Advanced Topic 41 of 51 Web Development
Web Security Basics
Protecting sites from XSS, CSRF and injection.
How it works
Defend against XSS (escape output, CSP), CSRF (tokens, SameSite cookies), injection (parameterized queries), clickjacking (frame-ancestors) and use HTTPS everywhere.
Where it is used
Hardening apps.
Common pitfall
Trusting client-side checks.
Where it fits in the course
Web Security Basics is topic 41 of 51 in Web Development, rated Advanced. It follows CORS. The next topic is Web Performance.
Practice and explore
- Open the interactive lesson, with a mini quiz.
- Take the Web Development quiz.
How to study this topic
- Read the explanation above and restate the definition in your own words.
- Open the interactive lesson and answer its mini quiz.
- Read the common pitfall, then write a short example that avoids it.
- Check your understanding in the Web Development quiz, and revisit the topic if you miss a question.
Frequently asked questions
What is Web Security Basics?
Protecting sites from XSS, CSRF and injection. It belongs to Web Development and is an advanced-level topic.
Where do people use Web Security Basics?
Hardening apps.
What is the most common mistake with Web Security Basics?
Trusting client-side checks.
What should I learn before this topic?
Start with CORS, the topic just before it in Web Development.
How can I practice it?
Answer the mini quiz in the interactive lesson, then take the Web Development quiz.
Is Web Security Basics hard to learn?
It is an Advanced topic. Expect to read the explanation more than once and to connect it with earlier topics. Working through a small example by hand helps most.
How long does it take to learn Web Security Basics?
Most learners can read the explanation and finish the interactive lesson in under an hour. Fluency comes from applying the idea, so plan a few short practice sessions with the quiz.
Which topics are related to Web Security Basics?
CORS, Web Performance, OAuth 2.0 are closely connected. The full list is in the related topics section of this page.
What should I study after Web Security Basics?
Continue with Web Performance, the next topic in Web Development.
Related topics
- CORS (Web Development)
- Web Performance (Web Development)
- OAuth 2.0 (Web Development)
- Core Web Vitals (Web Development)
- Algorithm Basics (Algorithms)
- Command Line Basics (DevOps & Tooling)
- Android Basics (Mobile, Embedded & IoT)