POSITION
Position Title : PHP Security & Legacy Application SME
Location : Remote
Contract Duration : 6+ Months
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced PHP Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assess, secure, remediate, and modernize legacy PHP applications. The ideal candidate will possess deep hands-on expertise in PHP, including older PHP versions, legacy application architectures, and security remediation. This role will focus on identifying security vulnerabilities, performing risk assessments, recommending remediation strategies, and implementing necessary fixes while ensuring business continuity and application stability.
Key Responsibilities
* Conduct comprehensive assessments of legacy PHP applications and associated infrastructure.
* Identify, analyze, and remediate PHP application security vulnerabilities.
* Perform security impact analysis and risk assessments for existing applications.
* Recommend secure coding practices and remediation approaches for identified issues.
* Upgrade and modernize legacy PHP applications where applicable.
* Resolve compatibility issues arising from PHP version upgrades and dependency updates.
* Assess third-party libraries, frameworks, and package dependencies for security and supportability.
* Implement security patches, code fixes, and configuration changes.
* Review application architecture and recommend improvements for maintainability and security.
* Collaborate with development, infrastructure, and security teams to execute remediation plans.
* Develop technical documentation detailing findings, recommendations, and implemented solutions.
* Support knowledge transfer sessions with internal engineering teams.
Required Qualifications
* 8+ years of hands-on PHP development experience.
* Strong expertise in legacy PHP applications, including PHP 5.x, PHP 7.x, and migration to newer versions.
* Proven experience identifying and fixing common PHP security vulnerabilities such as:
o SQL Injection
o Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
o Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
o Remote Code Execution (RCE)
o Authentication and Session Management Issues
o Insecure File Upload Vulnerabilities
* Experience performing application security reviews and vulnerability remediation.
* Strong understanding of OWASP Top 10 security risks and secure coding principles.
* Experience with PHP upgrades, dependency management, Composer, and package compatibility analysis.
* Familiarity with web servers such as Apache and Nginx.
* Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and performance optimization skills.
* Experience working independently in consulting or advisory engagements.