Enhance web app security by converting logout link to a secure POST request instead of GET.

Implement secure logout with session storage, protect against CSRF attacks, post logout request, destroy session cookie, ensure user experience.

Logout Functionality with Session Storage and CSRF Protection

[00:00] So, the first thing we want to go to is our username route, and in here, we've got our form for that logout. So, that logout button right there. We're going to want to post, so method post, because cross-site request forgery, all that good stuff. Speaking of that, let's add

[00:18] our authenticity token input from RemixUtils, and then we're going to post to the action slash logout. Now, if we don't have the action, it's going to post to this route, and so we could put the action inside of the $username, but we're going to have a couple of other places where we want to log the user out. So, being able to have

[00:37] just a specific route that's responsible for that will make it easier for those as well. So, with that now, we can go to the logout route, and we're just going to have a loader in here that redirects the user to the homepage in case they end up on the logout route for some reason, and then we'll have an action, and this action needs to get

[00:56] the request from DataFunctionArgs, and here we're going to get our cookie session from await session storage.getSession from the cookie header, and then all we have to do is delete this session, and in fact, we don't even need to get

[01:16] the current existing session from the cookie header because we're going to delete it anyway. So, we just need to get the session object so that when we destroy the session, it will be properly destroyed. So, let's say headers and setCookie,

[01:32] and this will be sessionStorage.destroySession, and that is it. We get our cookie session right there. Boom. So, in fact, we don't even need to get the request right there. Fancy that. So, let's just try this out and make sure that this is going to work for us.

[01:50] We'll hit logout, and I'm successfully logged out. The reason that actually ends up working is because in our root TSX right here, when it re-evaluates after our mutation, it's going to call this loader again, and it's going to say, hey, get me this session storage and that cookie session or that cookie doesn't exist anymore,

[02:10] and so it's a brand new session object. So, of course, it's not going to have a user ID in it. This might also help to take a look at the headers as well. So, let's pull up our DevTools and look at the cookies here. Let's clear them all out,

[02:26] and we get our CSRF cookie there by default. We'll log in and say, Cody. Cody loves you. So, now we have our session right there, and if we come in here, let's go to our network tab, have that all cleared out, and if I click on logout,

[02:44] then we're going to get this post request right here. That post request is going to send a response that includes a set cookie. EN session is an empty string. The path is everything. So, like all of our default configuration that we had before. But the interesting thing here is that

[03:00] the expires is going to be set to way in the past, and so the cookie is going to clear out the value. So, not only are we setting the value to nothing, but we're also telling the cookie to be expired immediately just in the past. So, let's get that cookie out of there. So, now if we look at our application cookies,

[03:19] that cookie is no longer even in our application. So, that's really nice to have it destroyed like that, because now we're not going to be making requests that include those cookies all the time, which is sweet. So, in quick review, we updated our username to have a method of post and an action of logout and include our authenticity token input

[03:39] to protect from CSRF attacks, and then our action just grabs a session storage object and sends back a set cookie header to destroy that session cookie, and that is how you do logout.

Transforming a Logout Link into a Secure Logout Form

[00:00] Your job in this exercise is to make this logout button work. So right now it's just a form that doesn't do anything. You need to change it to a form that posts to slash logout because we want to do a post for this type of a mutation, not a get.

[00:14] So it's very common for applications to just have like a route that you have a link and it links them to the logout route and that will log them out. No, you want to do a post because that is better for security for various reasons. So that is your job in this exercise. We'll see you when you're done.

Most web applications feature user accounts in one form or another.

To the user, having a login form seems simple enough. But behind the scenes, there's a lot going on. You need to securely store and manage user sessions, handle authentication and authorization, and protect against malicious attacks.

Without knowledge of the underlying concepts, it's easy to make mistakes (even if you decide to use a third party service or library to do all the hard work for you). Weak authentication systems, misconfigured route protection, and flawed session management all lead to vulnerabilities and negative user experiences.

The Authentication Strategies & Implementation workshop is your guide to implementing industry standard user account flows in a modern web application.

