Why Developers Need Security Knowledge
Security breaches cost companies millions. As a developer, you’re the first line of defense. Understanding security fundamentals is no longer optional.
OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities
- Injection: SQL, NoSQL, command injection
- Broken Authentication: Weak session management
- Sensitive Data Exposure: Unencrypted data
- XSS: Cross-site scripting attacks
- Broken Access Control: Unauthorized access
Preventing SQL Injection
# Bad - Vulnerable to injection
query = f"SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = '{username}'"
# Good - Using parameterized queries
cursor.execute("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = ?", (username,))Password Security
import bcrypt
# Hash password
password = b"user_password"
hashed = bcrypt.hashpw(password, bcrypt.gensalt())
# Verify password
bcrypt.checkpw(password, hashed)Essential Security Practices
- Always validate and sanitize user input
- Use HTTPS everywhere
- Implement proper authentication and authorization
- Keep dependencies updated
- Never hardcode secrets in code
- Enable security headers (CSP, HSTS, etc.)
Resources for Learning
- OWASP.org – Security best practices
- HackerOne – Bug bounty platform
- Web Security Academy by PortSwigger