TL;DR
I was overwhelmed after discovering my first security scan results. I posted anonymously in a developer Discord, expecting criticism, but received patient explanations, code examples, and encouragement. The community helped me understand and fix issues I didn't even know how to Google. Sometimes the best security resource is other developers.
I'd been building solo for eight months when I finally ran a security scan. The results were terrifying. Seventeen vulnerabilities, half of which I didn't understand. I almost gave up.
The Overwhelming Scan Results
The report might as well have been in another language:
- Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in user input
- Missing Content-Security-Policy header
- JWT stored in localStorage (high risk)
- SQL injection possible in search endpoint
- CORS misconfiguration allowing all origins
"I stared at that report for an hour. I knew these were bad, but I had no idea where to start. I'd learned to code from tutorials, and none of them covered security. I felt like a fraud."
Asking for Help
I almost didn't post. Admitting you have security problems feels like admitting you're a bad developer. But I was stuck, so I wrote an anonymous post in a developer Discord:
"I ran my first security scan and got 17 vulnerabilities. I don't know where to start or even what some of these mean. Any advice for someone who's completely lost?"
The responses surprised me.
"Don't feel bad - most of us learned security the hard way too. Let's start with the high-risk ones. Can you share the XSS and SQL injection findings?"
- Senior developer, 15 min after my post
"JWT in localStorage is a super common mistake because that's how most tutorials show it. Here's a good article on cookie-based auth instead, and I can show you example code if you're using Next.js."
- Another community member
What the Community Taught Me
Over the next few days, people helped me understand each vulnerability:
- XSS: Someone showed me exactly where my code was dangerous and how React's built-in escaping works
- SQL injection: A database expert rewrote my query to use parameterized statements
- JWT storage: Got a full explanation of why localStorage is risky and httpOnly cookies are better
- CSP headers: Someone shared their Next.js config as a starting point
- CORS: Learned the difference between allowing specific origins vs. wildcards
Nobody made me feel stupid. Everyone remembered being confused too.
Paying It Forward
Six months later, I answer security questions in that same Discord. I'm not an expert, but I can explain the basics to someone who's where I was. I share the resources that helped me. I remember how scared I felt and try to make it less scary for others.
- It's okay to not know - even experienced devs are still learning security
- Community knowledge is often more accessible than documentation
- Asking "dumb questions" is braver than staying stuck
- One vulnerability at a time - don't try to fix everything at once
- Many security issues have common patterns and common fixes
- Paying it forward builds a better community for everyone
Where to Find Help
If you're stuck on security issues, here are places with helpful communities:
- Discord servers: Many framework communities have security channels
- Reddit: r/webdev, r/netsec, framework-specific subreddits
- Stack Overflow: For specific technical questions
- Twitter/X: Security researchers often share knowledge
- Dev.to and Hashnode: Beginner-friendly security articles
Is it safe to share security problems publicly?
Be careful not to share specifics that could identify your app (URLs, unique code). Describe the vulnerability type and ask general questions. You can also ask for DM help once you find someone trustworthy.
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How do I find good security communities?
Start with the community for your framework (Next.js, React, etc.) - they usually have security-specific channels. Look for communities that are beginner-friendly and have active moderators.
What if nobody responds to my question?
Make sure your question is specific and shows you've tried to solve it. "I have a security problem" gets less response than "I'm getting an XSS warning on my input field and I've tried X and Y but still see the issue."
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