D487: Secure Software Design

Secure Software Design builds security into the entire software development life cycle (SDLC) — from initial design through deployment, using the Defense in Depth principle throughout.

What D487 covers

The course focuses on the variety of elements needed to address and implement secure software acquisition and development throughout the SDLC, addressing people, technology, tools, and processes.

The course underscores the Defense in Depth principle across the entire SDLC, introducing techniques to adapt security activities to modern development practices such as Agile and DevSecOps.

The D487 performance assessment

Expect a performance assessment requiring you to integrate security activities across a software development life cycle for a given project, applying the Defense in Depth principle.

Key topics in D487

• Secure software development life cycle (SDLC)
• Defense in Depth principle
• Agile and DevSecOps security integration

Writing tips for D487

Follow the task instructions and rubric line by line

WGU performance assessments for D487 are graded against a fixed rubric — every rubric line has to be visibly addressed, usually with a labeled heading that mirrors the rubric language. Skipping a rubric point because it seems minor is the single most common reason a competent submission comes back "Not Yet Competent" for revision.

Ground your analysis in a specific organization or system, not generalities

WGU evaluators are trained to distinguish genuine security analysis from a paraphrased summary. Anchor your submission in the specific organization, network, or system the task provides, and show the reasoning connecting your recommendation to that real configuration and its actual risk profile.

Because WGU is self-paced, don't let "no deadline pressure" become no submission

There's no weekly due date forcing progress, which means procrastination costs more at WGU than at a traditional term-based school — a stalled task can quietly eat weeks of a term. Treat your own target date for each D487 assessment as a real deadline.

Why students seek help with D487

Students sometimes bolt security onto the end of the SDLC rather than integrating it throughout — the course specifically teaches Defense in Depth as a whole-lifecycle principle, not a final testing step.

How GradeEssays helps with D487

Share your software project scenario and rubric, and your writer will build security integration across the entire SDLC, genuinely applying Defense in Depth throughout, not just at the end.

Prerequisites and program context

D487 has no listed additional prerequisites.

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