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CodeSlick Technical Study Guide

Last Updated: November 7, 2025 Purpose: 10-hour self-study plan to feel confident talking to DevOps engineers Goal: Understand security concepts well enough to explain CodeSlick's value proposition

Study Plan Overview

Priority Topic Time Outcome
P1 ⭐⭐⭐ OWASP Top 10 1.5 hrs Explain each vulnerability in simple terms
P1 ⭐⭐⭐ SAST vs DAST 30 mins Know when to use each
P1 ⭐⭐⭐ CVE & Dependencies 1 hr Understand supply chain security
P2 ⭐⭐⭐ GitHub PR Workflow 1 hr Explain where CodeSlick fits
P2 ⭐⭐⭐ CI/CD Integration 1 hr Differentiate from GitHub Actions
P3 ⭐⭐ Snyk vs CodeSlick 1 hr Competitive positioning
P3 ⭐⭐ Other Competitors 1 hr SonarQube, Semgrep, CodeQL
P4 ⭐⭐ Practice Scenarios 1 hr Q&A role-playing
P4 ⭐⭐ Case Studies 1 hr Memorize real examples
P5 ⭐ Business Value/ROI 1 hr Sell value, not features
TOTAL 10 hrs Ready for beta calls

Priority 1: Core Security Concepts (3 hours)

Module 1: OWASP Top 10 2021 (1.5 hours)

Learning Objectives:

  • Name all 10 OWASP categories
  • Explain each vulnerability in simple, non-technical terms
  • Give one real-world example for each
  • Know which ones CodeSlick detects

Resources:

Primary Resource (45 mins): - OWASP Top 10 Official Site: https://owasp.org/Top10/ - Read "Overview" and "Example Attack Scenarios" for each category - Don't read implementation details (too technical for now)

Video Resources (30 mins): - "OWASP Top 10 Explained in 10 Minutes": https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=owasp+top+10+explained - Watch any video from 2021 or later (OWASP Top 10 changed in 2021) - Look for videos with 100k+ views (higher quality)

Practice Exercises (15 mins): - Read each vulnerability, then explain it to yourself without looking - Use this format: "[Vulnerability] is when an attacker [action] to [impact]. This matters because [business consequence]."

Study Notes Template:

# OWASP Top 10 2021 - Personal Study Notes

## A01:2021 – Broken Access Control
**What it is**: Users can access data/functions they shouldn't have permission for
**Example**: A user changes their user ID in the URL from /profile?id=123 to /profile?id=999 and sees someone else's profile
**Why it matters**: Data breaches, unauthorized actions
**CodeSlick coverage**: ✅ Partial (checks for obvious access control issues)

## A02:2021 – Cryptographic Failures
**What it is**: Sensitive data exposed due to weak encryption or no encryption
**Example**: Passwords stored in plain text in database, credit cards transmitted over HTTP
**Why it matters**: PCI-DSS violations, GDPR fines, customer data theft
**CodeSlick coverage**: ✅ Yes (checks for hardcoded secrets, insecure storage)

## A03:2021 – Injection
**What it is**: Attacker tricks application into running malicious commands (SQL, OS, LDAP)
**Example**: User enters `' OR '1'='1` in login form to bypass authentication
**Why it matters**: Database theft, server takeover, data corruption
**CodeSlick coverage**: ✅ Yes (SQL injection, command injection, LDAP injection - 20+ checks)

[Continue for all 10...]

Memorization Aid - The "Simple Explanation" Method:

Practice explaining each vulnerability as if talking to a non-technical friend:

Example - SQL Injection:

"Imagine a website has a login form. Normally you type your username and password. But if the website doesn't properly check your input, an attacker can type special characters that trick the database into giving them access without a password. It's like telling the bouncer 'Let me in OR let EVERYONE in' and the bouncer says 'okay!'"

Example - XSS (Cross-Site Scripting):

"Imagine you can post comments on a website. If the website doesn't clean your comment before showing it to others, you could write a comment that contains malicious JavaScript code. When someone else views your comment, that code runs in THEIR browser, potentially stealing their cookies or session. It's like leaving a booby trap in a public guest book."

