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Framework Security

Is Laravel Secure? Security Features, Risks, and Hardening

Yes, Laravel is generally secure when configured correctly. Here is what you need to know about its built-in protections, common vulnerabilities, and how to harden it for production.

Built-in Security Features

Automatic CSRF token verification on POST/PUT/DELETE routes
Eloquent ORM uses parameterized queries preventing SQL injection
Blade templates auto-escape output with {{ }} syntax
Built-in bcrypt/argon2 password hashing via Hash facade
Signed URLs and encrypted cookies out of the box

Common Vulnerabilities

SQL injection through raw DB queries and whereRaw()
Mass assignment through unguarded Eloquent models
XSS via {!! !!} unescaped Blade syntax
Insecure deserialization in queued jobs
Exposed .env file through misconfigured web server

Hardening Checklist

1Define $fillable or $guarded on all Eloquent models
2Never use {!! !!} with user-supplied content
3Set APP_DEBUG=false and APP_ENV=production in production
4Protect .env file with web server configuration (deny access)
5Use Laravel Sanctum or Passport for API authentication
6Implement form request validation on all controller methods
7Enable rate limiting in RouteServiceProvider
8Configure session driver to use database or Redis, not file
9Run php artisan config:cache and route:cache in production
10Keep PHP and Laravel updated to latest stable versions

Read the complete Laravel security guide

In-depth blog post with code examples and best practices

Official Laravel security documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Laravel secure?

Yes, Laravel is generally secure when configured correctly. It includes built-in protections like automatic csrf token verification on post/put/delete routes. However, common misconfigurations and development patterns can introduce vulnerabilities.

What are the main security risks with Laravel?

The most common Laravel security risks include sql injection through raw db queries and whereraw(), mass assignment through unguarded eloquent models, xss via {!! !!} unescaped blade syntax.

How do I harden Laravel for production?

Key hardening steps: Define $fillable or $guarded on all Eloquent models. Never use {!! !!} with user-supplied content. Set APP_DEBUG=false and APP_ENV=production in production. Run a security check on your domain to identify specific issues.

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