Programming Foundations: Web Security

Learn about the most important security concerns that you’ll need to address when developing websites, and what you can do to keep your servers, software, and data safe from harm.

Introduction

• The importance of security

1. Security Overview

• What is security?
• Why security matters
• What is a hacker?
• Threat models
• Total security is unachievable

2. General Security Principles

• Least privilege
• Simple is more secure
• Never trust users
• Expect the unexpected
• Defense in depth
• Resilience
• Security through obscurity
• Deny-listing and allow-listing
• Map exposure points and data passageways

3. Filter Input, Control Output

• Regulate requests
• Validate input
• Sanitize data
• Label variables
• Keep code private
• Keep credentials private
• Keep error messages vague
• Smart logging

4. The Most Common Attacks

• Types of credential attacks
• Strong passwords
• URL manipulation and Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR)
• SQL injection
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
• Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
• Cross-Site Request protections
• Cookie visibility and theft
• Session hijacking
• Session fixation
• Remote system execution
• File upload abuse
• Denial of service

Conclusion

• Next steps