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Python for security automation

The scripts between your tools are infrastructure too. This is Python built for automation: running commands safely with subprocess, handling files and paths, regex and structured data (JSON, YAML, CSV), calling APIs, error handling with retries, small CLIs, log parsing that scales, secrets and hashing, then dependency hygiene, packaging, and testing so what you write is safe to ship. Fourteen lessons, each with runnable code, expected output, and a self-check.

Intermediate4 sections · 14 lessons · ~4.5h total · 12-question self-test

01

Setup & the automation core

5 lessons

01Project layout and venvsIsolated, reproducible, not on the system Python.20 min 02Running commands safely with subprocessArgument lists, never shell=True with f-strings.25 min 03Files and paths with pathlibRead, write, and walk the filesystem cleanly.18 min 04Text and regex for logs & outputExtract fields without fragile string slicing.22 min 05Structured data: JSON, YAML & CSVParse and emit the formats tools speak.20 min

02

Talking to the world

3 lessons

01Calling APIs safelyrequests, auth, timeouts, retries.25 min 02Error handling, retries & loggingFail loudly, retry sensibly, log what happened.22 min 03CLI tools with argparseFlags, exit codes, and --dry-run.25 min

03

Security automation at scale

3 lessons

01Parsing logs at scaleGenerators and streaming over read-it-all.30 min 02Secrets & environment handlingOut of source, out of argv, into env or a manager.18 min 03Hashing & integrity: hashlib, hmacFingerprint files and verify without leaks.20 min

04

Shipping safely

3 lessons

01Dependency hygieneLockfiles, pip-audit, and minimal requirements.20 min 02Packaging & distributing a toolFrom a script to something teammates can install.20 min 03Testing your automation with pytestConfidence to change scripts without breaking prod.22 min

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Final exam

Test yourself on everything

12 questions drawn from all 2 sections — every answer explained as you pick.

Start final exam