Hardening Your JavaScript Shop: Security Checklist

Security is foundational for any marketplace. A single compromised package or checkout vulnerability can erode customer trust overnight. This checklist focuses on the top practical controls teams should adopt to reduce risk across the supply chain, CI/CD, and runtime environments.

Supply chain protections

• Enable package signing and publish checksums so buyers can verify downloads.
• Scan incoming packages for known vulnerabilities (Snyk, OSS Index).
• Implement a manual review process for new paid listings and critical updates.

Dependency hygiene

• Lock dependencies and ensure lockfile verification in CI.
• Use minimal dependency graphs: prefer direct, auditable dependencies over heavy meta-packages.
• Monitor for high-risk transitive dependencies and replace or sandbox where possible.

CI/CD and artifact security

• Isolate build agents and use ephemeral runners to avoid lingering secrets on disk.
• Rotate and scope registry tokens used in CI; do not store long-lived credentials in pipelines.
• Sign build artifacts and publish provenance metadata so consumers can verify the source.

Runtime safeguards

• Sanitize all input on servers and client APIs; never trust client data for internal decisions.
• Apply strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers for storefronts and admin apps.
• Use HTTP security headers (HSTS, X-Frame-Options) and secure cookies for sessions.

Authentication and authorization

• Use OAuth or OIDC for integrations and single sign-on for enterprise buyers.
• Implement RBAC for seller dashboards and administrative tools.
• Hard expire sessions and require 2FA for sensitive seller or admin actions.

Monitoring and incident response

• Centralize logs and use anomaly detection to identify unusual transactions or spikes.
• Run regular pentests and engage third-party security reviews for critical flows like checkout.
• Document an incident response playbook — including communication templates for affected buyers.

Operational controls

• Least privilege for service accounts and API keys.
• Automate provisioning and deprovisioning via infrastructure-as-code to avoid config drift.
• Encrypt secrets in transit and at rest; use cloud-managed KMS services.

"Security is not a one-off project; it’s a continuous practice integrated into your development lifecycle."

Practical checklist to start this week

1. Enable lockfile enforcement in CI and run vulnerability scans on every PR.
2. Audit your top 50 dependencies for high-risk transitive packages.
3. Introduce artifact signing for every production build.

Adopting even a few of these steps will substantially improve your security posture. Focus on what reduces the most risk for your business first — often that means securing the CI/CD pipeline and validating the provenance of third-party packages.