124-java-secure-coding

# Java Secure coding guidelines Identify and apply Java secure coding practices to reduce vulnerabilities, protect sensitive data, and harden application behaviour against common attack vectors. **What is covered in this Skill?** - Input validation: type, length, format, and range checks - SQL/OS/LDAP injection defence via `PreparedStatement` and parameterized APIs - Attack surface minimisation: least-privilege permissions, removal of unused features - Strong cryptography: BCrypt/Argon2 for passwords, AES-GCM for encryption, digital signatures; avoid deprecated ciphers (MD5, SHA-1, DES) - Secure exception handling: log diagnostic details internally, expose only generic messages to clients - Secrets management: load credentials from environment variables or secret managers — never hardcoded - Safe deserialization: strict allow-lists, prefer explicit DTOs over native Java serialization - Output encoding to prevent XSS in rendered content **Scope:** The reference is organized by examples (good/bad code patterns) for each core area. Apply recommendations based on applicable examples. ## Constraints Before applying any secure coding changes, ensure the project compiles. If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until resolved. After applying improvements, run full verification. - **MANDATORY**: Run `./mvnw compile` or `mvn compile` before applying any changes - **SAFETY**: If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until the project is in a valid state - **VERIFY**: Run `./mvnw clean verify` or `mvn clean verify` after applying improvements - **BEFORE APPLYING**: Read the reference for detailed good/bad examples, constraints, and safeguards for each secure coding pattern ## When to use this skill - Review Java code for secure coding - Find input validation risks in Java code - Review Java code for injection vulnerabilities - Improve secure error handling in Java services - Harden Java code against common security flaws ## Workflow 1. **Compile project before secure-coding changes** Run `./mvnw compile` or `mvn compile` and stop immediately if compilation fails. 2. **Read secure-coding reference and assess risks** Read `references/124-java-secure-coding.md` and identify applicable vulnerabilities and hardening opportunities. 3. **Apply secure-coding improvements** Implement selected protections for input validation, crypto, secrets, deserialization, and output encoding. 4. **Verify with full build** Run `./mvnw clean verify` or `mvn clean verify` after applying improvements. ## Reference For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see [references/124-java-secure-coding.md](references/124-java-secure-coding.md).