What are the best practices for input sanitization?

What are the best practices for input sanitization?

Input sanitization is crucial for preventing security vulnerabilities. Best practices include validating input, using prepared statements, and escaping output.

Can you explain what validating input means?

Validating input means checking that the data received matches expected formats, such as ensuring an email address is valid or a number is within a certain range.

What are prepared statements?

Prepared statements are precompiled SQL statements that help prevent SQL injection by separating SQL logic from data.

How can I escape output?

Escaping output involves converting special characters in data to their HTML or URL encoded equivalents to prevent XSS attacks.

Are there any tools to help with input sanitization?

Yes, there are various libraries and frameworks, like OWASP's AntiSamy and HTML Purifier, that can assist with input sanitization.