Securely managing passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and integrating with third-party providers are just some of the processes you will practice. You'll also learn how to handle user preferences, session data, and send emails to users. This will take you all the way to the point where you could easily add Single-Sign On (SSO) support–a must if you’re building a business-to-business application.

There are a lot of moving parts to consider, but this workshop will give you the confidence to tackle them all.

## Cookies

The workshop begins by diving into cookies. This fundamental part of web browsing is often misunderstood, but important to understand. We keep it simple to ramp you up slowly on the web’s original state management solution. This also introduces us to important UI patterns you’ll want to use in other areas of web development as well. It’s surprisingly deep! Topics include:

- Storing user theme preferences in a cookie
- Server-side cookie handling
- Using fetchers for non-navigation mutations
- Optimistic UI updating to apply changes immediately

## Session Storage

Storing user preferences in cookies is fine, but you need to be more careful when it comes to session data. It's vital that users with devtools or malicious client-side JavaScript can't access or modify the data inside of cookies. In this section, you'll learn:

- Cookie-based session data persistence
- Properly getting, setting, and updating session data
- Deleting data after reading
- The flash pattern for short-lived messages

## User Sessions

Depending on the amount of data you need to store, it may make sense to use a different storage mechanism for session data. For this workshop we will continue to use cookies, however we will switch to using a dedicated session cookie. This section will teach you:

- Create a session storage object for storing user data
- Transform form submissions into user objects for storage
- Retrieving user information from cookies then the database

## Passwords

Passwords are the most common way to authenticate that a user is who they say they are. Obviously, storing them in plain text is a bad idea, but even encryption isn't enough. You need to properly prepare to securely handle passwords:

- Create a Password model in the database
- Generate secure password hashes with the battle-tested bcrypt algorithm
- Protection against password attacks
- Update signup route to securely create records

## Login & Logout

At this point, you have the ability to create users and store their passwords. But how do you actually log them in? And how do you log them out? In this one we’re also going to learn about imperative mutations which you’ll definitely want to know for other app features. This section will teach you:

- Verify a user's password hash with bcrypt
- Handling optional vs. required user data
- Guard against timing attacks
- Clearing session data on logout
- Handle edge cases like deleted accounts
- Set expiration dates for session cookies
- Implement automatic logout after a set idle time

## Protecting Routes & Role-Based Access

Most web application have routes that you need to be logged in to access. It's one thing to prevent this in the UI, but the real thing you need to do is protect the data that powers those pages. There are also considerations for different user roles and permissions. This section will teach you how to:

- Ensure users only access data they own
- Restrict private pages to logged in users
- Implement smart redirects for login and logout
- Specify and enforce permissions with Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

## Managed Sessions

Imagine a user logging in on a public computer, who then forgets to log out. This security risk can be mitigated by implementing a session management feature:

- Add a session model to the database
- Update auth utils, login, and logout routes to query sessions
- Refactor for session expiration support
- Create a page for displaying & managing active sessions

## Email Verification & Password Resets

Email is one of the most common ways to verify a user's identity. If a user loses access to their account, needs to reset their password, or wants to change their email address, you'll need to send them an email. While the actual sending of the email is best handled by a third-party service, the process flow behind the scenes is what you'll need to implement:

- Integrate a third-party email API
- Share session data between routes for multi-step flows
- Style HTML emails
- Generate time-based one time passwords (TOTP) for password resets
- Force verification of email address change

## Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a great way to add an extra layer of security to your application. It requires the user to enter a code from a second device along with their username and password. Even if an attacker determines a password, they won't be able to access the account without the second factor. In this section, you'll add 2FA to the Epic Notes application:

- Handle the 2FA enable flow
- Provide the user with a QR code
- Implement a 2FA code input form
- Verify the code and log the user in
- Require re-verification
- Provide option to disable 2FA

## Third-Party Authentication

There are several reasons to use third-party authentication providers. It can be a great way to reduce friction for users, or allow easier access to other data. The most common way to do this is with OAuth 2. Once you’re finished with this section, you’ll be geared up to implement third party auth with any provider. Including Single-Sign On (SSO) flows. We’ll be following these steps:

- Add an authentication strategy to enable GitHub login
- Create a connections model to associate users with providers
- Prevent duplicate account connections & hijack attempts
- Pre-fill user account data based on third-party login
- Mocking third party APIs for testing
- Gracefully handle login errors
- Implement smart redirection to return to original page after login

Learn best practices for managing user sessions, passwords, 2FA, email verification, OAuth, and more in the Authentication Strategies & Implementation Workshop!

