Web services are used for small enterprises, banks, and many sectors. It is essential to have mechanisms to search for bugs as the web application’s growth progresses to prevent cybersecurity violations, data leakage, and financial problems. The most severe web attacks happen on the server-side, where data is collected and evaluated.

What Exactly is the Backend?

A web application is split into two sections: the frontend and the backend.

The frontend is the customer’s side; it is the component in which the user communicates. It is usually designed with HTML, CSS, and Javascript. It is server-side.

That is essentially how the programme operates, how it follows business logic, how it adjusts and updates. PHP, NodeJS, Java, Ruby, C, Python, database, security (authentication, access control, etc.), security, and content management are common server-side tech stacks.

Before we begin, here’s a brief refresher on encryption, access control, and session management.

It’s not uncommon for us to mix up the terminology. Now let’s get this out of the way quickly:

1. Authentication is the process of confirming a user’s identity (e.g., password, username, questions security, fingerprints)
2. Access management refers to what the user can do with the programme. It enforces the policy that users do not function outside of the limits of their intended permissions.
3. Session administration is concerned with replies and request transactions involving the same person. It is an exchange process used between the customer and the server after he has successfully authenticated.

Let’s look at the following for improved back-end site defence.

1. Vulnerabilities in SQL Injection

SQL injection is one of the most severe device security risks. SQL injections reveal not only confidential data but also allow remote access and control of affected devices. Its persistence is helped by contracting web application creation and hosting and lacking sufficient continuous security testing.

How to Prevent It?

• SQL-related web server bugs may be mitigated by using prepared statements and parameterised queries. A prepared statement sanitises the input and assures that it is treated in SQL as a string literal rather than part of the SQL query.
• Another excellent choice is to migrate to Object Relational Mapping Tools (ORMs). Most ORMs, however, support non-parameterized queries in addition to parameterised queries. As a consequence, it is vital to use the frameworks keep with caution.
• Make use of LIMIT and other SQL controls in the queries such that, even if a SQL injection attack occurs, the mass leakage of records is prevented.

2. Authentication Failure

Authentication is concerned with the provision of certificates. It serves as the first line of protection against unlimited access. However, poor implementation and non-compliance with security protocols will result in failed authentication.

Broken authentication is triggered mainly by three patterns:

1. Credential stuffing occurs when an attacker has a list of valid usernames and passwords and can automate an attack to determine whether the credentials are correct.
2. Bruteforce attack: where the programme allows users or administrators to use weak passwords.
3. User hijacking occurs when an application reveals the session ID, URL or fails to rotate after login.

How to Prevent It?

Until applying the authentication scheme, consider what an attacker might do if the authentication system were broken.

And, depending on the answer, you can do the following.

• To avoid automated attacks, use multi-factor authentication.
• Encourage (or compel) the person to use a secure password policy.
• Limit unsuccessful authentication attempts.
• Make use of a practical algorithm hash. Consider the maximum password length when selecting an algorithm.
• Check the session timeout mechanism to ensure that the session token is invalidated after logging out.

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3. Broken Access Control

Access control serves to ensure that any authenticated person can only do what they are authorised to do. The core of access control laws is authentication and session management. However, when specific rules aren’t clearly defined, that may lead to severe problems.

The following are examples of common access management flaws:

1. Misconfiguration of CORS that enables unauthorised API access.
2. Manipulation of metadata to achieve exclusive access to methods.
3. Forced browsing: The attacker may attempt a URL, change paths, and perhaps find sensitive files.

How to Prevent It?

Most failed access flaws are caused by a lack of knowledge about successful access control criteria.

• Except for public services, deny by default.
• Ignore server directory listing and make sure that no backup files are present.
• Reduce the effect of automatic attacks by rate-limiting API access.
• On the backend, invalidate JWT tokens after logging out.

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4. Data Exposure

Data exposure, also known as data breaches, is a cyber-threat that endangers companies and their customers.

When an application fails to properly encrypt documents such as passwords or personal data such as credit cards or medical records, over 4000 records are breached every minute.

According to IBM, the company’s economic effect is significant: an average violation will cost USD 3.92 million.

How to Prevent It?

As a backend operator, you can inquire as to what knowledge needs to be safeguarded.

And, to stop those flaws:

• Encrypt confidential info: Encrypt all data at REST. Make use of secure gateways for data in transit.
• Avoid using old and insecure encryption algorithms; instead, use new and stable algorithms.
• Identify the data that needs extra security and restrict access to only a small number of actual users by applying key-based encryption.
• Get a safe backup plan in place.

5. Server XSS

Server XSS (Cross-site scripting) is an injection method in which an attacker uses a web application to spread malicious code to several users.

It happens when an attacker sends customised data containing malicious code, which the programme stores. This is a server-side susceptibility; the browser merely makes the answer.

In a website, for example, user messages are often stored in a folder without authentication. Attackers use this ability to insert malicious scripts into messages. Consequently, other users receive this link via email or see the related post and click on it.

How to Prevent It?

Following the initial discovery of all operations theoretically vulnerable to XSS and must be secured, you can consider the following.

• Validate input by searching for input length, using regex matching, and having only a particular set of characters.
• Validate output: If the programme copies data from a user or a third party into its replies, this data should be HTML-encoded to sanitise potentially malicious characters
• Enable only such HTML tags to be used, for example, if you have a comment blog scheme. Where possible, apply a suitable code to user-supplied HTML markup to ensure that it does not contain any executing Javascript means.

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Concluding Thoughts!

For web application protection, the development process is critical. Besides, you should think about integrating a security vulnerability detector into the development life cycle so that any issues that are found are addressed before going to market.

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