What is session hijacking?
- The attacker steals the active session of the user.
Session Fixation
Imagine the attacker steals your session ID while in the Guest. Then you log in to your account. If the application doesn’t generate the session id again, you give direct auth to the attacker.
Defend Session attacks in PHP
- IP Match Control: By comparing the user’s IP address with the stored IP in the session, we can detect if the session is being accessed from a different IP. However, keep in mind that IP addresses can change due to network configurations, proxies, or mobile networks, so relying solely on IP matching might lead to usability issues.
- User-Agent Control: Verifying the User-Agent header helps ensure that the session is being accessed from the same browser and device.
- Access Time Limit: Setting an expiration time for sessions can prevent attackers from reusing stolen session data. If the session hasn’t been accessed for a certain period, it’s automatically destroyed. This adds an extra layer of security, but it might inconvenience legitimate users who have a legitimate reason for longer sessions.
- Cookie Options Configuration: Secure, HttpOnly, and SameSite options help secure the session cookie. Using the Secure flag ensures the cookie is only sent over HTTPS, HttpOnly prevents JavaScript from accessing the cookie, and SameSite prevents cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks.
- Session Regeneration: Using
session_regenerate_id()after login helps prevent session fixation attacks, where an attacker sets a victim’s session ID. Regenerating the session ID generates a new one upon login, rendering any attacker’s session ID useless. - Apply Guest Middleware: Utilizing middleware to control access to routes based on the user’s authentication status adds a layer of security. Guest middleware can restrict certain actions to only authenticated users.
These strategies can enhance your application’s security, no single approach is foolproof. A comprehensive security strategy involves combining multiple layers of protection and staying updated with best practices and emerging security threats.