Can you explain what Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is and how can it be prevented in a web application?

1 Answers
Answered by suresh

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in Web Application Security

Understanding Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in Web Application Security

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is a type of security vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This can lead to the theft of sensitive data, session hijacking, and other harmful actions.

Preventing Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in Web Applications

  1. Validate and sanitize user input: Always validate and sanitize any input received from users before displaying it on a web page to prevent malicious scripts from being executed.
  2. Use Content Security Policy (CSP): Implementing a Content Security Policy can help prevent XSS attacks by specifying the trusted sources of content that the browser should execute.
  3. Encode output: Encode user input and dynamic content properly to prevent the browser from interpreting it as executable script.
  4. Use secure coding practices: Follow secure coding practices and use frameworks that automatically escape output to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.

By implementing these prevention measures, web developers can significantly reduce the risk of Cross-Site Scripting attacks in their web applications.

Answer for Question: Can you explain what Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is and how can it be prevented in a web application?