spring-projects / spring-projects/spring-security

Documentation about CSRF and cookies is confusing

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in: docs type: enhancement
Dominant language
Java
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Description

Reading https://docs.spring.io/spring-security/reference/features/exploits/csrf.html for 5.7.2 one can read (https://docs.spring.io/spring-security/reference/features/exploits/csrf.html#csrf-protection-stp):

...
Requiring the actual CSRF token in a cookie does not work because cookies are automatically included in the HTTP request by the browser.
...

Then, under https://docs.spring.io/spring-security/reference/features/exploits/csrf.html#csrf-considerations-timeouts one can read:

...
Finally, the expected CSRF token could be stored in a cookie. This allows the expected CSRF token to outlive the session.
...

These statements seem to be contradicting. Should the CRSF token be put into a cookie in addition to the previously recommended HTTP parameter or an HTTP header?

Contributor guide

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the CSRF documentation sections linked in the issue: CSRF Protection and CSRF Considerations—Timeouts. Compare how each passage uses the terms token in a cookie, HTTP parameter, and HTTP header, then revise the explanation so their roles are unambiguous and non-contradictory. Done means the documentation clearly answers whether a cookie is used in addition to the request token.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
java, spring
Domain
documentation, security
Issue type
Documentation
Difficulty
2/5
Estimated time
1-3 hours
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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