Security Best Practices: Protecting Your Users

Security is not a feature. It's a responsibility. Here are the non-negotiable practices we implement in every project.

Authentication

• Never store passwords: Use bcrypt with high work factors.
• Use HTTPS everywhere: No exceptions, not even for development.
• Implement MFA: At least for admin accounts.

Authorization

• Principle of least privilege: Users should only have access to what they need.
• Role-based access control: Assign permissions to roles, not individuals.
• Audit everything: Log all access to sensitive resources.

Input Validation

• Validate server-side: Never trust client-side validation.
• Use parameterized queries: Prevent SQL injection.
• Sanitize output: Prevent XSS attacks.

Dependencies

• Keep dependencies up to date: Run npm audit regularly.
• Review licenses: Some licenses have security implications.
• Minimize dependencies: Less code = fewer vulnerabilities.

Deployment

• Secrets management: Never commit secrets to version control.
• Environment parity: Development, staging, and production should be identical (except for secrets).
• Database backups: Automated, tested, and retrievable.

Incident Response

• Have a plan: Before something happens, know what to do.
• Document incidents: Learn from them.
• Communicate transparently: If a breach occurs, tell your users promptly.

The Reality

Security isn't perfect. Your goal isn't to be invulnerable—it's to be harder to break into than your competitors.