Explore KSACs by Pathway
Explore Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Credentials (KSACs) by IT Pathway.
In late 2025, the Partnership pulled together members of industry from across tech to share how the in-demand skillsets for entry-level roles in their fields have changed in the last two years. The KSACs below reflect their feedback on entry-level expectations, especially in a tech workplace increasingly shaped by AI.
11. Secure Software
| Label | KSAC Description | Bloom's Taxonomy Level | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | Choose the appropriate data structure for modeling a given problem. | skill | 3 |
| b | Implement a divide-and-conquer algorithm for solving a problem. | skill | 3 |
| c | Implement a coherent abstract data type, with loose coupling between components and behaviors. | skill | 3 |
| d | Identify common coding errors that lead to insecure programs (e.g., buffer overflows, memory leaks, malicious code). | knowledge | 3 |
| e | Apply the principles of least privilege, defensive programming, and fail-safe defaults. | ability | 3 |
| f | Write code with logging capabilities. | skill | 2 |
| g | Integrate security in all phases of the software development life cycle (SecDevOps). | ability | 3 |
| h | Understand web applicatin issues using OWASP | knowledge | 2 |
| i | Understand basics of securing web apps - SQL Injection and other input validation. | knowledge | 2 |
| j | Understand software bill of materials (SBOM). | knowledge | 2 |