Cybersecurity Best Practices Every Developer Should Know
Security isn't an afterthought - it should be built into every layer of your application. Here's what every developer needs to know.
OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities
1. Injection Attacks
Protect against SQL injection, NoSQL injection, and command injection.
// BAD: Vulnerable to SQL injection
const query = SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ${userId};
// GOOD: Using parameterized queries
const query = 'SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?';
db.query(query, [userId]);
2. Broken Authentication
Implement strong authentication and session management.
3. Sensitive Data Exposure
Always encrypt sensitive data in transit and at rest.
Input Validation
Server-Side Validation
Never trust client-side validation alone.
function validateEmail(email) {
const emailRegex = /^[^s@]+@[^s@]+.[^s@]+$/;
return emailRegex.test(email);
}
Sanitize User Input
Always sanitize and escape user input.
Authentication & Authorization
Password Security
- Use bcrypt for password hashing
- Implement password strength requirements
- Enable two-factor authentication
const bcrypt = require('bcrypt');
const hashedPassword = await bcrypt.hash(password, 12);
JWT Security
- Use strong secrets
- Implement proper token expiration
- Validate tokens on every request
HTTPS and Transport Security
SSL/TLS Configuration
Always use HTTPS in production.
Security Headers
Implement security headers to prevent common attacks.
// Express.js security headers
app.use(helmet({
contentSecurityPolicy: {
directives: {
defaultSrc: ["'self'"],
styleSrc: ["'self'", "'unsafe-inline'"]
}
}
}));
Data Protection
Encryption
- Use AES-256 for symmetric encryption
- Implement proper key management
- Encrypt sensitive database fields
Data Minimization
Only collect and store data you actually need.
API Security
Rate Limiting
Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse.
API Authentication
Use OAuth 2.0 or API keys for authentication.
Security Testing
Static Analysis
Use tools like ESLint security plugin, Snyk, or SonarQube.
Penetration Testing
Regularly conduct security audits and pen tests.
Incident Response
Logging and Monitoring
Implement comprehensive logging for security events.
Incident Response Plan
Have a plan ready for when security incidents occur.
Conclusion
Security is everyone's responsibility. Make these practices part of your development workflow from day one.