We take the security of PlaceMentor369 seriously. If you discover a security vulnerability, please follow these steps:

Security vulnerabilities should not be reported through public GitHub issues to prevent exploitation before a fix is released.

Email your findings to the repository maintainer with the following information:

• Type of vulnerability (e.g., XSS, CSRF, SQL Injection, Authentication Bypass)
• Affected component (e.g., login page, API endpoint, session management)
• Steps to reproduce with clear instructions
• Potential impact of the vulnerability
• Screenshots or proof-of-concept (if applicable)

• Acknowledgment: Within 48 hours of receiving your report
• Initial Assessment: Within 5 business days
• Fix Timeline: Depends on severity
  • Critical: 7 days
  • High: 14 days
  • Medium: 30 days
  • Low: 60 days

• You will receive a confirmation that your report has been received
• The security team will investigate and validate the vulnerability
• You will be updated on the progress of the fix
• Once resolved, you may be credited in the release notes (optional)

• Never commit secrets, API keys, or credentials to the repository
• Use environment variables for all sensitive configuration
• Follow secure coding practices (input validation, parameterized queries)
• Keep dependencies updated and review security advisories
• Use HTTPS for all external API calls

• JWT-based authentication with token expiration
• Password hashing using bcrypt
• Role-based access control (RBAC)
• CORS configuration for trusted origins
• Input sanitization on API endpoints

• All passwords are hashed using bcrypt
• JWT tokens have appropriate expiration times
• API endpoints are protected with authentication middleware
• Role-based access control is enforced
• Input validation is performed on all user-supplied data
• CORS is configured to allow only trusted origins
• Dependencies are regularly updated for security patches

Thank you for helping keep PlaceMentor369 secure!