Sunday, May 5, 2024

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)




 Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is a security vulnerability where attackers inject malicious scripts into web pages, potentially leading to data theft, session hijacking, site defacement, and malware distribution. It happens when web applications fail to properly sanitize user inputs or other dynamic content.

There are three main types of XSS:

  1. Reflected XSS: The script is embedded in a link or HTTP request, and executed when a user clicks the link.
  2. Stored XSS: The script is saved on a server and affects multiple users when they access the compromised content.
  3. DOM-based XSS: The script manipulates the browser's Document Object Model (DOM), causing unintended code execution.

To prevent XSS, follow these best practices:

  • Input Validation: Sanitize all user inputs to remove potentially dangerous characters.
  • Output Encoding: Encode data to prevent script execution.
  • Content Security Policy (CSP): Use CSP to control which scripts are allowed to run.
  • Secure Cookies: Use secure and HTTP-only flags on cookies to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Security Testing: Regularly test your application for vulnerabilities.

Implementing these measures helps ensure your web application is safe from XSS attacks