Node.js Security Hardening

Security is not an afterthought — it must be designed into your application from the start. Node.js applications face the same threats as any web server: injection attacks, dependency vulnerabilities, broken authentication, and misconfigured headers.

Dependency Auditing

Run npm audit regularly and address high-severity findings promptly. Tools like Snyk or Socket can automate this as part of your CI pipeline, blocking merges that introduce known vulnerabilities.

HTTP Security Headers

Use the helmet middleware to set security-relevant HTTP headers automatically. This includes Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and Strict-Transport-Security.

Rate Limiting

Protect authentication endpoints and public APIs with rate limiting using express-rate-limit. This mitigates brute-force attacks and accidental denial-of-service from runaway clients.