This document outlines the security measures implemented in this API to address the OWASP Top Ten 2021 vulnerabilities.

1. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

   • User and Admin roles with proper authorization checks
   • authorize() middleware for role-based route protection
   • requireOwnershipOrAdmin() middleware for resource ownership checks

2. Authorization Middleware

   • Location: src/middleware/authorization.middleware.ts
   • Prevents unauthorized access to resources
   • Logs unauthorized access attempts

3. JWT Token Validation

   • All protected routes require valid JWT tokens
   • Token expiration and validation checks
   • User account status verification (active/inactive)

1. Password Hashing

   • Bcrypt with 12 salt rounds (industry standard)
   • Passwords are never stored in plain text
   • Location: src/models/User.ts

2. JWT Security

   • Secure token generation with expiration
   • JWT secret stored in environment variables
   • Token verification before processing requests

3. HTTPS Enforcement

   • HSTS headers configured
   • Secure cookie settings (when applicable)

1. Input Sanitization

   • Automatic sanitization of all request inputs
   • Removes script tags, event handlers, and dangerous patterns
   • Location: src/middleware/sanitization.middleware.ts

2. Input Validation

   • Express-validator for all user inputs
   • Type checking and format validation
   • MongoDB parameterized queries (automatic with Mongoose)

3. Request Size Limits

   • Maximum payload size: 10MB
   • Prevents DoS attacks via large payloads

1. Security by Design

   • Security considerations built into architecture
   • Principle of least privilege
   • Fail-secure defaults

2. Account Lockout

   • Automatic account lockout after 5 failed login attempts
   • 2-hour lockout period
   • Prevents brute force attacks

1. Security Headers

   • Helmet.js with enhanced configuration
   • Content Security Policy (CSP)
   • XSS Protection
   • Frame Options
   • HSTS
   • Location: src/middleware/security.middleware.ts

2. Error Handling

   • No sensitive information in production error messages
   • Stack traces only in development
   • Generic error messages for 5xx errors

3. Environment Configuration

   • Sensitive data in environment variables
   • No hardcoded secrets
   • Proper CORS configuration

1. Dependency Management

   • Regular dependency updates
   • Use yarn audit to check for vulnerabilities
   • Keep dependencies up to date

2. Monitoring

   • Set up automated dependency scanning
   • Review security advisories regularly

1. Account Lockout

   • 5 failed attempts → 2-hour lockout
   • Login attempt tracking
   • Automatic unlock after lockout period

2. Rate Limiting

   • General API: 100 requests per 15 minutes
   • Authentication endpoints: 5 requests per 15 minutes
   • Registration: 3 requests per hour
   • Location: src/middleware/rate-limit.middleware.ts

3. Password Policy

   • Minimum 6 characters
   • Requires uppercase, lowercase, and number
   • Bcrypt hashing with 12 salt rounds

4. Session Management

   • JWT tokens with expiration
   • Secure token storage recommendations

1. Input Validation

   • All inputs validated before processing
   • Type checking and format validation

2. Data Integrity

   • MongoDB transactions support
   • Validation at model level

1. Security Event Logging

   • Authentication failures logged
   • Account lockouts logged
   • Unauthorized access attempts logged
   • Suspicious activity detection
   • Location: src/shared/utils/security-logger.ts

2. Logging Middleware

   • Request logging with IP and user agent
   • Security event detection
   • Location: src/middleware/security.middleware.ts

3. Event Types Logged

   • AUTH_FAILURE
   • AUTH_SUCCESS
   • AUTH_LOCKED
   • SUSPICIOUS_ACTIVITY
   • RATE_LIMIT
   • UNAUTHORIZED_ACCESS

1. URL Validation

   • If external requests are added, validate URLs
   • Whitelist allowed domains
   • Prevent internal network access

2. Current Status

   • No external HTTP requests in current implementation
   • Ready for SSRF protection if needed

• All user inputs sanitized before processing
• XSS prevention
• Injection attack prevention

• Configurable allowed origins
• Specific HTTP methods allowed
• Specific headers allowed

• X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff
• X-Frame-Options: DENY
• X-XSS-Protection: 1; mode=block
• Strict-Transport-Security

• No sensitive information in error responses
• Generic error messages in production
• Detailed logging for debugging

1. Environment Variables

   • Never commit .env files
   • Use strong JWT secrets
   • Rotate secrets regularly

2. Password Security

   • Enforce strong passwords
   • Use bcrypt with sufficient rounds
   • Never log passwords

3. Token Security

   • Use HTTPS in production
   • Set appropriate token expiration
   • Implement token refresh if needed

4. Monitoring

   • Monitor security logs regularly
   • Set up alerts for suspicious activity
   • Review failed authentication attempts

• Input validation and sanitization
• Output encoding
• Authentication and session management
• Access control
• Cryptographic storage
• Error handling and logging
• Data protection
• Communication security
• System configuration
• File and resource management

If you discover a security vulnerability, please report it responsibly:

1. Do not create a public issue
2. Contact the maintainers directly
3. Provide detailed information about the vulnerability
4. Allow time for the issue to be addressed before disclosure

• OWASP Top Ten 2021
• OWASP API Security Top 10
• Node.js Security Best Practices