Vulnerabilities exist in many forms on the web, and attackers continue to find creative ways to exploit them.
Technological advances like the proliferation of AI are of course exciting nd filled with opportunities, they equally present opportunities for bad actors looking to take advantage of novel vulnerabilities.
While you might not be, nor wish to become, an expert in securtiy, it is becoming increasingly important for developers to understand these vulnerabilities and implement effective mitigation strategies. In this article well give you a rundown of some of the key ones you should be aware of, and what you can do about them.
1. SQL Injection (SQLi)
SQL injection occurs when an attacker manipulates a web application’s database query by injecting malicious SQL code. This can lead to unauthorised data access, data corruption, or even full system compromise.
To reduce the risk, use prepared statements and parameterised queries to ensure that user input is treated as data rather than executable code.
In your UI, validate and sanitise user input to reject harmful inputs, and limit database permissions so that priveleges are restricted and you’ll significantly reduce the risk, though of course you shouldn’t get complacent.
2. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
XSS attacks allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. These scripts can steal session cookies, log keystrokes, or redirect users to phishing sites.
You can mitigate this by encode user input before rendering it on the page.
You could also implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution, for example a basic same-origin header, Content-Security-Policy: script-src 'self', ensures it can only run when executed from the same origin.
You could also use libraries like DOMPurify to sanitise HTML content.
3. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
CSRF exploits authenticated users by tricking them into performing unintended actions on a website where they are logged in, such as transferring funds or changing passwords. It’s very clever, but also very irritating.
If you implement CSRF tokens that verify requests originate from a legitimate source, and use SameSite cookies to limit cross-origin requests, it’ll cut out some of the less sophisticated attacks
4. Security Misconfigurations
Misconfigured security settings, such as default credentials, unnecessary features, or overly permissive permissions, can leave an application vulnerable.
However, if you regularly review and update security settings, disable unnecessary features, services, and APIs, and implement least privilege access principles for users and services you can, again, reduce some of your risk factors.
5. Broken Authentication
Weak authentication mechanisms can allow attackers to gain unauthorised access to user accounts.
To avoid basic pitfalls, enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible, use strong password policies and secure hashing algorithms, but also don’t forget to put in some rate limiting to prevent brute-force attacks.
6. Insufficient Logging and Monitoring
A lack of proper logging and monitoring allows attackers to remain undetected for extended periods, making it difficult to respond to security incidents because the victim is unable to find the vunerability that is being exploited.
Enable detailed logging for authentication attempts, user activities, and errors, to keep an eye on these aspects of your application, as well as using real-time monitoring and alerts to detect unusual behavior.
Conclusion: Building a Security-First Mindset
Understanding common web vulnerabilities is the first step toward securing your applications, but it’s important to know that security is an ongoing process that requires regular time and attention.
Regular security assessments, code reviews, and adherence to best practices are essential for reducing risks, and we hope that this article gives you some confidence when it comes to covering yourself against some of the most common vulnerabilities on the web.
Until next time, stay safe… and secure.
