Cyber Secure Coder™ (CSC)
Cyber Secure Coder™ (CSC) validates practical knowledge of secure coding practices, application security, risk management, secure design, testing, and remediation throughout the software development lifecycle. The Cyber Secure Coder certification is DoD 8140 approved for use.
Cyber Secure Coder™
Cyber Secure Coder™ (CSC) validates practical knowledge of secure coding practices, application security, risk management, secure design, testing, and remediation throughout the software development lifecycle. The Cyber Secure Coder certification is DoD 8140 approved for use.
CSC Certification at a Glance
The Cyber Secure Coder™ (CSC) certification is designed for software developers, testers, and architects who want to validate secure coding knowledge across programming languages, platforms, and development environments.
Is CSC Right for You?
The Cyber Secure Coder™ (CSC) certification is designed for software developers, testers, and architects who want to validate secure coding knowledge across programming languages, platforms, and development environments.
CSC is a strong fit for learners who want to demonstrate practical understanding of how to identify software security risks, apply secure design principles, implement secure coding practices, test for vulnerabilities, and maintain security throughout the software development lifecycle.
CSC may be a fit if you want to:
- Validate vendor-neutral secure coding and application security knowledge
- Understand how to apply security throughout the software development lifecycle
- Identify and remediate vulnerabilities in software applications
- Apply secure design, risk management, and secure implementation practices
- Use testing and analysis concepts to find and correct security defects
- Demonstrate secure coding knowledge across languages and platforms
Secure Coding Skills Validated by CSC
The Cyber Secure Coder™ (CSC) certification validates practical knowledge of secure coding, application security, secure design, risk management, testing, and remediation throughout the software development lifecycle.
CSC validates knowledge in areas such as:
- Secure application development terminology and concepts
- Security principles such as least privilege, defense in depth, and the CIA triad
- Secure software development lifecycle practices
- Secure architecture and application design
- Risk assessment and vulnerability management
- Common threats, attack vectors, and application vulnerabilities
- Secure implementation practices for protecting users, data, and systems
- Input validation, output handling, cryptography, authentication, and access control
- Error handling, logging, communication security, and secure database access
- Security testing, code analysis, and remediation of software defects
Software Development Roles
- Software Developer
- Application Developer
- Web Developer
- Mobile Application Developer
- Cloud Application Developer
- Full Stack Developer
- Backend Developer
- Secure Software Developer
Security, Testing, and Code Review Roles
- Application Security Analyst
- Security Tester
- Software Security Tester
- QA Tester
- Code Reviewer
- Vulnerability Analyst
- Penetration Testing Associate
- Secure Code Analyst
Architecture, Engineering, and Technical Leadership Roles
- Software Architect
- Solutions Architect
- Security Architect
- Software Engineer
- DevSecOps Engineer
- Technical Lead
- IT Security Specialist
- Secure Development Program Manager
Not sure whether CSC is the right next step? Review the exam details or connect with CertNexus to explore how Cyber Secure Coder aligns with your development background, secure coding goals, or organization’s application security needs.
CSC Exam Details
The Cyber Secure Coder™ exam certifies that successful candidates have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to design and develop applications for various platforms, analyze security concerns outside of specific languages and platforms, use testing and analysis tools, and mitigate common threats to data and systems.
CSC-210
LAUNCH DATE
March 2020
SUNSET DATE
TBD
PASSING SCORE
60%
NUMBER OF ITEMS
80
ITEM FORMATS
Multiple Choice/Multiple Response
TARGET CANDIDATE
CSC is designed for software developers, testers, and architects who develop in multiple programming languages and across desktop, web, cloud, and mobile platforms. It is a strong fit for professionals who want or need to develop highly secure applications for business and organizational use.
120 minutes (including 5 minutes for Candidate Agreement and 5 minutes for Pearson VUE tutorial)
In person at Pearson VUE test centers or online via Pearson OnVUE online proctoring
CSC-210 CONTRIBUTORS
- Christine Bresnahan, Adjunct Professor / Ivy Tech Community College and Freelance Author
- Andrea Cogliati, Software and Systems Engineer / LighTopTech Corp. and Freelance Consultant and Trainer
- Armando Pantoja, Principal Developer / AAA and Blockchain Architect / HireMatch.io
- Rick Matter, Senior Software Engineer / M&T Bank
How to Prepare for CSC
Preparing for the Cyber Secure Coder exam starts with understanding the exam objectives and choosing the learning path that fits your experience, schedule, and goals.
