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Security Enhancements

This document outlines the security enhancements implemented in the KAI application, particularly focusing on authentication, session management, and API key handling.

Cryptographic Operations​

We've implemented a dedicated cryptographic utilities module (src/utils/crypto.ts) that provides secure methods for:

  • Generating secure random tokens
  • Hashing passwords and tokens
  • Generating and verifying TOTP secrets
  • Creating and validating API keys
  • Generating backup codes

All cryptographic operations use industry-standard algorithms and practices:

  • SHA-256 for hashing
  • PBKDF2 with 10,000 iterations for password hashing
  • Cryptographically secure random number generation
  • Timing-safe comparisons for token validation

Security Logging​

We've implemented enhanced security logging (src/utils/securityLogger.ts) that:

  • Logs all security-relevant events (authentication attempts, token usage, etc.)
  • Sanitizes sensitive information before logging
  • Categorizes events by type and outcome
  • Includes contextual information (IP address, user agent, etc.)

This logging system helps with:

  • Security auditing
  • Detecting potential security incidents
  • Compliance requirements
  • Troubleshooting authentication issues

HTTP Security Headers​

We've added security headers to all API responses:

  • X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff - Prevents MIME type sniffing
  • X-Frame-Options: DENY - Prevents clickjacking attacks
  • X-XSS-Protection: 1; mode=block - Helps prevent XSS attacks
  • Strict-Transport-Security - Enforces HTTPS
  • Referrer-Policy - Controls referrer information
  • Feature-Policy - Restricts browser features
  • Content-Security-Policy - Controls resource loading

Additionally, we've added cache control headers to sensitive routes:

  • Cache-Control: no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate, proxy-revalidate
  • Pragma: no-cache
  • Expires: 0
  • Surrogate-Control: no-store

These headers prevent caching of sensitive information by browsers and proxies.

Two-Factor Authentication​

Our two-factor authentication implementation includes:

  • Support for multiple methods (TOTP, SMS, Email)
  • Secure generation and storage of TOTP secrets
  • Backup codes for account recovery
  • Detailed security logging of all 2FA operations
  • Rate limiting to prevent brute force attacks

Session Management​

Our session management system includes:

  • Secure generation of session tokens
  • Hashed storage of tokens in the database
  • Automatic session expiration
  • Ability to revoke sessions
  • Detailed logging of session creation and usage

API Key Management​

Our API key management system includes:

  • Secure generation of API keys
  • Hashed storage of keys in the database
  • Scoped permissions for API keys
  • Ability to revoke keys
  • Detailed logging of key creation and usage

Rate Limiting​

We've implemented rate limiting on sensitive endpoints to prevent:

  • Brute force attacks
  • Denial of service attacks
  • Excessive API usage

Best Practices​

Throughout the codebase, we follow security best practices:

  • Input validation on all user inputs
  • Parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection
  • Error handling that doesn't leak sensitive information
  • Principle of least privilege for API endpoints
  • Regular security audits and code reviews

Future Enhancements​

Planned security enhancements include:

  • Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF)
  • Adding anomaly detection for authentication attempts
  • Implementing IP-based blocking for suspicious activity
  • Regular security penetration testing