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Application security testingIntermediate

Secure Code Review

Secure code review examines source and related configuration for weaknesses in logic, trust, data handling, authorization, error paths, and use of dangerous APIs.

What it means

Review can combine automated analysis with human inspection focused on the application's architecture, threat model, language, framework, and high-risk changes.

Why it matters

Code review can find design and implementation issues before deployment and provide context that broad automated scans may miss.

Practical focus

  • Prioritize security-sensitive components and changes
  • Use the threat model and requirements to guide review
  • Combine automated findings with manual reasoning
  • Track remediation and verify the final change

Common mistakes

  • Reviewing only style and syntax
  • Treating static-analysis output as proof
  • Ignoring infrastructure and policy-as-code
  • Approving large changes without enough context

Certification relevance

This subject appears in or supports the following certification bodies of knowledge:

ISC2 CSSLPCompTIA PenTest+ISC2 CISSP

Authoritative sources