Application Security - 4.1
Summary
Application security involves practices like input validation to prevent attacks, secure cookie management to protect sensitive data, and static code analysis to catch vulnerabilities early. Sandboxing creates isolated environments to limit an application's access to resources, and code signing ensures software integrity. Regular log reviews and audits help quickly identify and address potential security issues.
Notes:
Code
- Input Validation: Ensure that user input is validated and sanitized to prevent malicious inputs such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting (XSS). This ensures the input is of an expected type and format and that it's safe for use by the application.
- Secure Cookies: Implement secure cookie practices, such as setting flags like `HttpOnly`, `Secure`, and `SameSite`, to prevent sensitive data from being exposed in cookies. This reduces the risk of attacks like cross-site request forgery (CSRF) or cookie theft.
- Static Code Analysis: Use automated tools to scan source code for security vulnerabilities without executing it. This helps identify issues early in the development process, such as buffer overflows or insecure cryptographic practices.
- Code Signing: Digitally sign code with a certificate to ensure the integrity and authenticity of the software. This provides assurance that the code comes from a trusted source and has not been altered.
Sandboxing
- Isolated Environments: Sandboxing provides isolated environments where applications can run without affecting other systems or accessing unintended resources. This minimizes the potential damage from a compromised application.
- Helps to limit the attack surface by restricting an application's access to local resources or system components.
- Examples include Virtual Machines (VMs) or containers, which provide sandboxed environments for running applications securely.
Monitoring
- Log Review and Auditing: Regularly monitor application logs and real-time data for signs of security vulnerabilities or breaches. This allows for quick detection and remediation of potential threats.