Review the CSC Exam Blueprint
Start by reviewing the official CSC-210 exam blueprint. The blueprint outlines the knowledge areas covered on the exam and helps you identify the topics you should focus on while preparing.
Take the Readiness Assessment
Not sure whether you are ready for the CSC exam? The readiness assessment can help you evaluate your current knowledge and identify areas where additional study may be helpful.
Choose Certification-Aligned Training
CertNexus ATPs offer CSC certification-aligned training designed to help candidates build practical knowledge of secure coding, application security, secure design, risk management, software security testing, vulnerability remediation, and maintaining secure software throughout the development lifecycle before taking the exam.
Practice and Reinforce Key Concepts
As you prepare, focus on areas such as secure application development, architecture and design, risk assessment, secure implementation, remediation, testing, analysis, and core protections such as cryptography, authentication, access control, logging, and secure database access.
Why Earn the CSC Certification?
The Cyber Secure Coder™ certification helps professionals validate vendor-neutral knowledge of secure coding, application security, secure design, risk management, software security testing, and vulnerability remediation across programming languages and platforms.
Validate Secure Coding Knowledge
Show that you understand how to apply secure coding practices, identify vulnerabilities, and remediate security issues throughout the software development lifecycle.
Demonstrate Platform-Independent Application Security Skills
Build confidence applying secure development principles across programming languages, platforms, and application environments, including desktop, web, cloud, and mobile.
Support DoD 8140 Workforce Alignment
Earn a secure coding certification that is DoD 8140 approved for use, helping demonstrate job-relevant application security knowledge in environments where verified cyber skills matter.
Share a Recognized Digital Credential
Highlight your achievement with employers, colleagues, clients, and professional networks after earning your certification.
CSC Certification FAQs
What is the Cyber Secure Coder™ certification?
Cyber Secure Coder™ (CSC) is a vendor-neutral secure coding certification that validates practical knowledge of secure application development, secure design, risk management, software security testing, vulnerability remediation, and secure implementation practices across programming languages and platforms.
Who is CSC designed for?
CSC is designed for software developers, testers, and architects who develop applications across desktop, web, cloud, and mobile platforms and who want or need to develop highly secure applications for business and organizational use.
What topics are covered on the CSC exam?
The CSC exam covers secure application development concepts, secure SDLC practices, architecture and design, risk assessment and management, application implementation, vulnerability remediation, testing, code analysis, cryptography, authentication, access control, logging, communication security, and secure database access.
Is CSC vendor-neutral?
Yes. CSC is vendor-neutral, which means it validates secure coding and application security knowledge that can apply across programming languages, platforms, tools, and development environments.
Is CSC DoD 8140 approved?
Yes. The CertNexus Cyber Secure Coder™ certification has been DoD 8140 approved for use, helping demonstrate secure coding and application security knowledge in environments where verified cyber workforce skills matter.
How should I prepare for the CSC exam?
Start by reviewing the official CSC-210 exam blueprint to understand the exam domains and objectives. Candidates may also prepare through CSC certification-aligned training offered by CertNexus Authorized Training Partners and by reinforcing key concepts related to secure coding, secure SDLC, risk management, testing, vulnerability remediation, and application security.
How many questions are on the CSC exam?
The CSC-210 exam includes 80 items, and the passing score is 60%.
Where can I take the CSC exam?
The CSC exam can be taken in person at Pearson VUE test centers or online through Pearson OnVUE online proctoring.
How long is the CSC certification valid?
The Cyber Secure Coder™ certification is valid for three years from the date it is initially granted. To maintain a continuously valid certification, certification holders must retake the most recent version of the exam before the three-year period expires.
Is CSSD replacing CSC?
Cyber Secure Software Developer™ (CSSD) is intended to succeed CSC as CertNexus’ updated secure software development certification. CSSD expands and modernizes the secure development focus to reflect current software development practices, including secure software development lifecycle concepts, modern application security considerations, deployment, maintenance, governance, and evolving security challenges. CSC remains relevant for secure coding validation, while CSSD represents the next-generation path for secure software development certification.
