Alaa Amer

Authentication & Authorization: Secure Laravel Applications

Authentication & Authorization: Secure Laravel Applications

Expert Guide by Alaa Amer – Professional Web Developer & Applications Designer

Laravel provides robust authentication and authorization systems. Master security patterns, API protection, and enterprise-level access control for production applications.

2️⃣ Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Advanced Permission System:

<?php
// app/Models/Role.php
namespace App\Models;

use Spatie\Permission\Models\Role as SpatieRole;

class Role extends SpatieRole
{
    protected $fillable = [
        'name', 'guard_name', 'description', 'level', 'is_system'
    ];

    protected $casts = [
        'is_system' => 'boolean',
        'level' => 'integer'
    ];

    public function users()
    {
        return $this->belongsToMany(User::class, 'model_has_roles', 'role_id', 'model_id');
    }

    public function isSystemRole(): bool
    {
        return $this->is_system;
    }

    public function canBeDeleted(): bool
    {
        return !$this->is_system && $this->users()->count() === 0;
    }

    public function hasHigherLevelThan(Role $role): bool
    {
        return $this->level > $role->level;
    }
}

// app/Models/Permission.php
namespace App\Models;

use Spatie\Permission\Models\Permission as SpatiePermission;

class Permission extends SpatiePermission
{
    protected $fillable = [
        'name', 'guard_name', 'description', 'category', 'is_system'
    ];

    protected $casts = [
        'is_system' => 'boolean'
    ];

    public function scopeByCategory($query, string $category)
    {
        return $query->where('category', $category);
    }

    public function getFormattedNameAttribute(): string
    {
        return ucfirst(str_replace('.', ' ', $this->name));
    }
}

// database/seeders/RolePermissionSeeder.php
namespace Database\Seeders;

use App\Models\{Role, Permission, User};
use Illuminate\Database\Seeder;

class RolePermissionSeeder extends Seeder
{
    public function run(): void
    {
        // Create Permissions
        $permissions = [
            // User Management
            ['name' => 'users.view', 'category' => 'users', 'description' => 'View users'],
            ['name' => 'users.create', 'category' => 'users', 'description' => 'Create users'],
            ['name' => 'users.edit', 'category' => 'users', 'description' => 'Edit users'],
            ['name' => 'users.delete', 'category' => 'users', 'description' => 'Delete users'],

            // Post Management
            ['name' => 'posts.view', 'category' => 'posts', 'description' => 'View posts'],
            ['name' => 'posts.create', 'category' => 'posts', 'description' => 'Create posts'],
            ['name' => 'posts.edit', 'category' => 'posts', 'description' => 'Edit posts'],
            ['name' => 'posts.delete', 'category' => 'posts', 'description' => 'Delete posts'],
            ['name' => 'posts.publish', 'category' => 'posts', 'description' => 'Publish posts'],

            // System Administration
            ['name' => 'admin.dashboard', 'category' => 'admin', 'description' => 'Access admin dashboard'],
            ['name' => 'admin.settings', 'category' => 'admin', 'description' => 'Manage system settings'],
            ['name' => 'admin.roles', 'category' => 'admin', 'description' => 'Manage roles'],
        ];

        foreach ($permissions as $permission) {
            Permission::firstOrCreate(['name' => $permission['name']], $permission);
        }

        // Create Roles
        $roles = [
            [
                'name' => 'super-admin',
                'description' => 'Super Administrator',
                'level' => 100,
                'is_system' => true,
                'permissions' => Permission::all()->pluck('name')->toArray()
            ],
            [
                'name' => 'admin',
                'description' => 'Administrator',
                'level' => 90,
                'is_system' => false,
                'permissions' => [
                    'users.view', 'users.create', 'users.edit',
                    'posts.view', 'posts.create', 'posts.edit', 'posts.delete', 'posts.publish',
                    'admin.dashboard'
                ]
            ],
            [
                'name' => 'editor',
                'description' => 'Content Editor',
                'level' => 70,
                'is_system' => false,
                'permissions' => [
                    'posts.view', 'posts.create', 'posts.edit', 'posts.publish'
                ]
            ],
            [
                'name' => 'author',
                'description' => 'Content Author',
                'level' => 50,
                'is_system' => false,
                'permissions' => [
                    'posts.view', 'posts.create', 'posts.edit'
                ]
            ],
            [
                'name' => 'user',
                'description' => 'Regular User',
                'level' => 10,
                'is_system' => true,
                'permissions' => []
            ]
        ];

