Hey everyone! I'm working on my first serious web project—a salary-comparison site that features a user-submitted form. I've got the frontend and backend set up, but I've realized that I need to pay serious attention to security. I've been doing my homework through articles and YouTube videos, but as a newbie, I would appreciate feedback on my current security measures and if there's anything I might be missing or overdoing. Here's what I've implemented so far:
* HTTPS enforcement
* Secure session cookies
* Session fixation protection
* Proper session destruction on logout
* CSRF token generation and validation
* Password hashing
* Login rate limiting
* Admin access control (currently just one admin)
* Admin session and CSRF validation
* Session username tracking
* IP hashing
* Prepared statements for DB queries
* Input trimming and length limits
* Text normalization
* Field validation (on client and server side)
* IP-based rate limiting (specific to actions)
* Honeypot field to catch bots
* Submission cooldown timer
* Search throttling
* CORS restrictions with allowed origins
* Restricting HTTP methods
* Form action restrictions
* XSS sanitization
* Strict CSP header
* No inline scripts
* Form validation
* Action logging
* Error logging
I'm also considering adding a CAPTCHA to help prevent spam and accidental submissions. Does that sound like a sensible addition, or is it overkill given what I've already implemented? Any suggestions would mean a lot as I'm still learning. Thanks!
3 Answers
I love seeing such a strong focus on security! Besides the honeypot, consider using something like Cloudflare Turnstile for additional bot protection. It's free and offers an invisible solution for users on public forms. Definitely look into it!
This is impressive! You've covered more ground than many production apps already. With methods like honeypots and rate limits in place, adding a CAPTCHA might not be necessary just yet. I recommend only implementing it if you notice an increase in bot activity. Focus on keeping the development process going without over-engineering things right now!
You seem to be showing off your security prowess a bit more than seeking actual advice, haha! Just make sure you're balancing security with simplicity, especially since you're still at the beginning stages.
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