Security in the Development Lifecycle
Security cannot be an afterthought. Developers must integrate security practices throughout the development process.
1. Input Validation
Never trust user input. Validate and sanitize all data to prevent SQL injection, XSS, and other injection attacks. Use parameterized queries and ORMs.
2. Authentication & Authorization
Implement strong authentication with multi-factor authentication. Use OAuth 2.0 and JWT tokens properly. Never store passwords in plain text - use bcrypt or Argon2.
3. HTTPS Everywhere
Always use HTTPS for all communications. Implement HSTS headers and use strong TLS configurations. Free certificates from Let's Encrypt make this accessible to everyone.
4. Dependency Management
Regularly update dependencies and use tools like Dependabot to detect vulnerable packages. 80% of security issues come from third-party code.
5. Security Headers
Implement security headers like Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and X-Content-Type-Options to protect against common attacks.
6. Secrets Management
Never commit secrets to version control. Use environment variables or secret management tools like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager.
7. Regular Security Audits
Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing. Use automated tools like OWASP ZAP for continuous security testing.
Conclusion
Security is everyone's responsibility. Make it a priority in your development workflow.