        foreach ($roles as $roleData) {
            $permissions = $roleData['permissions'];
            unset($roleData['permissions']);

            $role = Role::firstOrCreate(['name' => $roleData['name']], $roleData);
            $role->syncPermissions($permissions);
        }
    }
}

Advanced Authorization Middleware:

<?php
// app/Http/Middleware/CheckRole.php
namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Closure;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;

class CheckRole
{
    public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next, ...$roles)
    {
        if (!auth()->check()) {
            return redirect()->route('login');
        }

        $user = auth()->user();

        // Check if user is locked
        if ($user->isLocked()) {
            auth()->logout();
            return redirect()->route('login')
                ->withErrors(['account' => 'Your account has been temporarily locked.']);
        }

        // Check roles
        foreach ($roles as $role) {
            if ($user->hasRole($role)) {
                return $next($request);
            }
        }

        // Log unauthorized access attempt
        activity()
            ->causedBy($user)
            ->withProperties([
                'roles_required' => $roles,
                'user_roles' => $user->getRoleNames()->toArray(),
                'route' => $request->route()->getName(),
                'ip' => $request->ip()
            ])
            ->log('unauthorized_access_attempt');

        abort(403, 'Insufficient privileges.');
    }
}

// app/Http/Middleware/CheckPermission.php
class CheckPermission
{
    public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next, string $permission, ?string $guard = null)
    {
        if (!auth($guard)->check()) {
            return $this->handleUnauthenticated($request);
        }

        $user = auth($guard)->user();

        if (!$user->can($permission)) {
            return $this->handleUnauthorized($request, $user, $permission);
        }

        return $next($request);
    }

    protected function handleUnauthenticated(Request $request)
    {
        if ($request->expectsJson()) {
            return response()->json(['message' => 'Unauthenticated.'], 401);
        }

        return redirect()->guest(route('login'));
    }

    protected function handleUnauthorized(Request $request, $user, string $permission)
    {
        // Log the unauthorized attempt
        activity()
            ->causedBy($user)
            ->withProperties(['permission' => $permission])
            ->log('unauthorized_permission_attempt');

        if ($request->expectsJson()) {
            return response()->json([
                'message' => 'This action is unauthorized.',
                'required_permission' => $permission
            ], 403);
        }

        abort(403);
    }
}

4️⃣ Advanced Security Features

Multi-Factor Authentication:

<?php
// app/Http/Controllers/TwoFactorController.php
namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use App\Http\Requests\TwoFactorRequest;
use Illuminate\Http\JsonResponse;
use PragmaRX\Google2FA\Google2FA;

class TwoFactorController extends Controller
{
    protected $google2fa;

    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->middleware('auth');
        $this->google2fa = new Google2FA();
    }

    public function enable(): JsonResponse
    {
        $user = auth()->user();

        if ($user->two_factor_confirmed_at) {
            return response()->json(['message' => '2FA already enabled'], 400);
        }

        $secretKey = $user->enableTwoFactor();

        $qrCodeUrl = $this->google2fa->getQRCodeUrl(
            config('app.name'),
            $user->email,
            $secretKey
        );

        return response()->json([
            'secret_key' => $secretKey,
            'qr_code_url' => $qrCodeUrl,
            'recovery_codes' => $this->generateRecoveryCodes($user)
        ]);
    }

    public function confirm(TwoFactorRequest $request): JsonResponse
    {
        $user = auth()->user();

        if ($user->confirmTwoFactor($request->code)) {
            activity()
                ->causedBy($user)
                ->log('two_factor_enabled');

            return response()->json(['message' => '2FA enabled successfully']);
        }

        return response()->json(['message' => 'Invalid code'], 400);
    }

    public function verify(TwoFactorRequest $request): JsonResponse
    {
        $user = auth()->user();

