Secure Code Guardian

---
name: secure-code-guardian
description: "Use when implementing security controls in code: auth and authorization, password hashing, parameterized SQL, input validation, CORS and CSP headers, JWTs. Workflow of threat model, implement, validate against OWASP Top 10 with checkpoints, plus TypeScript examples (bcrypt, Zod, Helmet). Implementation-focused, not an audit."
tags: ["security","engineering","typescript","api"]
tools: ["monograph_query","monograph_context"]
license: MIT
source: https://github.com/Jeffallan/claude-skills
source_path: "skills/secure-code-guardian"
source_commit: 882ef55e377dbf9a4dbe496bb41ac6ccd0e555cf
---
# Secure Code Guardian

## Core Workflow

1. **Threat model** — Identify attack surface and threats
2. **Design** — Plan security controls
3. **Implement** — Write secure code with defense in depth; see code examples below
4. **Validate** — Test security controls with explicit checkpoints (see below)
5. **Document** — Record security decisions

### Validation Checkpoints

After each implementation step, verify:

- **Authentication**: Test brute-force protection (lockout/rate limit triggers), session fixation resistance, token expiration, and invalid-credential error messages (must not leak user existence).
- **Authorization**: Verify horizontal and vertical privilege escalation paths are blocked; test with tokens belonging to different roles/users.
- **Input handling**: Confirm SQL injection payloads (`' OR 1=1--`) are rejected; confirm XSS payloads (`<script>alert(1)</script>`) are escaped or rejected.
- **Headers/CORS**: Validate with a security scanner (e.g., `curl -I`, Mozilla Observatory) that security headers are present and CORS origin allowlist is correct.

## Reference Guide

Load detailed guidance based on context:

| Topic | Reference | Load When |
|-------|-----------|-----------|
| OWASP | `references/owasp-prevention.md` | OWASP Top 10 patterns |
| Authentication | `references/authentication.md` | Password hashing, JWT |
| Input Validation | `references/input-validation.md` | Zod, SQL injection |
| XSS/CSRF | `references/xss-csrf.md` | XSS prevention, CSRF |
| Headers | `references/security-headers.md` | Helmet, rate limiting |

## Constraints

### MUST DO
- Hash passwords with bcrypt/argon2 (never MD5/SHA-1/unsalted hashes)
- Use parameterized queries (never string-interpolated SQL)
- Validate and sanitize all user input before use
- Implement rate limiting on auth endpoints
- Set security headers (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options)
- Log security events (failed auth, privilege escalation attempts)
- Store secrets in environment variables or secret managers (never in source code)

### MUST NOT DO
- Store passwords in plaintext or reversibly encrypted form
- Trust user input without validation
- Expose sensitive data in logs or error responses
- Use weak or deprecated algorithms (MD5, SHA-1, DES, ECB mode)
- Hardcode secrets or credentials in code

## Code Examples

### Password Hashing (bcrypt)

```typescript
import bcrypt from 'bcrypt';

const SALT_ROUNDS = 12; // minimum 10; 12 balances security and performance

export async function hashPassword(plaintext: string): Promise<string> {
  return bcrypt.hash(plaintext, SALT_ROUNDS);
}

export async function verifyPassword(plaintext: string, hash: string): Promise<boolean> {
  return bcrypt.compare(plaintext, hash);
}
```

### Parameterized SQL Query (Node.js / pg)

```typescript
// NEVER: `SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = '${email}'`
// ALWAYS: use positional parameters
import { Pool } from 'pg';
const pool = new Pool();

export async function getUserByEmail(email: string) {
  const { rows } = await pool.query(
    'SELECT id, email, role FROM users WHERE email = $1',
    [email]  // value passed separately — never interpolated
  );
  return rows[0] ?? null;
}
```

### Input Validation with Zod

```typescript
import { z } from 'zod';

const LoginSchema = z.object({
  email: z.string().email().max(254),
  password: z.string().min(8).max(128),
});

export function validateLoginInput(raw: unknown) {
  const result = LoginSchema.safeParse(raw);
  if (!result.success) {
    // Return generic error — never echo raw input back
    throw new Error('Invalid credentials format');
  }
  return result.data;
}
```

### JWT Validation

```typescript
import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken';

const JWT_SECRET = process.env.JWT_SECRET!; // never hardcode

export function verifyToken(token: string): jwt.JwtPayload {
  // Throws if expired, tampered, or wrong algorithm
  const payload = jwt.verify(token, JWT_SECRET, {
    algorithms: ['HS256'],   // explicitly allowlist algorithm
    issuer: 'your-app',
    audience: 'your-app',
  });
  if (typeof payload === 'string') throw new Error('Invalid token payload');
  return payload;
}
```

### Securing an Endpoint — Full Flow

```typescript
import express from 'express';
import rateLimit from 'express-rate-limit';
import helmet from 'helmet';

const app = express();
app.use(helmet()); // sets CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options, etc.
app.use(express.json({ limit: '10kb' })); // limit payload size

const authLimiter = rateLimit({
  windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
  max: 10,                   // 10 attempts per window per IP
  standardHeaders: true,
  legacyHeaders: false,
});

app.post('/api/login', authLimiter, async (req, res) => {
  // 1. Validate input
  const { email, password } = validateLoginInput(req.body);

  // 2. Authenticate — parameterized query, constant-time compare
  const user = await getUserByEmail(email);
  if (!user || !(await verifyPassword(password, user.passwordHash))) {
    // Generic message — do not reveal whether email exists
    return res.status(401).json({ error: 'Invalid credentials' });
  }

  // 3. Authorize — issue scoped, short-lived token
  const token = jwt.sign(
    { sub: user.id, role: user.role },
    JWT_SECRET,
    { algorithm: 'HS256', expiresIn: '15m', issuer: 'your-app', audience: 'your-app' }
  );

  // 4. Secure response — token in httpOnly cookie, not body
  res.cookie('token', token, { httpOnly: true, secure: true, sameSite: 'strict' });
  return res.json({ message: 'Authenticated' });
});
```

## Output Templates

When implementing security features, provide:
1. Secure implementation code
2. Security considerations noted
3. Configuration requirements (env vars, headers)
4. Testing recommendations

## Knowledge Reference

OWASP Top 10, bcrypt/argon2, JWT, OAuth 2.0, OIDC, CSP, CORS, rate limiting, input validation, output encoding, encryption (AES, RSA), TLS, security headers

[Documentation](https://jeffallan.github.io/claude-skills/skills/security/secure-code-guardian/)