Web applications have become deeply integrated into business operations and everyday life. However, this reliance also introduces major security risks if applications are not properly coded and configured. Implementing secure coding practices is, therefore, essential for any web application. Not only does this protect sensitive user data, but it also safeguards against legal liabilities and reputation damage if a breach does occur.
This article outlines key principles and methods that will guide secure web application development, covering common threats, secure design considerations, proper input handling and output encoding, authentication and access controls, session management, and more. Additionally, it provides language-specific guidance for Java, .NET, PHP, Python, and JavaScript environments.
