SafeVault - Secure Web Application

Overview

SafeVault is a secure web application designed to manage sensitive data, including user credentials and financial records. This application implements comprehensive security measures to protect against common web vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and other security threats.

Security Features

1. Input Validation & Sanitization

• Username Validation: Alphanumeric characters and underscores only, 3-50 characters
• Email Validation: RFC-compliant email format validation
• Password Strength: Minimum 8 characters with uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters
• HTML Sanitization: Prevents XSS attacks by encoding dangerous HTML characters
• Pattern Detection: Blocks common attack patterns and malicious scripts

2. SQL Injection Prevention

• Parameterized Queries: All database operations use parameterized statements
• Stored Procedures: Secure database operations through stored procedures
• Input Validation: Server-side validation prevents malicious SQL injection attempts
• Connection Security: Secure database connections with proper error handling

3. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Prevention

• Input Sanitization: HTML encoding of user inputs
• Pattern Blocking: Detection and blocking of XSS attack patterns
• Content Security: Safe handling of user-generated content
• Output Encoding: Proper encoding of data before display

4. Authentication & Authorization

• Secure Password Hashing: PBKDF2 with salt for password storage
• Session Management: Secure session handling with expiration
• Account Lockout: Protection against brute force attacks
• Audit Logging: Comprehensive logging of security events

5. Database Security

• Connection Security: Encrypted database connections
• Access Control: Proper database user permissions
• Audit Trail: Complete audit logging of database operations
• Backup Security: Secure backup and recovery procedures

Project Structure

SafeVault/
├── webform.html                 # Secure web form with client-side validation
├── database.sql                 # Database schema with security features
├── SecureInputValidator.cs      # Input validation and sanitization
├── SecureDatabaseManager.cs     # Secure database operations
├── UserController.cs            # API controller with security measures
├── Tests/
│   ├── TestInputValidation.cs   # Input validation security tests
│   ├── TestDatabaseSecurity.cs  # Database security tests
│   └── TestAPISecurity.cs       # API security tests
├── TestRunner.cs                # Comprehensive security test runner
└── README.md                    # This documentation

Installation & Setup

Prerequisites

• .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later
• SQL Server 2016 or later
• Visual Studio 2019 or later (for development)

Database Setup

1. Create a new SQL Server database named "SafeVault"
2. Run the database.sql script to create tables and stored procedures
3. Update connection strings in the application configuration

Application Setup

1. Clone or download the project files
2. Open the solution in Visual Studio
3. Restore NuGet packages
4. Build the solution
5. Run the application

Security Testing

Running Security Tests

The application includes comprehensive security tests that can be run using the TestRunner.cs:

var testRunner = new SecurityTestRunner();
var report = await testRunner.RunAllTestsAsync();

Test Categories

1. Input Validation Tests: Test for SQL injection and XSS prevention
2. Database Security Tests: Test parameterized queries and connection security
3. API Security Tests: Test API endpoint security measures
4. Integration Tests: Test end-to-end security scenarios

Test Results

The test runner generates a comprehensive report showing:

• Total tests run
• Pass/fail status
• Performance metrics
• Security recommendations

API Endpoints

User Management

• POST /api/users - Create a new user
• POST /api/users/authenticate - Authenticate a user
• GET /api/users/{id} - Get user information
• GET /api/users/search - Search users
• GET /api/users/health - Health check

Security Features

• Input validation on all endpoints
• SQL injection prevention
• XSS prevention
• Audit logging
• Error handling

Security Best Practices Implemented

1. Defense in Depth

• Multiple layers of security validation
• Client-side and server-side validation
• Database-level security measures

2. Input Validation

• Whitelist validation approach
• Regular expression validation
• Length and format restrictions
• Dangerous pattern detection

3. Output Encoding

• HTML encoding for web output
• Proper data sanitization
• Safe handling of user-generated content

4. Error Handling

• Secure error messages
• No sensitive information disclosure
• Proper exception handling
• Audit logging of errors

5. Authentication Security

• Strong password requirements
• Secure password hashing
• Account lockout mechanisms
• Session management

Common Attack Vectors Protected Against

SQL Injection

• Parameterized queries
• Input validation
• Stored procedures
• Connection security

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

• Input sanitization
• Output encoding
• Content Security Policy
• Pattern detection

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

• Token validation
• Referer checking
• Same-origin policy

Brute Force Attacks

• Account lockout
• Rate limiting
• Strong password requirements
• Audit logging

Session Hijacking

• Secure session management
• Session expiration
• Secure cookies
• IP validation

Monitoring & Logging

Audit Logging

The application logs all security-relevant events:

• User authentication attempts
• Failed login attempts
• Account lockouts
• Data access events
• Administrative actions

Security Monitoring

• Real-time threat detection
• Anomaly detection
• Performance monitoring
• Error tracking

Performance Considerations

Security vs Performance

• Efficient validation algorithms
• Cached security checks
• Optimized database queries
• Minimal performance impact

Scalability

• Stateless design
• Efficient resource usage
• Connection pooling
• Load balancing support

Maintenance & Updates

Regular Security Updates

• Keep security libraries updated
• Monitor for new vulnerabilities
• Apply security patches promptly
• Regular security testing

Code Review

• Security-focused code reviews
• Static analysis tools
• Penetration testing
• Vulnerability assessments

Compliance & Standards

Security Standards

• OWASP Top 10 compliance
• Industry best practices
• Security framework adherence
• Regular security audits

Data Protection

• GDPR compliance considerations
• Data encryption
• Access controls
• Audit trails

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Database Connection Errors: Check connection strings and database permissions
2. Validation Failures: Review input validation rules and error messages
3. Performance Issues: Monitor database queries and connection pooling
4. Security Test Failures: Review security configurations and update tests

Support

For security-related issues or questions:

1. Review the security test results
2. Check the audit logs
3. Consult the security documentation
4. Contact the security team

Future Enhancements

Planned Security Features

• Multi-factor authentication
• Advanced threat detection
• Machine learning-based security
• Enhanced audit capabilities

Security Roadmap

• Regular security assessments
• Penetration testing
• Security training
• Incident response procedures

Conclusion

SafeVault implements comprehensive security measures to protect against common web vulnerabilities. The application follows security best practices and includes extensive testing to ensure robust protection against attacks.

Regular security testing, monitoring, and updates are essential to maintain the security posture of the application. The included test suite provides a foundation for ongoing security validation.

For questions or concerns about security, please refer to the security documentation or contact the development team.