This document outlines the security measures implemented in this React + Vite application and provides guidance for maintaining security best practices.

All dependencies have been updated to their latest versions to address known vulnerabilities:

• Vite: Updated to v7.2.2+ (addresses multiple filesystem access vulnerabilities)
• React: Latest stable version
• TypeScript: Latest stable version
• All dev dependencies: Updated to latest versions

Dependabot is configured to automatically create pull requests for dependency updates:

• npm dependencies: Checked daily at 9:00 AM EST
• GitHub Actions: Checked weekly on Mondays
• Grouping: Minor and patch updates are grouped together to reduce PR noise
• Limits: Maximum of 5 open PRs for npm dependencies, 3 for GitHub Actions
• Configuration: See .github/dependabot.yml for full settings

The following security configurations have been added to vite.config.ts:

• Strict filesystem access: Prevents access to files outside the workspace
• Denied paths: Blocks access to sensitive files (.env, .git, node_modules)
• CORS protection: Configured for secure cross-origin requests
• Filename sanitization: Prevents naming collisions that could lead to DOM clobbering attacks

Security headers have been implemented in multiple ways:

• X-Content-Type-Options: Prevents MIME type sniffing
• X-Frame-Options: Prevents clickjacking attacks
• X-XSS-Protection: Enables browser XSS protection
• Referrer-Policy: Controls referrer information leakage
• Permissions-Policy: Restricts access to browser features

A comprehensive _headers file has been created for production deployments with:

• Content Security Policy (CSP)
• Strict Transport Security (HSTS) - ready to enable with HTTPS
• Cache control policies
• All the security headers listed above

A CSP has been configured to:

• Allow scripts and styles only from the same origin
• Prevent inline script execution (with exceptions for Vite's dev mode)
• Restrict iframe embedding
• Control resource loading sources

Note: The CSP includes 'unsafe-inline' for compatibility with Vite's development mode. Review and tighten this for production if possible.

1. Keep Dependencies Updated

   npm audit
   npm update

2. Review Dependabot Alerts

   • Check GitHub's Dependabot alerts regularly
   • Address high and critical vulnerabilities immediately

3. Environment Variables

   • Never commit .env files
   • Use .env.example for documentation
   • Prefix public environment variables with VITE_

4. Code Reviews

   • Review all PRs for security implications
   • Check for XSS, injection, and authentication issues
   • Validate all user inputs

5. Build Process

   • Regularly run npm audit in CI/CD
   • Use automated security scanning tools
   • Keep Node.js version updated

1. HTTPS Only

   • Always deploy with HTTPS enabled
   • Enable HSTS header in production
   • Update the CSP upgrade-insecure-requests directive

2. Platform-Specific Headers

   • The _headers file works with Netlify, Cloudflare Pages
   • For other platforms, configure headers in their control panel

3. Monitoring

   • Enable security monitoring
   • Set up alerts for dependency vulnerabilities
   • Monitor for unusual traffic patterns

If you discover a security vulnerability, please:

1. Do not open a public issue
2. Email security concerns to your security team
3. Provide detailed information about the vulnerability
4. Allow time for the issue to be addressed before public disclosure

• Dependencies updated to latest versions
• Vite security configurations implemented
• HTTP security headers added
• Content Security Policy configured
• Filesystem access restrictions in place
• Security documentation created
• Dependabot automated dependency updates configured
• Enable HSTS when HTTPS is configured
• Review and tighten CSP for production
• Set up automated security scanning in CI/CD

• OWASP Top 10
• Vite Security Guide
• React Security Best Practices
• Content Security Policy

2025-11-12