Authentication Strategies & Implementation

Kent C. Dodds

Full Stack Vol 1

Discover the ins and outs of web authentication, including role-based access control, session management, third-party authentication, 2fa, and more.

Intro to Authentication Strategies & Implementation Workshop

Intro to Authentication Strategies & Implementation

Intro to Cookies

Learn how to properly set and manage the theme preference in a form using Conform and UseFetcher. 

Implement a theme switcher with hidden input, user-based theme, and no page refresh using useFetcher.

Creating a Theme Switcher with Form Submission and Fetcher in React

Implementing Theme Switching with Conform and UseFetcher

Wire cookie-based dark mode preference into app using root TSX file and theme module for seamless light-dark theme toggling.

Master cookie-based theme selection, updating UI dynamically for a superior user experience in your web app.

Implementing Cookies for Theme Selection

Adding User Preference for Dark Mode

Optimize UI for theme switching: Instantly update UI on theme switch, improving user experience by eliminating network delay.






Leverage useTheme hook for optimistic theme changes: Extract data from fetchers, manage fallbacks, and simplify with Remix for seamless UI updates.






Implementing Optimistic UI with Remix

Implementing Optimistic UI for Theme Switching

Discover the value of taking breaks to refresh and solidify information in your brain during your learning journey. Don't underestimate the power of a short break to enhance your learning experience.

Dad Joke Break Cookies

Cookies

Intro to Session Storage

Utilize cookies for dynamic toast messages in your web app: Set and read cookie values to display informative alerts and success notifications to users.






Set up secure cookie session storage for toast messages in server-side code: Configure, sign, and rotate with step-by-step guidance.










Configuring Cookie Session Storage for Toast Messages

Toast Messages with Cookies

Implement Toast messages for user feedback during delete actions: Set up frontend and backend components for seamless notification display.

Utilize cookie sessions for dynamic toast messages: Read, set cookies, serialize objects, and manage toasts via session storage, independent of global state.

Managing Toast Messages with Cookie Sessions

Adding Toast Notifications to Delete Functionality 

Efficiently delete notes, set multiple cookies using utility, eliminate persistent toast for a smoother user experience.






Sync browser-server state efficiently: Unset and serialize cookie properties, optimize performance, and enhance user experience with header management insights.

Efficiently Updating and Serializing Cookies 

Improving Note Deletion Functionality with Multiple Cookies

Use "flash and get" for temp notifications like toasts, skip needless unsets, and embrace session management's flashes.

Use Flash API to auto-remove toast messages on the next get call, maintaining clean code and up-to-date cookie storage.






Efficiently Removing Toast Messages with Flash API

Implementing Flash Messages for Temporary Notifications

Dad Joke Break Session Storage

Session Storage

Intro to User Sessions

Securely manage user login info with separate session cookies, similar to Toast messages in session storage. Gain valuable insights for effective handling.

Set up secure session storage for user info in cookies with RemixRunNode. Configure for enhanced security and protection against unauthorized access.

Secure Cookie Session Storage 

Managing User Sessions with Separate Cookies

Learn how to authenticate users, set session values, and create cookies for user identification and access control.

Learn how to create a secure login process using form data, user validation, and session storage, including error handling and user authentication.

User Authentication and Session Management with Login Forms

User Authentication and Session Management

Resolve user IDs to display avatars for a personalized logged-in experience. Refresh the page to see avatars appear dynamically.

Implement user auth and session management with Prisma, TypeScript, and session storage, including retrieving user data from cookies for UI integration.

Handling User Authentication and Session Management with Prisma

Load User Avatars

Dad Joke Break User Sessions

User Sessions

Intro to Password

Learn how to add a one-to-one password model in Prisma schema with optional fields, understanding the unique constraints and implications for database design.

Learn how to create one-to-one relationships in Prisma database schema and handle password security by separating password hash in a separate model.

