Spring Security

Spring Security is a powerful and highly customizable authentication and access-control framework within the Spring ecosystem, providing a comprehensive solution for securing Java-based enterprise applications. It offers declarative security for handling authentication (verifying a user's identity) and authorization (enforcing access policies), integrating seamlessly with various mechanisms like form-based login, LDAP, and OAuth 2.0. Furthermore, it provides robust protection against common web vulnerabilities such as Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), session fixation, and clickjacking, making it the de facto standard for implementing security within the Spring Framework.

1. Introduction to Spring Security
   1. Core Purpose and Philosophy
      1. Goals of Spring Security
      2. Security as a Cross-Cutting Concern
      3. Separation of Concerns in Security
   2. Key Security Principles
      1. Authentication
         1. Definition and Importance
         2. Authentication vs. Authorization
      2. Authorization
         1. Definition and Importance
         2. Role-Based Access Control
         3. Permission-Based Access Control
      3. Protection Against Common Exploits
         1. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
         2. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
         3. Session Fixation
         4. Clickjacking
         5. Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
   3. Evolution from Acegi Security
      1. History and Motivation for Spring Security
      2. Major Milestones in Development
   4. Role in the Spring Ecosystem
      1. Integration with Spring Framework
      2. Relationship with Other Spring Projects
      3. Use Cases and Application Types