Module 2: SAST vs DAST (30 minutes)

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain the difference between Static and Dynamic analysis
  • Know when to use each
  • Position CodeSlick as SAST (shift-left security)

Resources:

Video (10 mins): - Search YouTube: "SAST vs DAST explained" - Recommended: Any video that uses analogies (car safety inspection = SAST, crash test = DAST)

Reading (10 mins): - Synopsys SAST vs DAST Guide: https://www.synopsys.com/glossary/what-is-sast.html - Read just the comparison table and "When to Use" sections

Practice (10 mins): - Explain to yourself: "What would SAST catch that DAST wouldn't?" - Explain: "What would DAST catch that SAST wouldn't?"

Study Notes Template:

# SAST vs DAST - Personal Notes

## SAST (Static Application Security Testing) - CodeSlick
**What**: Analyzes source code without running it
**When**: Development phase (PR reviews, pre-commit)
**Pros**:
- Catches issues early (cheaper to fix)
- No need for running application
- Fast (5-10 seconds)
**Cons**:
- Can't find runtime issues (e.g., authentication bypass)
- False positives (~5-10%)
**Examples**: CodeSlick, SonarQube, Semgrep, CodeQL

## DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing)
**What**: Tests running application (black-box testing)
**When**: Staging/Production
**Pros**:
- Finds runtime issues
- Tests real attack scenarios
- No false positives (only tests live behavior)
**Cons**:
- Slower (hours, not seconds)
- Requires running app
- Finds issues late (expensive to fix)
**Examples**: Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Acunetix

## CodeSlick Positioning
"CodeSlick is SAST - we catch 70% of issues during PR review when they're cheapest to fix. For the other 30%, you'd use DAST in staging. Think of it as a filter: CodeSlick prevents most bugs from reaching production, DAST catches the remaining edge cases."

Module 3: CVE & Dependency Scanning (1 hour)

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain what CVE is
  • Understand supply chain attacks
  • Know how CodeSlick uses Google OSV
  • Memorize Log4Shell as a real-world example

Resources:

CVE Basics (15 mins): - CVE Official Site: https://www.cve.org/About/Overview - Read: "What is CVE?" and "How CVE Works"

Google OSV Database (15 mins): - OSV Website: https://osv.dev - Browse the database, search for "log4j" to see real CVE entries - Understand the data structure: CVE ID, severity, affected versions, fixed version

Log4Shell Case Study (15 mins): - Log4Shell Explained: Search "Log4Shell explained" on YouTube or Google - Key points to learn: - What it was (RCE vulnerability in log4j Java library) - Why it was critical (affected millions of applications) - How dependency scanners would have caught it

Practice (15 mins): - Explain: "What is a CVE?" - Explain: "How would CodeSlick have prevented Log4Shell?"

Study Notes Template:

# CVE & Dependency Scanning - Personal Notes

## What is CVE?
- CVE = Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
- Public database of known security bugs
- Each CVE has unique ID (e.g., CVE-2021-44228 = Log4Shell)
- Maintained by MITRE (non-profit)

## How CodeSlick Uses OSV
1. Extract dependencies from package.json / requirements.txt / pom.xml
2. Query Google OSV database for each dependency
3. Match package name + version against known CVEs
4. Report vulnerable packages with severity + fix version

## Supply Chain Attacks
**Definition**: Attacking software by compromising a dependency
**Real examples**:
- Log4Shell (2021): RCE in log4j affected millions
- event-stream (2018): Malicious code injected into popular npm package
- ua-parser-js (2021): Cryptocurrency miner added to npm package

## CodeSlick Detection
- Scans: npm (JavaScript), pip (Python), Maven (Java)
- Database: Google OSV (same as GitHub Dependabot)
- Speed: 2-3 seconds per PR
- Coverage: 100% of known CVEs in OSV database

## Real Example - Log4Shell
**CVE**: CVE-2021-44228
**What**: Remote Code Execution in Apache Log4j 2.x
**Affected**: Java applications using log4j 2.0-beta9 through 2.14.1
**Fix**: Upgrade to log4j 2.17.1 or later
**Impact**: Estimated 35,000+ organizations affected worldwide

**How CodeSlick would have helped**:
If a developer added log4j 2.14.1 to pom.xml in a PR, CodeSlick would have posted:
CRITICAL: Apache Log4j 2.x Remote Code Execution (CVE-2021-44228) Affected version: 2.14.1 Fix: Upgrade to 2.17.1 or later CVSS Score: 10.0 (Maximum severity) 
This would have prevented deployment of the vulnerable version.