Model Relationships and Handling Passwords in Database Schema

Creating an Optional Password Model in Prisma Schema

Update seed script to generate secure passwords for user accounts, ensuring all users have passwords and enhancing app security.

Utilize bcrypt to generate secure password hashes, integrate them into seed scripts, and bolster your test suite.

Secure Password Creation with Prisma

Generating Passwords for Secure User Creation

Learn how to integrate password creation functionality into an existing user creation process, allowing for a seamless onboarding experience.

Securely create and hash passwords during user sign-up with bcrypt.js for data integrity and improved Node.js app performance.

Creating and Hashing Passwords for User Sign-Up

Enhancing User Creation by Adding Passwords

Dad Joke Break Password

Password

Verify passwords with bcrypt, UI for authenticated users, and hooks to prevent timing attacks. 

Intro to Login

Learn how to compare hashed passwords for secure authentication using bcrypt compare in a Node.js application.

Learn how to securely verify passwords during the user login process, ensuring that the password hash matches and avoiding potential security risks. 

Implementing Secure Password Verification in User Login

Secure Password Authentication with bcrypt Compare in Node.js

Create utility functions to selectively hide new note, delete, and edit buttons on user profiles to ensure they are only visible on the user's own profile.

Learn how to use utility functions to handle user data and create dynamic UI elements based on authentication status and user roles. 

Leveraging Utility Functions for User Data Handling and UI Customization

Securing UI Elements

Dad Joke Break Login

Login

Make logout button functional, auto-logout after time, explore 'expires' cookie property, handle deleted user accounts.

Intro to Logout

Set session cookie expiration with 'Remember Me' checkbox, configure/update expiration for flexible session persistence without compromising security.

Configure session expiration with 'Remember Me' checkbox, enable users to stay logged in, and refresh cookie expiration for active sessions.

Implementing Remember Me Functionality

Implementing Remember Me Functionality for Login Sessions

Discover techniques to detect and destroy invalid sessions, preventing unnecessary database requests.

Learn how to handle sessions without user IDs, destroy sessions, and handle weird states to ensure proper functioning of your web application.

Destroying Sessions and Handling Weird States

Managing Inactive User Sessions

Create an inactivity logout modal for web apps, explore use cases, detection methods, and customization for a seamless experience.

Auto-logout users after inactivity in a web app. Set up logout timer, detect user activity, use imperative submissions for efficient session control.

Auto-Logout Functionality

Implementing Automatic Logout with Modals

Step away and engage in physical activity to recharge your brain and enhance your learning experience. Return revitalized and ready to absorb more knowledge.

Dad Joke Break Logout

Logout

Secure routes with access control, authenticate, authorize users, and enforce data restrictions for app safety.

Intro to Protecting Routes

Create protected routes to restrict logged-in users and auto-redirect them to the homepage.

Centralize auth logic, use requireAnonymous function for login/signup routes, ensure proper redirection.

Creating an Auth Utility 

Creating Protected Routes 

Craft dynamic profile page: edit details, change pic, download data, delete, auth, error handling.

Protect routes/actions with requireUserId to limit access to authenticated users, ensuring data security.

User Authentication and Authorization

Building a Profile Page 

Authenticate and authorize users for secure note access and actions, enforcing ownership verification.

Secure your app with user auth and authorization. Protect routes, handle user IDs, enhance security.

Authorization and User Authentication

Securing User Access 

Improve UX with post-auth redirection, taking users back to their original location for efficiency.

Secure user auth redirects with optional URLs to protect sensitive info.

Handling Redirects Safely in User Authentication

Redirect Functionality 

Take a moment to enjoy a dad joke, take a break, and come back recharged for the remaining content. Refreshments and high fives optional!

Dad Joke Break Protecting Routes

Protecting Routes

RBAC simplifies permissions, secures actions, enables granular control, attaches permissions to roles, and enhances app security and scalability. 

Intro to Permissions

Establish role-based access control with Prisma's many-to-many relationships for users, roles, and permissions.

Design Prisma models for permissions, roles, and data integrity with many-to-many relationships.

