Framework-Specific Vulnerabilities and Pitfalls

Despite built-in protections, each framework has common patterns that lead to vulnerabilities. In React, spreading props can inadvertently pass dangerous attributes: <div {...userControlledProps}> might include event handlers like onClick with malicious code. Always validate and filter props before spreading them, especially when they come from untrusted sources. Similarly, using refs to directly manipulate DOM elements bypasses React's protections, potentially introducing vulnerabilities if done carelessly.

Angular applications often face vulnerabilities when integrating third-party libraries that manipulate the DOM directly. These libraries might not be aware of Angular's security model and could introduce XSS vulnerabilities. When using jQuery or other DOM manipulation libraries within Angular, ensure they never insert untrusted content directly into the DOM. Angular's ElementRef provides direct DOM access that bypasses security features, so use it carefully and prefer Angular's abstractions when possible.

Vue's flexibility can be a security liability when developers use advanced features without understanding their implications. The combination of v-html with user input remains a common vulnerability. Additionally, Vue's support for inline templates and x-templates can introduce XSS if the template source isn't trusted. Server-side rendering (SSR) with any of these frameworks requires extra care, as the server environment might have different escaping behavior than the client.