Priority 2: GitHub & CI/CD (2 hours)

Module 4: GitHub PR Workflow (1 hour)

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain typical PR workflow (branch, commit, PR, review, merge)
  • Know where CodeSlick fits in the workflow
  • Explain value: automated review before human review

Resources:

Video (15 mins): - "GitHub Pull Request Tutorial": https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=github+pull+request+tutorial - Look for beginner-friendly videos (10-15 mins long)

GitHub Docs (15 mins): - About Pull Requests: https://docs.github.com/en/pull-requests/collaborating-with-pull-requests/proposing-changes-to-your-work-with-pull-requests/about-pull-requests - Read just the overview and "How pull requests work" section

Practice (30 mins): - Create a test repository on GitHub - Make a branch, commit a change, open a PR - Experience the workflow firsthand

Study Notes Template:

# GitHub PR Workflow - Personal Notes

## Typical PR Workflow
1. Developer creates feature branch from `main`
2. Makes code changes, commits to branch
3. Opens Pull Request (PR) to merge branch into `main`
4. **← CodeSlick analyzes here (automatic)**
5. Team reviews PR (manual)
6. Developer addresses feedback
7. PR is approved and merged into `main`

## Where CodeSlick Fits
**Trigger**: When PR is opened or updated
**Action**: CodeSlick automatically:
  1. Fetches changed files from GitHub
  2. Analyzes each file for security issues
  3. Posts comment with findings (5-10 seconds)
**Result**: Security issues visible BEFORE human code review

## Value Proposition
**Without CodeSlick**:
- Human reviewer must manually check for security issues
- Takes 30-60 mins per PR
- Easy to miss subtle vulnerabilities

**With CodeSlick**:
- Automated security check in 10 seconds
- Human reviewer focuses on logic, not security
- Nothing slips through (79+ automated checks)

## Example CodeSlick PR Comment
```markdown
## CodeSlick Security Analysis

Found 2 issues in this PR:

### CRITICAL: SQL Injection in src/api/users.js (Line 42)
Untrusted user input is concatenated into SQL query without parameterization.

**Code**:
```javascript
const query = `SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ${req.params.id}`;

Fix: Use parameterized queries 

const query = 'SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?';
const result = await db.query(query, [req.params.id]);

OWASP: A03:2021 – Injection CWE: CWE-89 (SQL Injection)

Module 5: CI/CD Integration Basics (1 hour)

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain what CI/CD is (simple definition)
  • Know where security fits in the pipeline
  • Differentiate CodeSlick (GitHub App) from GitHub Actions

Resources:

Video (15 mins): - "CI/CD Pipeline Explained": https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cicd+pipeline+explained - Look for videos with animations/diagrams (easier to understand)

Reading (15 mins): - GitHub Actions Docs: https://docs.github.com/en/actions - Read just the "About" section (don't dive into YAML syntax)

Comparison (30 mins): - Read about GitHub Actions security scanning - Compare setup complexity: GitHub Actions vs CodeSlick GitHub App

Study Notes Template:

# CI/CD Integration - Personal Notes

## What is CI/CD?
**CI** = Continuous Integration
- Automatically merge code changes from multiple developers
- Run tests on every commit
- Catch bugs early

**CD** = Continuous Deployment
- Automatically deploy code to production after tests pass
- Fast, frequent releases

## Security in CI/CD Pipeline
Typical pipeline with security:
1. Developer commits code
2. **Security scan (SAST) ← CodeSlick**
3. Run unit tests
4. Run integration tests
5. **Security scan (DAST)**
6. Deploy to staging
7. Deploy to production

