4.3. Security Checklist

1. Frontend Security (Client-Side)

• Preventing Data Injection Attacks:

  • Use Prepared Statements for SQL queries.
  • Validate and sanitize ALL user input on the server side.
  • Encode all user-supplied data before displaying it on web pages (output encoding).
  • Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) to restrict allowed resources.

• Secure Cookie Management:

  • Use HTTPS for all communication.
  • Set the Secure attribute on all cookies.
  • Set the HttpOnly attribute on all cookies.
  • Use the SameSite attribute (Lax or Strict) on all cookies.

• Secure Third-Party Libraries:

  • Regularly update ALL third-party libraries.

• Secure Password Handling:

  • Store passwords using strong cryptographic hashing (bcrypt or Argon2).

2. API Security (Backend)

• Secure Authentication and Authorization:

  • Use industry-standard protocols like JWT or OAuth 2.0 for authentication.
  • Consider using API keys for authentication.
  • Implement authorization rules based on user roles or permissions.
  • Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for high-risk API access.

• Protecting Sensitive Data:

  • Encrypt sensitive data at rest (databases, files).
  • Encrypt sensitive data in transit (TLS/SSL).
  • Use data masking techniques to protect sensitive data.

• Access Control and Rate Limiting:

  • Implement rate limiting to prevent denial-of-service attacks.
  • Consider IP whitelisting for specific clients or applications.

• API Versioning and Deprecation:

  • Use API versioning to manage changes.
  • Clearly deprecate older versions of your API.

• API Security Testing:

  • Conduct regular penetration testing.
  • Use fuzzing techniques to test with unexpected input.

3. Mobile Application Security

• Protecting Sensitive Data:

  • Configure device backups to exclude sensitive data.
  • Implement step-up authentication for sensitive actions.
  • Set timeouts for sessions and access tokens.
  • Avoid logging sensitive data, or redact it.
  • Minimize sharing of sensitive data with third parties.
  • Disable keyboard cache for sensitive inputs.
  • Avoid displaying sensitive data in the UI.

• Permission Management:

  • Request only essential permissions.

• Secure Input Handling:

  • Validate and sanitize ALL user inputs.

• Secure Communication:

  • Use TLS encryption for all communication.
  • Verify the server certificate.

4. Server Security

• Secure Server Configuration:

  • Review server configurations for sensitive information.
  • Implement server hardening practices:
    • Disable unnecessary services.
    • Remove default accounts.
    • Restrict file permissions.
    • Configure a firewall.

• Secure Communication:

  • Configure your server to use TLS 1.2 or higher.
  • Enable HTTPS and HSTS.

• Logging & Monitoring:

  • Enable OS-level auditing.
  • Configure web server logging.
  • Implement security monitoring tools.

• Access Control:

  • Implement access control lists (ACLs) for web directories and files.

• Regular Security Assessments:

  • Conduct vulnerability scans.
  • Perform penetration testing.

Additional Tips:

• Train developers and staff on security best practices.
• Follow secure development practices.
• Keep systems and software updated.
• Implement a robust backup and recovery plan.

Remember: Security is an ongoing process. Regularly review and update your security measures to stay ahead of evolving threats!