Is Storing User Authorization Levels in PHP Session Variables Secure?

PHP Session Variable Security Concerns

Problem Statement:
Is it secure to store user authorization level in a PHP session variable after verifying login credentials and performing an additional query against the roles table?

Answer:

While sessions are more secure than cookies, they are still susceptible to theft. To mitigate this risk, consider these measures:

IP Checking:

• Track the user's IP address during login.
• Compare the IP address during subsequent requests to prevent unauthorized session access.
• Note that this method may not be reliable due to dynamic IP assignments.

Nonce (Number Used Once):

• Generate a unique token for each page request.
• Compare the nonce stored in the session variable to the one generated for the current page.
• This prevents session hijacking by ensuring that requests originate from the user's browser.

Additional Considerations:

• Use session IDs stored securely in the server-side session store.
• Avoid storing user credentials in session variables.
• Implement security checks on each script request, even if cookies are not used.
• Be aware that combining cookies and AJAX can increase vulnerability if cookies are stolen.
• Regularly review and update session management practices to address potential security threats.

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