## CodeSlick vs GitHub Actions

### GitHub Actions (Workflow-based)
**Setup**:
- Create .github/workflows/security.yml file
- Write YAML configuration
- Configure secrets, permissions
- Maintain workflow over time

**Example YAML** (20+ lines):
```yaml
name: Security Scan
on: [pull_request]
jobs:
  security:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Run security scan
        run: |
          npm install -g some-security-tool
          security-tool scan --config config.json

Time to setup: 1-2 hours (for experienced developers)

CodeSlick (GitHub App)

Setup: - Click "Install GitHub App" - Select repositories - Done

Configuration: Zero (works out-of-the-box) Time to setup: 5 minutes

Positioning

"CodeSlick is 'GitHub Actions security on easy mode' - same security coverage, but you install a GitHub App instead of writing workflow files. For teams that want security without the DevOps complexity." 

---

## Priority 3: Competitive Landscape (2 hours)

### **Module 6: Snyk Deep-Dive** (1 hour)

#### **Learning Objectives**:
- [ ] Know Snyk's pricing (exact numbers)
- [ ] Understand Snyk's strengths (dependency scanning)
- [ ] Know Snyk's weaknesses (basic SAST, expensive)
- [ ] Position CodeSlick as complement, not competitor

#### **Resources**:

**Snyk Website** (20 mins):
- **Snyk Pricing**: https://snyk.io/plans/
- Note exact prices: Free, Team ($98/dev/month), Enterprise (custom)
- Note what's included in each tier

**Comparison** (20 mins):
- Create side-by-side comparison table
- Features: Dependency scanning, SAST, Container security, IaC security
- Pricing: Calculate cost for 5 devs, 10 devs, 20 devs

**Positioning** (20 mins):
- Write out "When to use Snyk" vs "When to use CodeSlick"
- Practice saying: "We complement Snyk, not replace it"

#### **Study Notes Template**:

```markdown
# Snyk Competitive Analysis

## Snyk Pricing (2025)
**Free**:
- 200 tests/month
- Limited projects
- Basic features

**Team**: $98/developer/month
- Unlimited tests
- Advanced reporting
- Email support

**Enterprise**: Custom pricing (starts ~$399/dev/month)
- SSO, RBAC
- Dedicated support
- Custom integrations

**Cost Examples**:
- 5 developers: $490/month = $5,880/year
- 10 developers: $980/month = $11,760/year
- 20 developers: $1,960/month = $23,520/year

## Snyk Strengths
1. **Dependency Scanning** - Industry leader, comprehensive database
2. **Container Security** - Scans Docker images for vulnerabilities
3. **IaC Security** - Scans Terraform, Kubernetes configs
4. **Brand Recognition** - Trusted by enterprises, well-established

## Snyk Weaknesses
1. **Price** - $98/dev/month is expensive for small teams
2. **SAST Coverage** - Basic static analysis (10-15 checks vs CodeSlick's 74)
3. **Setup Complexity** - Requires workflow integration
4. **No API Security** - Doesn't check for API security issues

## CodeSlick Positioning

### Don't Say:
❌ "CodeSlick replaces Snyk"
❌ "CodeSlick is better than Snyk"
❌ "You don't need Snyk if you have CodeSlick"

### Do Say:
✅ "CodeSlick complements Snyk by adding deeper code analysis"
✅ "Use Snyk for dependencies, CodeSlick for code + APIs"
✅ "Together, they're still cheaper than Snyk alone for larger teams"

### Messaging Framework
**Acknowledge**: "Snyk is excellent for dependency scanning - they're the industry leader."
**Differentiate**: "CodeSlick focuses on deeper static code analysis (74 checks) and API security, which Snyk doesn't do as comprehensively."
**Position**: "Many teams use both - Snyk for containers/dependencies, CodeSlick for code. Total cost is still less than Snyk + SonarQube."

