📌 Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Tokens Summary

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) tokens are security features used to protect websites from unauthorised actions performed by malicious sites or scripts. They work by embedding a secret, unique token within each form or request sent by the user. When the server receives a request, it checks for a valid token, ensuring the action was genuinely initiated by the user and not by a third party. This helps prevent attackers from tricking users into performing unwanted actions on websites where they are already authenticated.

🙋🏻‍♂️ Explain Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Tokens Simply

Imagine you have a special stamp that only you and your teacher know about. Every time you hand in homework, you add the stamp so your teacher knows it is really from you. CSRF tokens work like that stamp, making sure that messages or requests to a website are truly coming from you and not someone pretending to be you.

📅 How Can it be used?

Add CSRF tokens to web forms to prevent attackers from submitting unauthorised requests on behalf of users.

🗺️ Real World Examples

An online banking website uses CSRF tokens for every money transfer form. When a user submits a transfer, the server checks the token to make sure the request is legitimate and not sent by an attacker trying to transfer money without the user’s consent.

A content management system includes CSRF tokens in its admin interface. This prevents attackers from tricking logged-in administrators into unintentionally deleting or changing website content through malicious links or scripts.

✅ FAQ

A CSRF token is a small piece of information added to forms or requests on a website to make sure any action you take really comes from you. Websites use them to stop sneaky sites or scripts from making you do things online without your knowledge, like changing your password or making a purchase. It is a simple way to help keep your online actions safe and under your control.

When you are logged in, a CSRF token acts like a secret handshake between your browser and the website. If a hacker tries to trick you into clicking a link or submitting a form, the website checks for this secret token. If it is missing or wrong, the request is blocked. This makes it much harder for attackers to use your logged-in session to do things without your permission.

CSRF tokens are a strong line of defence against a specific type of attack, but they are not a magical fix for every security problem. They work best when combined with other safety measures, like keeping software updated and using secure passwords. So, while CSRF tokens help protect your online actions, websites still need to use other security tools to keep everything safe.

📚 Categories

• Anti Attack
• Cybersecurity
• Network Security

🔗 External Reference Links

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Tokens link

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