How to Protect Your SSR Quasar App from Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)?

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) – the silent assassin of web applications. It’s a sneaky attack that can leave your users vulnerable and your app compromised. But fear not, dear Quasar developer! In this article, we’ll explore the ways to shield your SSR Quasar app from the nefarious forces of CSRF.

What is CSRF, and why should you care?

CSRF is a type of attack where an attacker tricks a user into performing an unintended action on a web application that the user is authenticated to. This can happen when an attacker sends a malicious request to a vulnerable site, which is then executed by the user’s browser. Think of it like a digital hijacking, where the attacker takes control of the user’s session.

Why should you care? Well, CSRF attacks can lead to:

• Unauthorized transactions
• Data breaches
• Account takeovers
• Damaged reputation

The good news is that protecting your Quasar app from CSRF is relatively straightforward. So, let’s dive into the solutions!

Token-based approach

The most common method to prevent CSRF is by using a token-based approach. Here’s how it works:

1. Generate a unique token for each user session
2. Include the token in the request headers or as a hidden form field
3. Verify the token on the server-side for each request

Quasar provides an easy way to implement token-based CSRF protection using Vue’s built-in features. You can use the `vue-cookie` package to store the token in a cookie and then verify it on the server-side.

// In your Quasar main.js file
import { Cookies } from 'vue-cookie';

export default async ({ app, router, Vue }) => {
  // Generate a unique token for each user session
  const csrfToken = crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
  Cookies.set('csrftoken', csrfToken);

  // Include the token in the request headers
  app.$axios.defaults.headers.common['X-CSRF-Token'] = csrfToken;
};

Now, on the server-side, you can verify the token for each request:

// In your Quasar server/index.js file
import { Cookies } from 'vue-cookie';

export default async ({ req, res }) => {
  const csrfToken = Cookies.get('csrftoken');
  if (!csrfToken || csrfToken !== req.headers['x-csrf-token']) {
    // Token is invalid or missing, reject the request
    res.status(403).send('CSRF token is invalid');
  } else {
    // Token is valid, process the request
    // ...
  }
};

Double-Submit Cookie approach

Another approach to CSRF protection is the Double-Submit Cookie method. Here’s how it works:

1. Generate a unique token for each user session
2. Set two cookies: one with the token and another with a duplicate value
3. On the server-side, verify that the two cookie values match

Quasar can also implement the Double-Submit Cookie approach using Vue’s built-in features. Here’s an example:

// In your Quasar main.js file
import { Cookies } from 'vue-cookie';

export default async ({ app, router, Vue }) => {
  // Generate a unique token for each user session
  const csrfToken = crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex');

  // Set two cookies: one with the token and another with a duplicate value
  Cookies.set('csrftoken', csrfToken);
  Cookies.set('csrftoken_duplicate', csrfToken);
};

On the server-side, you can verify the cookie values:

// In your Quasar server/index.js file
import { Cookies } from 'vue-cookie';

export default async ({ req, res }) => {
  const csrfToken = Cookies.get('csrftoken');
  const csrfTokenDuplicate = Cookies.get('csrftoken_duplicate');
  if (!csrfToken || !csrfTokenDuplicate || csrfToken !== csrfTokenDuplicate) {
    // Token is invalid or missing, reject the request
    res.status(403).send('CSRF token is invalid');
  } else {
    // Token is valid, process the request
    // ...
  }
};

Quasar’s built-in CSRF protection

Did you know that Quasar provides built-in CSRF protection? You can enable it by setting `csrftoken` to `true` in your `quasar.conf.js` file:

module.exports = function (/* ctx */) {
  return {
    // ...
    framework: {
      // ...
      csrfToken: true,
    },
  };
};

Quasar will then automatically generate a CSRF token and include it in the request headers. You can also customize the token generation and verification logic using the `csrftoken` option.

Best practices for CSRF protection

While implementing CSRF protection is crucial, it’s equally important to follow best practices to ensure your Quasar app remains secure:

Best Practice	Description
Use HTTPS	HTTPS ensures that the CSRF token is transmitted securely between the client and server.
Regenerate tokens on login	Regenerating tokens on login ensures that an attacker cannot reuse an old token.
Use a secure token generation algorithm	Use a cryptographically secure token generation algorithm to prevent token prediction.
Verify tokens on the server-side	Verify tokens on the server-side to prevent CSRF attacks.
Use a short token expiration time	Use a short token expiration time to minimize the window of opportunity for an attacker.

By following these best practices and implementing CSRF protection using one of the methods outlined above, you’ll be well on your way to securing your Quasar app from CSRF attacks.

Conclusion

CSRF protection is an essential aspect of web application security. By understanding the risks and implementing token-based or Double-Submit Cookie approaches, you can shield your Quasar app from CSRF attacks. Don’t forget to follow best practices and stay vigilant against potential security threats.

Remember, a secure Quasar app is a happy Quasar app!

Frequently Asked Question

Protecting your SSR Quasar app from Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks is a top priority! Here are some FAQs to get you started: