What is CSRF protection and why is it important for web apps?

What is CSRF protection and why is it important for web apps?

CSRF protection prevents unauthorized commands from being transmitted from a user that the web application trusts. It's crucial because it helps protect user data and maintain the integrity of web applications.

How does CSRF work in practice?

In practice, CSRF attacks exploit the trust that a web application has in the user's browser. For example, if a user is logged into a banking site, an attacker could trick the user into submitting a form that transfers money without their consent.

What are some common methods to implement CSRF protection?

Common methods include using anti-CSRF tokens, checking the HTTP Referer header, and implementing SameSite cookie attributes.

Can you give an example of an anti-CSRF token implementation?

Sure! An anti-CSRF token is a unique, secret value generated by the server and included in forms. When the form is submitted, the server checks if the token matches the one stored in the user's session.