Session Fixation and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) remain relevant threats in modern Java applications, even in 2025.
Session fixation involves tricking a user into using a known session ID to gain unauthorized access, while CSRF exploits user sessions for malicious actions.
Despite advancements like Spring Security's built-in protection, session fixation can still occur due to misconfigurations or overlooked settings.
Similarly, CSRF protection is crucial, especially in apps using cookies for session management, even with state-of-the-art frameworks like Spring Boot.
Developers need to be cautious of disabling CSRF protection, as it can leave applications vulnerable to attacks despite the move towards stateless APIs.
Incorporating CSRF token mechanisms into SPAs and utilizing token-based authentication can enhance security measures against CSRF attacks.
While OAuth2 and JWTs offer some level of immunity to CSRF attacks, they introduce new concerns like XSS, emphasizing the need for a balanced security approach.
In 2025, attackers exploit hybrid flaws combining different attack vectors, highlighting the importance of understanding the entire authentication and session lifecycle.
Overall, session fixation and CSRF threats persist in modern Java applications albeit in more subtle forms, underscoring the necessity of following security best practices and understanding the evolving threat landscape.
To enhance security, developers should adhere to Spring Security defaults, maintain a comprehensive threat model, and approach authentication as a continuous flow rather than a one-time event.