## When to Recommend Snyk
- Team needs container scanning
- Team needs IaC security (Terraform/K8s)
- Team has budget for $500+/month

## When to Recommend CodeSlick
- Team is <10 developers with limited budget
- Team needs deeper SAST (not just dependencies)
- Team wants zero-config setup

Module 7: Other Competitors (1 hour)

SonarQube (20 mins)

Resources: - SonarQube Website: https://www.sonarsource.com/products/sonarqube/ - SonarQube Pricing: Note Cloud vs Self-Hosted pricing

Study Notes: 

# SonarQube Competitive Analysis

## Strengths
- Comprehensive SAST (100+ languages, 5000+ rules)
- Mature product (15+ years)
- Enterprise-grade (used by Fortune 500)

## Weaknesses
- Complex setup (self-hosted requires server + database)
- SonarCloud has LOC limits (100k lines on free tier)
- No dependency scanning
- No API security detection

## CodeSlick Differentiation
- **Setup**: SonarQube = 2-3 days, CodeSlick = 5 minutes
- **Coverage**: SonarQube = code only, CodeSlick = code + deps + APIs
- **Pricing**: SonarQube Cloud = $120/month (5 devs), CodeSlick = €99/month

## Positioning
"If you need comprehensive multi-language support (100+ languages), SonarQube is the gold standard. If you need JavaScript/Python/Java analysis with zero setup, CodeSlick is faster to deploy."

Semgrep (20 mins)

Resources: - Semgrep Website: https://semgrep.dev - Try Semgrep OSS (open-source version)

Study Notes: 

# Semgrep Competitive Analysis

## Strengths
- Open-source (free for OSS rules)
- Powerful custom rule engine
- Fast analysis
- Active community

## Weaknesses
- Requires engineering time to configure rules (2-3 days)
- No built-in dependency scanning
- No API security rules (must write custom)
- Steep learning curve

## CodeSlick Differentiation
- **Setup**: Semgrep = 16 hours rule config, CodeSlick = 5 minutes
- **Maintenance**: Semgrep = 2 hours/month rule tuning, CodeSlick = zero
- **Dependency Scanning**: Semgrep = no, CodeSlick = yes

## Positioning
"Semgrep is excellent for teams with security engineers who can write custom rules. CodeSlick is for teams that want out-of-the-box security without engineering investment."

GitHub Advanced Security (CodeQL) (20 mins)

Resources: - GitHub CodeQL Docs: https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/code-scanning

Study Notes: 

# GitHub Advanced Security Competitive Analysis

## Strengths
- Native GitHub integration (first-party)
- Powerful query language (CodeQL)
- Free for open-source projects
- Microsoft-backed

## Weaknesses
- Requires GitHub Enterprise ($49/committer/month)
- Complex setup (write CodeQL queries)
- Steep learning curve (QL is a custom language)
- No dependency scanning (separate tool: Dependabot)

## CodeSlick Differentiation
- **GitHub Plan**: CodeQL = Enterprise only, CodeSlick = works with Free/Team/Enterprise
- **Setup**: CodeQL = 40+ hours learning QL, CodeSlick = 5 minutes
- **Integration**: CodeQL = SAST only, CodeSlick = SAST + deps + APIs

## Positioning
"GitHub Advanced Security is powerful for enterprises with security teams. CodeSlick is for small teams that need enterprise-grade security without the enterprise complexity or cost."

Priority 4: Practice & Scenarios (2 hours)

Module 8: Role-Play Scenarios (1 hour)

Use the PRACTICE_QA_SCRIPT.md for this module.

Practice Method: 1. Have a friend/colleague ask questions from the script 2. Answer without looking at notes 3. Get feedback on: - Clarity (did they understand?) - Confidence (did you sound certain?) - Conciseness (under 2 minutes per answer?)

Focus Areas: - Pricing objections (most common) - Technical deep-dives (most intimidating) - Competitor comparisons (most nuanced)

Module 9: Real Case Studies (1 hour)

Memorize 3 Concrete Examples:

