PHP security

SQL injection

• Use bound parameters - not mysqli_real_escape_string

Passwords and credentials

• Hashing
• Timing attacks
• Algorithms
• Refreshing
• Brute force attempts
• Check against common passwords
• Do not enforce regular password resets - people will use PasswordJanuary, PasswordFebruary etc.
• Exclude common passwords

Authentication

• Create a simple method that can be called on each page behind authentication, or use middleware
• Two factor authentication should be optional for all users, mandatory for those with elevated privileges

Authorisation

• Every page behind authentication potentially needs an authorisation check

Cookies

• Secure flag
• HTTP flag

Shared hosting

• Access to /tmp - session data
• Access to read/write files as www-data user

File uploads

• Denial of service - upload bandwidth, CPU utilisation, disk space utilisation
• File types - be careful as some file data can be disguised as other file types (e.g. zip disguised as PNG)

Unsafe functions

• exec
• shell
• eval

Data from URLs

• No control over these (unless you also run the service)
• Service provider may be malicious
• DNS poisoning may transfer you to the wrong site/IP
• Check that data returned is valid - exactly as you would from a form submission

Document root

• Only files which are shown to users
• Everything else keep outside document root
• Pay particular care with non-PHP extensions, e.g. .inc