Security Best Practices
Security isn’t optional—it’s a fundamental requirement for any production application. This chapter covers essential security practices every Node.js developer must implement.OWASP Top 10 for Node.js
| Vulnerability | Description | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Injection | SQL, NoSQL, Command injection | Input validation, parameterized queries |
| Broken Auth | Weak passwords, session hijacking | Strong auth, JWT best practices |
| Sensitive Data Exposure | Unencrypted data | HTTPS, encryption at rest |
| XXE | XML External Entities | Disable XML parsing or use safe parsers |
| Broken Access Control | Privilege escalation | RBAC, resource ownership validation |
| Security Misconfiguration | Default credentials, verbose errors | Secure defaults, minimal information |
| XSS | Cross-Site Scripting | Output encoding, CSP headers |
| Insecure Deserialization | Object manipulation | Input validation, schema enforcement |
| Vulnerable Components | Outdated dependencies | Regular updates, npm audit |
| Insufficient Logging | No audit trail | Comprehensive logging and monitoring |
Input Validation and Sanitization
Never trust user input. Validate and sanitize everything.SQL Injection Prevention
NoSQL Injection Prevention
Authentication Security
Security Headers with Helmet
CORS Configuration
Environment Variables Security
Dependency Security
File Upload Security
Secure Cookie Configuration
Logging Security Events
Security Checklist
Summary
- Validate all input - Never trust client data
- Prevent injection - Use parameterized queries
- Secure authentication - Hash passwords, rate limit, lockout
- Set security headers - Use Helmet
- Configure CORS properly - Whitelist origins
- Keep dependencies updated - Run npm audit regularly
- Handle files securely - Validate type, size, scan for malware
- Log security events - Audit trail for incidents
- Use HTTPS everywhere - Encrypt data in transit
- Follow the principle of least privilege - Minimal permissions