12 Security Best Practices in Java Development

Software development has become a priority for countless industries in today’s digital era, driving innovation, efficiency, and accessibility. However, as technology grows and evolves, cyber-attacks are rising. Consequently, digital security has become a top priority for many companies.   While managing digital transformation is important, the Accenture 2023 report reveals that other ongoing issues continue to pressure all organizations and affect business security. Since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, a staggering 97% of organizations have witnessed an increase in cyber threats requiring specific action. 51% of organizations have updated their development and business risk processes, with nearly half having increased incident response capabilities. Awareness of security risks is critical. According to the Cisco Cybersecurity Threat Trends 2021 report, crypto mining, phishing, ransomware, and Trojans are the most active threats, amounting to approximately 100 million monthly. Per projections, the financial toll inflicted by cybercrime is anticipated to surge from $3 trillion in 2015 to $10.5 trillion by 2025. Given the above statistics, organizations must prioritize security to significantly reduce the risk of data breaches and the associated consequences. This means developers must create code that works and consider potential security vulnerabilities that threaten the integrity and confidentiality of their software. This blog article offers valuable insights and practical recommendations for addressing security threats within Java projects.

Secure programming language – why is it needed?

Why is using a secure programming language so important? It is a key component of any successful cybersecurity strategy. Secure technology has implications for protecting data, maintaining trust, and achieving compliance. Embracing such technology is a forward-looking investment in the organization’s enduring prosperity and security. A programming language’s security level depends on what we mean by “secure.” No programming language is completely secure by default. However, among the many programming languages available, Java remains a solid choice for developing robust and scalable applications. It is designed to provide security with numerous built-in features such as cryptography, authentication, and public key infrastructure if the code base is written correctly and configured. Therefore, developers must follow secure coding practices, use only trusted libraries, sanitize all input, and implement access control mechanisms to ensure the security of Java applications. We discuss more about these practices later in the article. Now, we will analyze what affects the security of Java when programming applications.

Java features that affect application security

Java is a safe programming language when used correctly and according to best practices. However, as with any technology, the quality of the software depends on various factors, including how it is implemented, configured, and maintained. Here are some reasons why Java is considered a safe technology:

• Java Virtual Machine (JVM)

The Java Virtual Machine (JVM) plays a pivotal role within both the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and the Java Development Kit (JDK). Its primary function is to enable Java applications to execute seamlessly across diverse hardware platforms, devoid of the need for any alterations. By verifying the byte code, JVM checks that the program does not perform any unsafe operations. It does this through security policies and rules that ensure that only authorized code can run and any malicious code is quickly detected and blocked.

• Sandbox

The Java Sandbox establishes an added layer of security by creating an isolated environment for running untrusted code. It typically provides a tightly controlled set of resources for running guest programs, such as limited disk space and memory. In the Sandbox, local code is granted full access to vital system resources, while external code, like applets, is blocked. By adhering to these rules and restrictions, Java Sandbox helps prevent system crashes caused by malicious code or the spread of software vulnerabilities.

•  No support for indicators

Java does not support pointers that can be used for unauthorized access to unauthorized operations to read or write an area in memory, which makes it more secure and protects it from many sources of errors. This is a major security feature of Java.

• Byte code

A byte code verifier checks code fragments for illegal code that may violate object access rights. Each time you compile a Java program, the Java compiler creates a byte code class file that the JVM tests at runtime for correctness.

• Security APIs

The Java class library has several security-related APIs. They include cryptographic algorithms and authentication protocols that facilitate secure communication.

• Java Class Loader Security Manager

The security manager is responsible for checking the authorization and properties of classes. It monitors the system resources to which authorized classes have access. It also controls socket connections. The Java Class Loader provides and maintains namespaces for specific classes, loads only the appropriate class for execution, and the byte code verifier checks code fragments, making it safe to run classes.

• Memory management

Java automatically manages memory, known as garbage collection, so programmers don’t have to do it manually. This process automatically reclaims memory that is no longer in use. This helps reduce the risk of memory leaks and other security vulnerabilities.

• Checking at compile time

Java is a typed language, thus increasing the possibility of detecting errors related to type incompatibility. Compile-time checking also makes the application safe and prevents system crashes.

• Exception handling

The exception-handling feature increases security in Java. Well-designed exception handling increases system stability and reduces the risk of failure (application crash).

• Cryptographic Security

Java provides a framework for access and implementation of cryptographic functions. In addition, Java’s access modifier helps to control access to any item based on user roles. This ensures that only authorized users can access sensitive data. Moreover, the Java security architecture includes a larger set of APIs, tools, and implementations of commonly used security algorithms, mechanisms, and protocols. It also allows for the implementing of many interoperable algorithms or other security services.

What factors can weaken Java security?

As with any other language, the security of Java applications also depends on how they are designed, coded, and configured. Here are some factors that can harm Java application security:

• Misconfiguration: Poorly configured Java applications or servers introduce security vulnerabilities in Java, including weak password policies, improper permissions, or unsecured defaults.
• Unsecure coding practices: Failure to follow secure coding practices leaves Java applications vulnerable to common security threats like SQL injection and cross-site Scripting (XSS).
• Outdated software: Using outdated versions of Java or neglecting to update third-party libraries and dependencies exposes applications to known security vulnerabilities.
• Improper input validation: Improper validation and cleansing of user input data can result in security vulnerabilities.
• Lack of security testing: Inadequate security testing, including penetration testing and code reviews, allows security vulnerabilities to go undetected.
• Third-party dependencies: Java applications often rely on third-party libraries and frameworks, making vulnerabilities in these components a risk to the application’s overall security.
• Security Awareness: The security awareness and expertise level among developers and administrators significantly impacts Java application security.

