What is CSRF in Rails and how can I protect my application from it?

What is CSRF in Rails and how can I protect my application from it?

CSRF stands for Cross-Site Request Forgery. It's an attack that tricks the user into submitting a request they didn't intend to. In Rails, you can protect against CSRF by using the built-in CSRF protection features, which include authenticity tokens.

How do I implement CSRF protection in my Rails app?

Rails automatically includes CSRF protection in forms by adding a hidden authenticity token. Just ensure you have protect_from_forgery in your ApplicationController.

What happens if I disable CSRF protection?

Disabling CSRF protection makes your application vulnerable to attacks where malicious sites can perform actions on behalf of your users without their consent.

Can I customize the CSRF token?

Yes, you can customize the CSRF token by overriding the form_authenticity_token method in your application. However, it's important to ensure that your custom implementation still maintains security.