From f01e711ff3c1225ac5d17a8ac4669b2432249481 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Muhamad Sazwan Bin Ismail Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2025 21:08:58 +0800 Subject: [PATCH] Add Firebase security guidelines for personal projects MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit I've gathered some essential Firebase security guidelines for your personal projects. The key to Firebase security lies in properly configuring **Firebase Security Rules** and **Firebase Authentication** to control access to your data and backend services. Here is a summary of the core security practices you should implement: | Security Aspect | Key Guideline for Personal Projects | | :--- | :--- | | **🔒 General Rules** | Start in "Locked" or "Production" mode; never use public rules in production. | | **👤 Authentication** | Use managed authentication (e.g., Google OAuth); require sign-in for data access. | | **🗄️ Data Security** | Structure data for user-based access; enforce ownership with `request.auth.uid`. | | **🚫 Abuse Prevention** | Enable App Check; set up budget alerts and use emulators for development. | | **⚙️ Admin SDK** | Use only on trusted servers; it bypasses all security rules. | ### 📝 Implement Core Security Rules The most critical step is writing secure rules for your database and storage. **Never deploy your app with open rules** that allow all reads and writes (`allow read, write: if true;`), as this lets anyone steal or destroy your data. - **For User-Specific Data**: The most common pattern for personal projects is to restrict access so users can only manage their own data. ```javascript // Cloud Firestore: User owns their document service cloud.firestore { match /databases/{database}/documents { match /users/{userId} { allow read, write: if request.auth != null && request.auth.uid == userId; } } } ``` ```json // Realtime Database: User owns their data path { "rules": { "users": { "$uid": { ".read": "auth != null && auth.uid === $uid", ".write": "auth != null && auth.uid === $uid" } } } } ``` - **For Mixed Public & Private Data**: You can create rules that allow public reading but restrict writing to owners. ```javascript // Cloud Storage: Public read, owner-only write service firebase.storage { match /b/{bucket}/o { match /user_uploads/{userId}/{allPaths=**} { allow read; allow write: if request.auth != null && request.auth.uid == userId; } } } ``` ### 🔐 Strengthen Authentication and Prevent Abuse - **Use Strong Authentication**: For managed authentication, OAuth 2.0 providers (like Google Sign-In) are more secure than email/password alone. - **Enable App Check**: To help protect your backend resources from abuse, enable **Firebase App Check**. This helps ensure only your apps can access your project's services. - **Set Up Alerts**: In the Google Cloud Console, set up budget alerts to be notified of unexpected spikes in usage that could indicate an attack or a bug in your app. ### 🛠️ Adopt Secure Development Practices - **Use the Emulator Suite**: Test your security rules and app logic locally using the **Firebase Local Emulator Suite** before deploying. This prevents you from accidentally causing a denial-of-service attack on your own live service during development. - **Manage Environments**: Create separate Firebase projects for **development** and **production**. This keeps your test data isolated and prevents development mistakes from affecting your live application. - **Store Config Securely**: While Firebase API keys are not secret, it's still a good practice to load your app's configuration using environment variables, especially when working with different environments. I hope these guidelines provide a solid foundation for securing your personal Firebase project. If you'd like more detailed examples for a specific use case, such as setting up role-based access, feel free to ask. --- .devcontainer/Fairbase security personal | 56 ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 56 insertions(+) create mode 100644 .devcontainer/Fairbase security personal diff --git a/.devcontainer/Fairbase security personal b/.devcontainer/Fairbase security personal new file mode 100644 index 0000000..363cdd2 --- /dev/null +++ b/.devcontainer/Fairbase security personal @@ -0,0 +1,56 @@ +For your personal project, Firebase Realtime Database is a great choice. The key to security lies almost entirely in properly configuring **Firebase Security Rules** and **Firebase Authentication**, which control access to your data. + +Here is a comparison of different security rule configurations for a personal database, from least to most secure: + +| Security Level | Authentication Method | Security Rules Example | Best For | +| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | +| **Open (Test Mode)** | None | `{ ".read": true, ".write": true }` | Initial development only; **highly insecure** for production. | +| **Authenticated Only** | Firebase Auth (Anonymous or Email/Password) | `{ ".read": "auth != null", ".write": "auth != null" }` | Simple personal projects; basic security. | +| **User-Specific Data** | Firebase Auth (Any method) | `{ "users": { "$uid": { ".read": "$uid === auth.uid", ".write": "$uid === auth.uid" } } }` | **Recommended for personal projects**; users access only their own data. | + +### 🔒 Implementing Recommended Security for a Personal Database + +For a truly secure personal database, you should implement the "User-Specific Data" model. This involves two main steps: + +1. **Set Up Firebase Authentication** + Even for a single-user app, don't skip authentication. It provides a secure way to identify you as the only authorized user. + - **Enable Authentication** in your Firebase console. + - Choose a sign-in method. For personal projects, **Email/Password** or **Anonymous Authentication** are straightforward options. + - Integrate the sign-in flow into your app. Upon successful sign-in, Firebase provides a unique user ID (UID) and an ID token. + +2. **Write Strict Security Rules** + Use rules that lock down data access based on the authenticated user's UID. This means you can only read and write data within a path that matches your own user ID. + + ```json + { + "rules": { + // Users can only access their own node in the 'users' path + "users": { + "$uid": { + ".read": "$uid === auth.uid", + ".write": "$uid === auth.uid" + } + }, + // A separate, public data section if needed + "public_data": { + ".read": true, + ".write": "auth != null" // Or restrict to your UID for writing + } + } + } + ``` + In this structure, you would store your personal data under a path like `users/your_unique_user_id/your_data`. + +### 🚨 Critical Security Practices to Follow + +- **Never Use Public Rules in Production**: The default public rules are a major security risk. Anyone who guesses your project's configuration details can steal or delete all your data. +- **Structure Data for Security**: Design your database structure with security rules in mind from the start. It's much harder to secure a poorly structured database later. +- **Validate Input in Rules**: You can add conditions to ensure data being written meets certain criteria (e.g., has the correct fields, is of the right data type). + +### 📚 Additional Security Layers + +For enhanced protection, consider these Firebase features: +- **App Check**: This helps protect your database from abuse by ensuring that requests originate from your official app, adding another layer of defense. +- **Regular Audits**: Periodically check the "Firebase Console > Realtime Database > Rules" section to review and test your rules. + +By combining **Firebase Authentication** with **user-specific Security Rules**, you can create a robust and secure personal database. If you'd like to explore a specific use case, feel free to ask