While Java offers robust security, it has limitations, requiring developer understanding and action. An Enterprise Strategy Group report indicates that many organizations release code with vulnerabilities into production. Half the survey respondents reported frequent occurrences, while a third noted occasional incidents. The main reasons were tight deadlines, perceived low vulnerability risk, or late bug discovery (45%). Secure coding practices, regular updates, proper configuration, and continuous security testing are essential to application security, so it is important to integrate security testing as early as possible in the development process. However, it’s important to remember that releasing vulnerable code doesn’t always indicate a weak security program; it can occur for various reasons, such as incomplete bug detection in security tests.

12 important security practices in Java application development

1. Validation of input data  Java developers must implement robust input validation to secure data from users or external sources, guarding against security risks like SQL injection and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). Query parameterization is a key prevention technique. Employing input validation libraries or frameworks, such as OWASP ESAPI, is highly recommended. 2. Cryptography  Java offers robust encryption and decryption libraries for safeguarding sensitive data from eavesdropping during transmission or storage. These libraries utilize cryptographic hashing algorithms, enabling secure password storage and authentication without revealing the actual password. 3. Authentication and authorization  Authentication: Java frameworks like Spring Security or Apache Shiro enable robust user authentication mechanisms, ensuring only authorized users access sensitive resources. Implement strong identity verification methods, including two-factor authentication (2FA). Authorization: Access control, driven by roles or attributes, dictates who can perform specific actions or access particular data. It guarantees that users only access authorized resources. 4. Monitoring and recording  Java applications can log security events and anomalies. Utilizing log analysis systems can help identify unusual patterns and potential security breaches. Intrusion detection systems (IDS) can be employed to create custom IDS solutions or integrate with existing ones for monitoring network traffic and system behavior to detect cyberattacks. Additionally, Java-based vulnerability scanning tools and penetration testing frameworks can pinpoint and rectify vulnerabilities in Java applications, mitigating the risk of exploitation by attackers. 5. Network security: Firewalls and network filters  Java is suitable for configuring and managing firewalls and filters to control traffic and block potentially malicious requests. It also supports SSL/TLS protocols for secure network data transmission, ensuring encrypted network communications are shielded from eavesdropping. 6. Security libraries and frameworks Java offers a range of security libraries and frameworks like Bouncy Castle and OWASP Java Encoder, providing pre-built solutions for common security tasks such as cryptography and input/output validation. These solutions encompass secure coding practices like utilizing prepared statements for database queries and escaping special characters to prevent user data from executing as code. 7. Vulnerability scanning and testing Java-based vulnerability scanning tools and penetration testing frameworks, such as OWASP Dependency-Check and Snyk, can identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in Java applications before potential exploitation by attackers – consistent dependency scanning aids in discovering and resolving known security vulnerabilities. 8. Security updates and patch management:  Java applications must stay up-to-date with security patches and updates to address known vulnerabilities promptly. This necessitates regular security audits and code reviews to pinpoint and rectify security issues in your codebase. It’s also advisable to implement robust error handling and avoid revealing sensitive information in error messages that attackers could exploit. 9. Secure session management Secure session management safeguards user sessions by using secure cookies, setting suitable session timeouts, and regenerating session IDs upon login. 10. Avoid hard-coding passwords  Storing sensitive information, such as API keys, passwords, or encryption keys, in the source code is discouraged. Instead, using environment variables or configuration files with appropriate access controls for managing sensitive data is preferable. 11. Content Security Policy (CSP) Implementing CSP headers is a strategy to mitigate the risk of XSS attacks by specifying the permissible content sources for loading and execution. This can be achieved by configuring HTTP security headers like Content Security Policy (CSP), Strict Transport Security (HSTS), and X-Content-Type-Options. 12. Education and Training Java developers should receive comprehensive training in secure coding practices and cybersecurity awareness to comprehend potential threats and the best practices for mitigating them. By harnessing Java’s capabilities and incorporating security practices into the development lifecycle, organizations can adeptly detect, prevent, and mitigate cyberattacks, ultimately enhancing the overall security of their Java applications and systems.

Popular Java security tools

• OWASP Java Encoder

OWASP Java Encoder is a library that prevents web application security vulnerabilities related to input validation and output encoding. It protects against Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and other injection attacks by encoding user input for secure display in web applications.

• Spring Security

Spring Security, part of the Spring Framework, is a comprehensive security framework for Java applications, offering features like authentication, authorization, session management, and protection against security threats. Integration with the Spring ecosystem: It seamlessly integrates with other Spring components, making it a popular choice for Spring-based web applications. It secures endpoints, controls resource access, and enforces authentication and authorization rules in Java web applications. These are just some of the libraries and frameworks that play an essential role in strengthening the security of Java applications by addressing various security issues, from cryptography and input validation to authentication and authorization. Developers can choose the most appropriate ones based on their security requirements and project needs.

Summary

Ensuring digital security is ongoing, so staying on top of the latest threats and best practices is essential. Regularly monitor and test your application for security vulnerabilities; you will be prepared to respond quickly and effectively to potential threats.