Web Security Fundamentals: HPKP, SSL Pinning, and Modern Trust

Securing web applications against fraudulent certificates is a critical pillar of modern cybersecurity, yet some historical defense mechanisms introduced severe risks of their own. Understanding how browsers validate trust—and why certain security standards failed—is essential for any aspiring web developer or security professional.\n\nThis course guides you through the concepts of public key cryptography, SSL/TLS certificates, the mechanics of HTTP Public Key Pinning (HPKP), and the real-world operational risks that led to its deprecation. You will transition from understanding basic web trust to analyzing modern, safer alternatives for certificate validation and monitoring.\n\nWhat you'll learn:\n- Understand the fundamentals of public key cryptography, certificate authorities, and SSL/TLS handshakes\n- Analyze how HTTP Public Key Pinning (HPKP) was designed to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks\n- Evaluate the operational risks of HPKP, including how misconfiguration could lock users out of websites\n- Explore the reasons for HPKP deprecation in modern web browsers\n- Discover modern security alternatives like Certificate Transparency (CT) and Certification Authority Authorization (CAA) records\n- Practice identifying secure certificate configurations through written architectural analysis\n\nThe course begins with foundational definitions of web trust, certificate authorities, and cryptographic keys. You will then trace the rise and fall of public key pinning, studying its implementation, failure modes, and the modern, resilient standards that have replaced it. This text-only course is designed for beginners in web development, network administration, or cybersecurity, with no prior cryptography experience required.\n\nStart reading today to build a strong foundation in modern web trust architecture.