Example 1: SQL Injection Save 

**Scenario**: Developer adds checkout flow with SQL injection

**Code**:
```javascript
app.get('/order/:id', (req, res) => {
  const orderId = req.params.id;
  const query = `SELECT * FROM orders WHERE id = ${orderId}`;
  const order = await db.query(query);
  // ...
});

CodeSlick Detection: - Flags as CRITICAL: SQL Injection - OWASP A03:2021 – Injection - CWE-89 - Suggests parameterized query fix

Business Impact: - Without CodeSlick: Attacker could access all customer orders (PCI-DSS violation, GDPR breach) - Cost: €20,000+ in fines + customer trust damage - With CodeSlick: Caught in PR, fixed in 5 minutes, €0 cost 

**Example 2: Hardcoded API Key**
```markdown
**Scenario**: Developer accidentally commits Stripe API key

**Code**:
```javascript
const stripe = require('stripe')('sk_live_abc123...');

CodeSlick Detection: - Flags as CRITICAL: Hardcoded Secret - OWASP A07:2021 – Identification and Authentication Failures - Suggests using environment variables

Business Impact: - Without CodeSlick: API key publicly exposed on GitHub, scraped by bots within minutes, fraudulent charges - Cost: €5,000-€50,000 (Stripe fraud) - With CodeSlick: Caught in PR before merge, key never exposed, €0 cost 

**Example 3: Vulnerable Dependency (Log4Shell)**
```markdown
**Scenario**: Developer adds log4j 2.14.1 to Java project

**pom.xml**:
```xml
<dependency>
  <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
  <artifactId>log4j-core</artifactId>
  <version>2.14.1</version>
</dependency>

CodeSlick Detection: - Flags as CRITICAL: CVE-2021-44228 (Log4Shell) - CVSS 10.0 (maximum severity) - Suggests upgrade to 2.17.1+

Business Impact: - Without CodeSlick: Remote Code Execution vulnerability in production, potential server takeover - Cost: €100,000+ (breach response, customer notification, regulatory fines) - With CodeSlick: Caught in PR, upgraded to safe version, €0 cost 

**Practice**: Tell each story out loud until you can recite it naturally.

---

## Priority 5: Business Value (1 hour)

### **Module 10: ROI Calculation** (1 hour)

#### **Master the ROI Pitch**:

**Framework**:
```markdown
# ROI Calculation for 5-Person Team

## Without CodeSlick (Annual Costs)
**Security Incidents**:
- Average: 2-3 critical bugs/year reach production
- Debugging time: 12 hours/bug × €60/hour = €720/bug
- Annual cost: 2.5 bugs × €720 = €1,800

**Manual Code Review Time**:
- Security review: 30 mins/PR
- Volume: 20 PRs/month × 12 months = 240 PRs/year
- Time: 240 × 0.5 hours = 120 hours/year
- Cost: 120 hours × €60/hour = €7,200/year

**Compliance**:
- PCI-DSS audit: €5,000/year
- GDPR breach (if occurs): €20,000-€100,000

**Total Annual Risk**: €14,000-€114,000

## With CodeSlick (Annual Costs)
**Subscription**: €99/month × 12 = €1,188/year

**Prevented Costs**:
- Security incidents prevented: €1,800
- Manual review time saved: €7,200
- Compliance confidence: Priceless

**Total Savings**: €9,000/year minimum

## ROI Calculation
**Investment**: €1,188/year
**Return**: €9,000/year
**ROI**: 657%
**Payback Period**: 1.6 months

## Pitch
"For every €1 you spend on CodeSlick, you save €6.57 in avoided security incidents and manual review time. That's a 657% return on investment. Most teams pay back the annual cost within 6 weeks."

Practice: Can you recite this ROI calculation from memory?

Study Schedule (3 Days, 10 Hours Total)

Day 1: Security Fundamentals (3 hours)

Morning (1.5 hours): - Module 1: OWASP Top 10 (1.5 hrs) - Take notes using template above

Afternoon (1.5 hours): - Module 2: SAST vs DAST (30 mins) - Module 3: CVE & Dependency Scanning (1 hr)

Evening Review (30 mins): - Quiz yourself: Can you explain each OWASP category? - Practice: Explain SQL injection to a non-technical friend

Day 2: GitHub & Competitors (4 hours)

Morning (2 hours): - Module 4: GitHub PR Workflow (1 hr) - Module 5: CI/CD Integration (1 hr)

Afternoon (2 hours): - Module 6: Snyk Deep-Dive (1 hr) - Module 7: Other Competitors (1 hr)

Evening Review (30 mins): - Create comparison table (Snyk vs SonarQube vs Semgrep vs CodeSlick) - Practice competitive positioning: "We complement Snyk..."

