Deployment and Production Security

The deployment process should include final security validations before code reaches production. Automated checks should verify that security headers are present, CSP policies are properly configured, and all dependencies are free from known vulnerabilities. These deployment gates prevent security regressions and ensure production maintains required security standards.

Implement security monitoring that specifically watches for XSS attempts and successful exploits. CSP violation reports provide early warning of potential XSS attacks or misconfigurations. Application logs should capture suspicious inputs that might indicate attack attempts. Web Application Firewalls can block known attack patterns while logging attempts for analysis. This monitoring serves both defensive and intelligence purposes.

Create incident response procedures specifically for XSS vulnerabilities. When XSS is discovered in production, teams need clear procedures: how to assess impact, when to implement emergency patches versus scheduled fixes, how to communicate with affected users, and how to prevent similar vulnerabilities. Post-incident reviews should feed back into the SDL, improving processes to prevent recurrence.