Modeling Permissions and Roles in Prisma Database

Role-Based Access Control with Prisma

Seed roles and permissions, assign to new users, optimize seeding for local and production environments.

Update seed script: delete, create, connect roles, permissions, and generate permissions dynamically for cleaner code. 

Seed Data

Managing Roles and Permissions

Implement user permissions, distinguish admin from regular users, handle user-specific actions, and automate permission checks for robust app development.

Implement role-based permissions for note deletion, hide unauthorized delete options for a seamless user experience.

Implementing Role-Based Permissions

Implementing User Permissions and Authorization Logic

Implement user permissions to secure admin pages and optimize queries with utility functions and loaders.

Implement role-based access control, create permission checks, secure backend actions, and manage UI permissions for app security.

Implementing Role-based Access Control and Permissions

Securing Admin Pages with User Permissions

Breaks enhance learning, prevent brain overload, and improve retention. Incorporate them for a better study experience.

Dad Joke Break Permissions

Permissions

Implement simultaneous sign-out across sessions with managed sessions and database updates for proactive session deletion.

Intro to Managed Sessions

Store user session data in the database, update download feature, and explore seeding session limitations.

Create session model, manage expiration, relate to user ID, and enhance login process for efficient, secure DB  

Integrating User Sessions into the Login Process

Managing User Sessions and Allowing Data Downloads

Move from user ID to session-based auth, update AuthServer to resolve session IDs to user IDs for login/signup.

Enhance authentication with session IDs, rename variables, manage sessions for login/signup, and handle session deletion with error resilience.

Authentication Logic with Session IDs and User Creation

Implementing Session-Based Authentication

Switch to session-based auth, update routes, auth server, and rename user ID to session ID for security

Refactor login/signup to use session-based auth, update variables, queries, and validate sessions for security, performance. 

Updating Login and Signup Routes to Use Sessions instead of User IDs

Improving Login and Signup Flows with Session Management

Learn how to implement a button that allows users to delete multiple sessions, ensuring proactive logout and improved security.

 Explore techniques for session deletion and session ID verification to enhance user control and privacy.

Managing Sessions and Sign Out in Web Applications

Proactive Session Management

Take a well-deserved break, engage in activities you enjoy, like playing video games or reading a book, before diving back into the course content with renewed energy.

Dad Joke Break Man Sessions

Managed Sessions

Mock email sending in development, use Resend for production, leverage React Email components, and pass data for efficient email workflow.

Intro to Email

Set up email API keys, manage environment variables, create send email function, and use mocks for dev.   

Configure env variable, set up email server, make fetch calls with Resend API, handle errors, mock for local dev.

Sending Emails with the Resend API using Fetch

Integrating Email Services 

Use MSW to create mock API handlers for development and testing, saving costs and improving performance.

Setting Up a Mock Server with MSW Node

Mocking APIs with MSW and Testing

Integrate email verification in sign-up, log email content for testing, enhance onboarding process. 

Implement email verification with custom content, utility functions, user ownership check, and onboarding redirection.

User Verification Emails

Email Verification Flow

Safely pass user emails between signup and onboarding using cookies for verification and security. 

Safely pass data between routes with session storage and cookies for seamless web app data persistence.

Passing Data Between Routes

Secure Email Transfer and Storage with Cookies for Onboarding

Discover the importance of taking regular breaks to optimize brain function and overall well-being. Learn how simple physical activity can boost blood flow and enhance productivity in your coding journey.

Dad Joke Break Email

Email

Implement secure email ownership verification with time-based OTPs, rate limiting, and use cases for 2FA and account recovery.

Intro to Verification

Learn how to create a database model for storing verification information and generate one-time password data for secure authentication processes.

Build Prisma verification model for secure OTPs, expiration, unique constraints, target/type lookup, robust verification.

Creating a Verification Model in Prisma for User Verification

Implementing One-Time Password Verification with Database Storage

Implement a user verification workflow by generating URLs with pre-filled parameters, such as target, redirect, and creating database verification entries.

Learn how to generate secure one-time passwords for user verification in a signup flow. 

Authentication Strategies & Implementation

Authentication Strategies & Implementation

Transcript

Transforming a Logout Link into a Secure Logout Form

Transcript