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    Security Audit Checklist

    Complete pre-launch security audit framework for AI-generated applications. Follow this comprehensive checklist to identify and fix vulnerabilities before deployment.

    Pre-Launch Security is Critical

    AI-generated applications often ship with security vulnerabilities that could have been caught with a proper audit. A comprehensive security audit before launch prevents costly breaches and protects your users.

    Complete Security Audit Checklist

    Follow these 12 steps for a thorough security audit. Critical items must be addressed before launching to production.

    Step 1

    Authentication security review

    Critical

    Verify password policies, MFA implementation, session management, and account recovery mechanisms are secure.

    Step 2

    Authorization and access control

    Critical

    Test that users can only access authorized resources and check for privilege escalation vulnerabilities.

    Step 3

    Input validation audit

    Critical

    Review all input fields for SQL injection, XSS, command injection, and other injection attack vectors.

    Step 4

    API security assessment

    Critical

    Audit API authentication, rate limiting, input validation, and response data exposure.

    Step 5

    Cryptography review

    Critical

    Verify secure hashing algorithms, encryption at rest and in transit, and key management practices.

    Step 6

    Third-party dependency scan

    Critical

    Identify vulnerable dependencies, outdated libraries, and packages with known CVEs.

    Step 7

    Security headers verification

    Check for CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options, and other security headers to prevent common attacks.

    Step 8

    Error handling review

    Ensure error messages do not leak sensitive information like stack traces or database details.

    Step 9

    Logging and monitoring audit

    Verify security events are logged, sensitive data is not logged, and monitoring is configured.

    Step 10

    Data privacy compliance

    Review GDPR, CCPA, or relevant data privacy regulations compliance in data handling practices.

    Step 11

    File upload security

    Test file upload functionality for path traversal, malicious file execution, and unrestricted file types.

    Step 12

    Infrastructure security review

    Audit deployment configuration, secrets management, firewall rules, and infrastructure hardening.

    Common Audit Findings

    Hardcoded Credentials

    Critical

    API keys, passwords, or tokens stored directly in source code or configuration files.

    Missing Rate Limiting

    High

    Endpoints lack rate limiting, allowing brute force attacks or resource exhaustion.

    Insecure Dependencies

    High

    Using libraries with known vulnerabilities or outdated packages with security patches available.

    Verbose Error Messages

    Medium

    Error messages expose internal system details, database structure, or stack traces.

    Related Resources

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