When you’re developing applications or a website using MySQL, there are a few tips you can follow to enhance the security of your database. When you create a database and use PHP to code your applications you’re automatically faced with hash security risks that can hinder what you’ve worked hard to develop. Below, we’re going to touch base on a few Vital MySQL Development Security Tips that will help you secure your database. If you haven’t already, read our Vital Tips for Working with MySQL Databases article for more information.

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How Does MySQL Really Work?

MySQL security operates on the Access Control List (ACL) fundamentals for all connections, queries and several other functions that users perform. But what does it all mean? This pretty much means that as different users access your site, each one can have a different level of access to certain databases and tables. Some will also be limited to certain operations, however, this depends totally on what level of security and privileges you, the developer, decides to give users. In example, a user with complete privileges that accesses your your site may be able to perform such operations as view registered users, delete them, add new users, email them and moderate them in general. While another set of users may be limited to what they can do, and they may only be allowed to view, or in other words be a “spectator“.

With all of these privileges and limited operations, there may be users that are out to gain full privileges and access to your database whether you give it to them or not. Their main goal is to bypass all of your security measures, and for these users and security risks, you should implement a few of the tips you’ll get aquatinted with below.

Vital Tips for Development

1. Validation of user input necessary from the server side – Validate the user input with Javascript from the server side as well, if you have done so from the user’s perspective.

2. Do not blindly follow User Input – Do not trust the input by the user without verifying its compatibility or correctness. Checking with the strstr() and prompting that the username is not valid to the user is a good countermeasure.

3. Direct implementation of user input on SQL queries to be avoided – Do not directly use the user input into SQL queries.

4. Up to date 3rd party code libraries – The latest version of all 3rd party code libraries should be with you to avoid jeopardizing the security of the code.

5. Library file extensions to be PHP – Have a PHP extension to avoid others to manipulate your passwords and other confidential information and data in the code.

6. PHP too, should be up to date – Keep checking the site www.php.net and keep consulting with other PHP development experts or colleagues regularly to append as well as know about fixes on security issues, regarding  MySQL development.

7. Be Well Read about Security concerns – Read books, consult web development experts and also read about the contemporary trends in security concerns in MySQL and PHP development round the world.

8. Escape the Output – Helps you avoid XSS (Cross Site Scripting) invasions on your development code.