Application Security Engineer
Ensuring application security across all stages of the SDLC
Application Security Engineer is a role in the Security Engineering family. It has 54 skills across 5 levels (from Junior to Principal). 153 skills are mandatory. Key domains: Programming Fundamentals, Backend Development, Database Management.
Technology Stack
Focus by Level
Conducting security code review. SAST scanning. Vulnerability analysis. Writing security tests. Studying OWASP Top 10.
Threat modeling. DAST testing. Setting up security pipelines in CI/CD. Penetration testing basics. Security training for developers.
Application security architecture. Auth/authz design. Incident response. Security architecture review. Bug bounty program.
AppSec strategy. Security champions program. Coordination with DevOps and Development. Compliance (PCI DSS, GDPR). Vendor evaluation.
Enterprise security strategy. Zero Trust architecture. Security culture. Industry compliance. Public disclosure policy.
Skill Matrix
54 skills × 5 levels. Click on a cell for details.
AI-Assisted Development
4 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | A | W | A | E | E |
| Cursor IDE | A | W | A | E | E |
| ChatGPT / Claude | A | W | A | E | E |
| Prompt Engineering for Code | A | W | A | E | E |
API & Integration
6 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REST API Design | A | W | A | E | E |
| GraphQL Design | A | W | A | E | E |
| Webhooks & Integrations | A | W | A | E | E |
| API Documentation | A | W | A | E | E |
| API Testing | A | W | A | E | E |
| Rate Limiting & Throttling | A | W | A | E | E |
Architecture & System Design
1 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Design Fundamentals | A | W | A | E | E |
Backend Development
1 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redis | A | W | A | E | E |
Cloud & Infrastructure
5 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Docker | A | W | A | E | E |
| Container Security Scanning | A | W | A | E | E |
| Kubernetes Core | A | W | A | E | E |
| AWS | A | W | A | E | E |
| Network Fundamentals | A | W | A | — | — |
Database Management
1 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PostgreSQL | A | W | A | E | E |
DevOps & CI/CD
1 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Actions / GitLab CI | A | W | A | E | E |
Documentation
1 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runbook & Playbook Writing | A | W | A | E | E |
Observability & Monitoring
4 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Logging | A | W | A | E | E |
| ELK Stack | A | W | A | E | E |
| Prometheus & Grafana | A | W | A | E | E |
| OpenTelemetry | A | W | A | E | E |
Programming Fundamentals
7 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algorithms & Complexity | A | W | A | E | E |
| Data Structures | A | W | A | E | E |
| OOP & SOLID Principles | A | W | A | E | E |
| Design Patterns | A | W | A | E | E |
| Multithreading | A | W | A | E | E |
| Async Programming | A | W | A | E | E |
| Code Quality & Refactoring | A | W | A | E | E |
Security
18 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OWASP & Application Security | A | W | A | E | E |
| SAST/DAST | A | W | A | E | E |
| Secure Coding Practices | A | W | A | E | E |
| Threat Modeling | A | W | A | E | E |
| Dependency Vulnerability Scanning | A | W | A | E | E |
| Secrets Management | A | W | A | E | E |
| Network Security | A | W | A | E | E |
| Cloud Security | A | W | A | E | E |
| Kubernetes Security | A | W | A | E | E |
| JWT / OAuth2 / OIDC | A | W | A | E | E |
| RBAC / ABAC Authorization | A | W | A | E | E |
| GDPR / 152-FZ Compliance | A | W | A | E | E |
| SOC2 Compliance | A | W | A | E | E |
| PCI DSS | A | W | A | E | E |
| Supply Chain Security | A | W | A | E | E |
| Incident Response Process | A | W | A | E | E |
| Digital Forensics Basics | A | W | A | E | E |
| Vulnerability Management | A | W | A | E | E |
Testing & QA
3 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit Testing | A | W | A | E | E |
| Integration Testing | A | W | A | E | E |
| Security Testing | A | W | A | E | E |
Version Control & Collaboration
2 skills| Skills | Jun | Mid | Sen | Lead | Princ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Git Advanced | A | W | A | E | E |
| Code Review | A | W | A | E | E |
FAQ
What skills are needed for the Application Security Engineer role?
The Application Security Engineer role requires 54 skills, of which 153 are mandatory. Skills are distributed across 5 levels: from Junior to Principal. See full matrix.
How to advance to the next level in the Application Security Engineer role?
Use the Grade Calculator to assess your current level and get personalized recommendations. The system will show which skills need to be developed for the next level.
What tech stack is used in the Application Security Engineer role?
The stack includes 5 technologies at different levels. OWASP ZAP, SonarQube, Snyk, Burp Suite basics, Git hooks, Python/Go scripting, Burp Suite, Semgrep, Trivy, OWASP Top 10, Threat modeling (STRIDE), WAF basics, SAST/DAST integration, Custom security tools, Vault, OPA, Network security, Cryptography, Incident response, Red/Blue team exercises...
How does the community define requirements for the Application Security Engineer role?
Role requirements are shaped by the community through a proposal system. Any member can suggest changes that go through voting and expert review.