Secure Coding

Enforce Object-Level Authorization on Every Request

An application can authenticate a user correctly and still expose another user’s data. The failure often happens when an endpoint accepts a resource identifier, loads that resource, and assumes that knowing the identifier is enough to use it. It is not. A resource ID answers which object the client wants. Authorization must separately answer whether this actor may perform this action on that object. This article develops a practical mental model for object-level authorization, shows where checks belong, and explains how to avoid common gaps when applications grow beyond simple owner-only data.