new attack techniques. What worked to secure applications last year might not work today. Application security engineers must stay clued into emerging threats and keep tweaking their defensive strategies.
One of the toughest application security challenges is finding a good balance between strong security and satisfied end users. Security controls that are too restrictive frustrate users and impact business operations.
Since application security engineers work side-by-side with development teams, they are knowledgeable about development methodologies, build processes, and deployment pipelines. Together, these teams integrate security into the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
Modern applications are complicated and layered with dozens of third-party services and APIs. Locking down security in these complex and diversified environments requires advanced tools and strategies.
SQL injection, NoSQL injection, and command injection are some of the most dangerous application vulnerabilities. These attackers’ tricks launch unauthorized commands or unlock access to sensitive data.
Weak authentication mechanisms, broken access controls, and session management vulnerabilities let attackers use accounts like legitimate end users.
Attackers use XSS vulnerabilities to inject malicious scripts into web applications to steal user data or hijack legitimate user accounts.
These vulnerabilities happen when applications expose internal implementation objects without the right authorization checks, which gives attackers access to unauthorized data.
Badly configured security settings, default passwords, and extra (usually unneeded) features create security gaps that attackers will absolutely exploit.
If you’re an application security engineer, you’re probably using Python to create tools, automate testing, and analyze security data. It’s a go-to programming language because it’s simple and has powerful libraries.
Understanding JavaScript is a must-have for web application security. It triggers client-side vulnerabilities, and modern web applications depend on JavaScript frameworks.
These languages power large enterprise applications. Application security engineers must understand how these languages handle security features like input validation, authentication, and authorization.
Database security is a vital part of application security. Understanding the ins and outs of SQL helps engineers identify and prevent injection attacks and other database-related vulnerabilities.
Burp Suite: The gold standard of web application security testing platforms
OWASP ZAP: An open-source security testing tool that finds vulnerabilities in web applications
SonarQube: A code quality and security analysis tool that gets in the mix with development workflows
Checkmarx: A static application security testing (SAST) tool that analyzes source code for security vulnerabilities
Veracode: A cloud-based platform that provides static, dynamic, and interactive application security testing
Rapid7 AppSpider: A dynamic application security testing (DAST) tool that tests live applications for vulnerabilities
Contrast Security: An interactive application security testing (IAST) tool that provides real-time security monitoring
DevSecOps is a major shift in how organizations approach application security. Instead of treating security as an extra phase after development, DevSecOps integrates security throughout the entire development lifecycle.
Application security engineers get involved in DevSecOps with security automation, security pipelines, and making sure security testing isn’t a one-time event. They understand continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes, and infrastructure-as-code practices.
The benefits are big. Organizations that successfully roll out DevSecOps save money by fixing security vulnerabilities earlier in the development process. They also respond faster to emerging threats and have an overall better security posture across their application portfolio.
If you’re looking for a career field in high demand, look no further than application security engineering. It opens up solid career opportunities, competitive salaries, and the chance to be a serious problem-solver.
Here are a few tips to start your journey as an application security engineer:
Be multi-faceted: root yourself in both software development and cybersecurity
Dive into programming languages, get a grasp of common vulnerabilities, and check your knowledge with open-source security testing tools
Seal the deal with potential employers with industry certifications like Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
But most importantly, keep exploring, growing, and chasing new skills. Successful application security engineers love taking on new challenges and expanding their knowledge base.
The role of an application security engineer is more critical than ever. As the nexus of application security technology and emerging threats gets more and more sophisticated, these engineering wizards are on the frontlines protecting our digital data. With application security engineers on the job, applications we lean on using every single day stay up and running, secure, and trustworthy.
