Review: Web Security for Developers: Real Threats, Practical Defense

Malcolm McDonald, with his 20 years of experience in programming, poured his knowledge into this book to offer comprehensive information about everything a developer needs to know to do their job properly and thoroughly.

After a short lesson in internet history, the author puts the reader in the shoes of the attacker and explains how simple it is to hack a website, as well as how easy it is to obtain and apply hacking tools.

The author proceeds to offer basic knowledge about how the internet, browsers, web servers and programmers work.

Every following chapter explains major vulnerabilities and how to fix them, but also the various types of attacks, describing the damage they can cause. To help the reader better understand these processes, the author added coding examples.

Luckily, tools needed to help secure a website are also freely accessible and easily implemented.

As he points out, the goal is not only to protect a website but also to make it safe for the users. This means, besides preventing major system compromises, it is crucial to simultaneously protect users’ data by securely storing it, requesting authentication and implementing encryption.

Who is this book for?

Whether you’re just starting out in your career as a web developer or are a seasoned pro, Web Security for Developers: Real Threats, Practical Defense will provide all the necessary information about the possible and imminent threats you will face and how to prepare yourself and your team to avoid them.

Although the content is very technical and covers coding and programming topics, the book reads easily and provides essential knowledge to aspiring web developers.