What is Session Management?
The mechanism for maintaining a user's authenticated state across multiple requests. It tracks who the user is between page loads without requiring them to log in every time.
In plain English
Session management is like a wristband at an amusement park. After you buy your ticket (login), you get a wristband that lets you ride any ride without re-purchasing. The wristband has an expiration time, can be revoked, and only works for you.
How it works
After a user logs in, the server creates a session — a temporary record linking a unique session ID to the user's identity. This session ID is stored in a cookie on the user's browser and sent with every request. The server looks up the session to identify the user. Alternatively, stateless approaches use signed tokens (JWTs) that contain the user's info directly.
Why it matters for AI-built apps
Poor session management is one of the most exploited vulnerabilities. AI-generated code often creates sessions that never expire, stores session data insecurely, or fails to invalidate sessions on logout. These issues let attackers hijack user accounts by stealing or reusing session tokens.
Common issues
Sessions that don't expire or have excessively long lifetimes, not invalidating sessions on logout or password change, session IDs in URLs (leaking via referrer headers), not rotating session IDs after login (enabling session fixation), and storing session tokens in localStorage (vulnerable to XSS).
Best practices
Set appropriate session timeouts (15–30 minutes for sensitive apps). Invalidate sessions on logout and password change. Rotate session IDs after authentication. Store session tokens in httpOnly, secure, sameSite cookies. Implement idle timeout alongside absolute timeout. Use server-side session stores (Redis, database) for easy invalidation. Log session creation and destruction for security auditing.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use sessions or JWTs for my app?
For most web apps, server-side sessions with cookies are simpler and more secure. JWTs are useful for stateless architectures and APIs consumed by multiple clients. If you use JWTs, keep them short-lived (15 minutes) and pair with refresh tokens. Sessions are easier to revoke since they're stored server-side.
How long should sessions last?
It depends on your app's sensitivity. Banking apps: 5–15 minutes. Standard web apps: 30 minutes to a few hours. Low-risk apps: up to 30 days with a 'remember me' option. Always implement both idle timeout (time since last activity) and absolute timeout (max session lifetime).
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