In the past decade Java has been in the top spot for the software development languages in the world for all good reasons. Java is an object-oriented, powerful and a highly scalable programming language.
It is no surprise that Java developers are in high demand considering its popularity, which makes java programming most sought out in the programming language. Java offers wide range of security features to protect the user data. Here you will know about best security practices every Java developer should know:
Write a clean and strong Java code
Writing a clean and high-quality code is one of the most universal coding tips that also fits for the security of data. From a security standpoint it is important to have clean written code because it improves the readability and maintainability of the code.
Clean code will also make it easier for other developers to understand the base of the code and make any necessary changes. It also makes it easier for the team mates to find the potential vulnerabilities and alert you during the code reviews. With clean code there will be less technical issues and will improve the overall quality of the code.
Only use tried and tested libraries
Large percentage of the code used in applications is taken from the frameworks and public libraries. These libraries may have vulnerabilities that may somehow allow an attacker to exploit your application.
Organizations have trust in the business and reputation of the libraries they use, so always make sure you only use proven one and keep them updated with the latest versions. Check if they need any security fixes or have any known vulnerabilities.
Limit Serialization
There has been inbuilt safety risks of Java serialization, which was acknowledged by many developers and companies. Even if a framework or library other than your own Java code is to blame, every program that takes serialized Java objects is vulnerably.
Making an interface serializable without considering the potential consequences is a thing you should avoid. Another trap to consider is the unintentional implementation in a serializable interface or sub classing a class that is security-sensitive.
Protect the access control
Java developers can get access control in Java using the Policy and Permission classes which will be mediated by the Security Manager class. To enforce access control to checks in Java, the Security Manager is used which is a part of the java. Lang package.
Programmers should also have a frequent authorization check to make sure that users are authorized to access the resources they need. This involves checking user attributes, checking the permissions assigned to a user’s role, or checking other access control policies.
Hash user passwords
Never save passwords in plain text anywhere. User passwords should always be hashed, use a salted hash and a suggested hashing technique. A password is "hashed" when it changes into an unrecognizable form. The hash value is created using a hashing algorithm and an assigned key that is known to the application by combining the password and the key.
Final thoughts
The Java programming language and its technologies and supporting frameworks provide solutions with secure programming practices. To learn Java and its security practices join in a well-recognized java class online that will help you learn from the basics.