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Security Overview: Defending the Stack

Security is not optional; it's integral. Learn the foundational concepts and protocols used to protect data, applications, and users from malicious threats.

Secure Communication: HTTPS

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is the standard protocol for secure communication over the network. It is simply the regular HTTP protocol layered on top of TLS (Transport Layer Security).

Encryption (TLS/SSL)

TLS (often still referred to as SSL) ensures that all data transferred between the client and the server is encrypted. This means that if a third party intercepts the data (e.g., a password or credit card number), they see only scrambled, meaningless text instead of the original data.

Authentication vs. Authorization

These two terms are fundamental to user security:

Authentication: Verifies identity (e.g., checking a username and password to confirm who you are).
Authorization: Verifies permissions (e.g., checking if a user is allowed to access an admin page or delete a file).

Network Defense: Firewalls

A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. It acts as a primary barrier between a trusted internal network (your servers) and untrusted external networks (the internet).

Packet Filtering: The most common type; checks the source, destination, and port number of data packets.
Application-Layer: Can inspect the contents of the data itself (like the HTTP traffic) to block malicious code.

SSL Certificate

For HTTPS to work, the server must have an SSL Certificate. This digital certificate confirms the server's identity, allowing the client's browser to trust the connection and establish a secure, encrypted link.

Understanding the basics is key. Now, let's explore common threats and how developers mitigate them.

Continue to Threats & Best Practices →