Day 3: Practice & Business (3 hours)

Morning (2 hours): - Module 8: Role-Play Scenarios (1 hr) - Module 9: Real Case Studies (1 hr) - Have friend quiz you on random questions

Afternoon (1 hour): - Module 10: ROI Calculation (1 hr) - Memorize the numbers

Evening Review (30 mins): - Final quiz: Random questions from PRACTICE_QA_SCRIPT.md - Goal: Answer confidently without notes

Quick Reference Cheat Sheet (Print This)

OWASP Top 10 (CodeSlick Coverage):
✅ A01: Broken Access Control (Partial)
✅ A02: Cryptographic Failures (Yes)
✅ A03: Injection (Yes - 20+ checks)
✅ A04: Insecure Design (Partial)
✅ A05: Security Misconfiguration (Yes)
✅ A06: Vulnerable Components (Yes - OSV)
✅ A07: Authentication Failures (Yes)
✅ A08: Software & Data Integrity (Yes)
✅ A09: Logging Failures (Partial)
✅ A10: SSRF (Yes)

CodeSlick Differentiators:
1. Three-layer: Code + Deps + APIs
2. Zero config: 5-minute setup
3. 80% cheaper than Snyk: €99 vs $490/month

ROI Formula:
Investment: €1,188/year
Savings: €9,000/year (incidents + time)
ROI: 657%

Competitors Quick Pitch:
- vs Snyk: "We complement Snyk with deeper SAST"
- vs SonarQube: "Same coverage, 1/10th the setup"
- vs Semgrep: "Out-of-box vs 16 hours config"
- vs GitHub: "Any plan vs Enterprise only"

Post-Study Assessment

After completing all 10 hours, test yourself:

Can you answer these without looking?: - [ ] Explain SQL injection to a non-technical person - [ ] Name the difference between SAST and DAST - [ ] Recite Snyk's pricing for 5 developers - [ ] Explain the ROI of CodeSlick - [ ] Tell the Log4Shell story - [ ] Position CodeSlick vs Snyk - [ ] Explain GitHub PR workflow - [ ] Calculate CodeSlick savings

If you can answer ⅞: You're ready for beta calls!

Ongoing Learning (Post-Launch)

After each beta call: 1. Note questions you couldn't answer 2. Research those topics (1 hour/week) 3. Update FOUNDER_CHEAT_SHEET.md 4. Add to PRACTICE_QA_SCRIPT.md

Weekly (30 mins): - Read one OWASP article - Watch one security conference talk - Review CodeSlick's ANALYZER_COVERAGE.md

Monthly (2 hours): - Update competitive analysis (check Snyk/SonarQube pricing) - Learn one new security concept deeply - Practice Q&A with colleague

Resources Master List

OWASP:

  • OWASP Top 10: https://owasp.org/Top10/
  • OWASP Cheat Sheets: https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/

CVE & Security News:

  • Google OSV: https://osv.dev
  • CVE Database: https://www.cve.org
  • Security News: https://thehackernews.com

Tools to Try:

  • Semgrep Playground: https://semgrep.dev/playground
  • OWASP ZAP: https://www.zaproxy.org
  • Snyk (free tier): https://snyk.io

GitHub:

  • GitHub Docs: https://docs.github.com
  • GitHub Actions: https://github.com/features/actions
  • CodeQL: https://codeql.github.com

Learning Platforms:

  • PortSwigger Web Security Academy: https://portswigger.net/web-security (Free!)
  • OWASP WebGoat: https://owasp.org/www-project-webgoat/ (Practice app)

YouTube Channels:

  • Computerphile (Security concepts explained simply)
  • LiveOverflow (Hands-on security)
  • PwnFunction (Animated security tutorials)

Last Updated: November 7, 2025 Estimated Time: 10 hours over 3 days Goal: Feel confident in beta user conversations about security, competitors, and value proposition

You've got this! 🚀