Secure Coding Principles
Secure coding is the practice of writing software that proactively prevents security vulnerabilities. By integrating security into every stage of development, teams can reduce risk and build resilient applications.
- Validate Input: Always check and sanitize user input to prevent injection and other attacks.
- Least Privilege: Grant only the minimum permissions necessary for processes and users.
- Fail Securely: Ensure the application reacts safely when errors occur.
- Secure Data Storage: Encrypt sensitive data and protect it at rest and in transit.
- Keep Dependencies Updated: Use trusted libraries and promptly patch vulnerabilities.
OWASP Top 10: The Industry Standard
The OWASP Top 10 is a regularly updated list of the ten most critical web application security risks. Understanding and addressing these threats is essential for any modern development team.
- Broken Access Control
- Cryptographic Failures
- Injection
- Insecure Design
- Security Misconfiguration
- Vulnerable and Outdated Components
- Identification and Authentication Failures
- Software and Data Integrity Failures
- Security Logging and Monitoring Failures
- Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
Explore each risk in depth at OWASP.
Application Security Best Practices
Taking a holistic approach to application security means integrating best practices throughout the development lifecycle:
- Threat Modeling: Identify and assess potential security threats during design.
- Automated Testing: Use static, dynamic, and dependency scanning tools to catch vulnerabilities early.
- Code Reviews: Peer review for security issues and adherence to standards.
- Secure Deployment: Harden environments, leverage security headers, and follow the principle of defense in depth.
- Incident Response: Prepare for breaches with clear procedures and logging.
