Security as an Architectural Foundation
Security cannot be treated as an afterthought or a feature bolted onto an application right before release. For modern web architectures, defense-in-depth begins at the network and database level.
1. Zero Trust & Strict RBAC
Never rely solely on frontend route guards. Every server API endpoint must validate JWT claims and enforce fine-grained role-based permissions (RBAC) at the controller and database query layers.
2. Encryption Everywhere
- In Transit: TLS 1.3 with automated HSTS headers.
- At Rest: Database encryption with isolated credential vaults.
- Secrets Management: Zero secrets in source control; utilize centralized environment validation with libraries like Zod.
3. Audit Logging & Non-Repudiation
Every high-privilege operational change (status changes, user permission grants, financial records) must write an immutable audit log containing timestamps, acting user ID, and IP telemetry.