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Saif Uddin
Saif Uddin

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15 Laravel Security Best Practices You Should Follow in 2025

#laravel #php #security #webdev

Laravel is one of the most popular PHP frameworks, and for good reason—it's elegant, expressive, and comes with many built-in security features. But just because Laravel provides the tools doesn’t mean you’re automatically safe.

Whether you're building an MVP or maintaining a large-scale application, security must be a priority.

Here are 15 Laravel security best practices every developer should follow in 2025:

🔐 1. Keep Laravel and Dependencies Updated

  • Always keep Laravel, its dependencies, and PHP up to date.
  • Laravel releases often include security patches and improvements.

🔒 2. Prevent SQL Injection

Laravel's Eloquent ORM and query builder automatically use prepared statements.

✅ Safe:

$users = DB::table('users')->where('email', $email)->get();
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❌ Avoid:

DB::select("SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = '$email'");
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🧼 3. Avoid Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Escape all output using Blade syntax:

{{ $user->name }}  // Escapes HTML output
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Use {!! !!} only if the content is absolutely trusted.

🛡️ 4. CSRF Protection

Laravel includes CSRF protection middleware by default. Just don’t forget to include @csrf in your forms.

<form method="POST" action="/submit">
    @csrf
    <!-- form inputs -->
</form>
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👥 5. Use Built-In Auth & Authorization

Leverage Laravel Breeze, Fortify, or Jetstream. Use Gates and Policies to control access.

$this->authorize('update', $post);
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🗝️ 6. Store Passwords Securely

Never store plain text passwords. Laravel uses Bcrypt or Argon2 by default.

Hash::make('supersecret');
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🔑 7. Secure Your .env and Configs

  • Never commit .env files.
  • Set APP_DEBUG=false in production.
  • Use environment variables for credentials.

🔐 8. Force HTTPS

Force SSL in production.

// AppServiceProvider.php
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\URL;

public function boot()
{
    if (app()->environment('production')) {
        URL::forceScheme('https');
    }
}
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🧾 9. Validate and Sanitize File Uploads

  • Validate file size and type.
  • Avoid storing files in /public if you don’t need public access.
  • Sanitize filenames. 
$request->validate([
    'avatar' => 'required|file|mimes:jpg,jpeg,png|max:2048',
]);
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🍪 10. Secure Cookies & Sessions

In config/session.php, set secure defaults:

'secure' => env('SESSION_SECURE_COOKIE', true),
'http_only' => true,
'same_site' => 'lax',
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📈 11. Rate Limiting

Prevent brute force attacks using Laravel's rate limiter.

Route::middleware(['throttle:60,1'])->group(function () {
    // Protected routes
});
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🚫 12. Avoid Mass Assignment Vulnerabilities

Use $fillable or $guarded in your Eloquent models.

protected $fillable = ['name', 'email'];
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📜 13. Monitor and Log Suspicious Activity

Use Laravel logging + services like Sentry, Bugsnag, or LogRocket.

Log::warning('Suspicious login attempt', ['email' => $request->email]);
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📦 14. Vet Third-Party Packages

Install only packages you trust. Check for:

  • Active maintainers
  • Regular updates
  • Community adoption

🔍 15. Run Regular Security Audits

Use tools like

  • 🔍 Larastan
  • 🔐 Laravel Security Checker
  • 🧪 PHPStan

✅ Conclusion

Security isn’t a one-time task. It's a habit.

With Laravel, you already have a strong foundation—just make sure you're using it right.

What other Laravel security tips do you follow? Let me know in the comments!

📌 Follow me for more tips on Laravel, PHP, and secure web development.

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