        // Check 2FA code
        if ($this->verifyCode($user, $request->code)) {
            session(['2fa_verified' => true]);

            return response()->json(['message' => '2FA verification successful']);
        }

        return response()->json(['message' => 'Invalid 2FA code'], 400);
    }

    public function disable(TwoFactorRequest $request): JsonResponse
    {
        $user = auth()->user();

        if ($this->verifyCode($user, $request->code)) {
            $user->disableTwoFactor();

            activity()
                ->causedBy($user)
                ->log('two_factor_disabled');

            return response()->json(['message' => '2FA disabled successfully']);
        }

        return response()->json(['message' => 'Invalid code'], 400);
    }

    protected function verifyCode($user, string $code): bool
    {
        // Try regular 2FA code
        if ($user->two_factor_secret) {
            $secret = decrypt($user->two_factor_secret);
            if ($this->google2fa->verifyKey($secret, $code)) {
                return true;
            }
        }

        // Try recovery codes
        $recoveryCodes = json_decode(decrypt($user->two_factor_recovery_codes ?? '[]'), true);
        if (in_array($code, $recoveryCodes)) {
            // Remove used recovery code
            $recoveryCodes = array_diff($recoveryCodes, [$code]);
            $user->update([
                'two_factor_recovery_codes' => encrypt(json_encode($recoveryCodes))
            ]);
            return true;
        }

        return false;
    }

    protected function generateRecoveryCodes($user): array
    {
        $recoveryCodes = [];
        for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) {
            $recoveryCodes[] = strtoupper(Str::random(4) . '-' . Str::random(4));
        }

        $user->update([
            'two_factor_recovery_codes' => encrypt(json_encode($recoveryCodes))
        ]);

        return $recoveryCodes;
    }
}

// app/Http/Middleware/RequireTwoFactor.php
class RequireTwoFactor
{
    public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next)
    {
        $user = auth()->user();

        if ($user && $user->two_factor_confirmed_at && !session('2fa_verified')) {
            if ($request->expectsJson()) {
                return response()->json(['message' => '2FA verification required'], 403);
            }

            return redirect()->route('2fa.verify');
        }

        return $next($request);
    }
}

Security Monitoring & Logging:

<?php
// app/Services/SecurityService.php
namespace App\Services;

use App\Models\{SecurityLog, LoginAttempt, User};
use Illuminate\Http\Request;

class SecurityService
{
    public function logSecurityEvent(string $event, ?User $user = null, array $data = []): void
    {
        SecurityLog::create([
            'user_id' => $user?->id,
            'event' => $event,
            'ip_address' => request()->ip(),
            'user_agent' => request()->userAgent(),
            'data' => $data,
            'created_at' => now()
        ]);
    }

    public function detectSuspiciousActivity(User $user): bool
    {
        // Multiple login attempts from different IPs
        $recentAttempts = LoginAttempt::where('user_id', $user->id)
            ->where('created_at', '>=', now()->subHour())
            ->distinct('ip_address')
            ->count('ip_address');

        if ($recentAttempts > 3) {
            $this->logSecurityEvent('suspicious_login_pattern', $user, [
                'distinct_ips' => $recentAttempts
            ]);
            return true;
        }

        // Rapid API calls
        $apiCalls = SecurityLog::where('user_id', $user->id)
            ->where('event', 'api_request')
            ->where('created_at', '>=', now()->subMinute())
            ->count();

        if ($apiCalls > 100) {
            $this->logSecurityEvent('api_abuse', $user, [
                'requests_per_minute' => $apiCalls
            ]);
            return true;
        }

        return false;
    }

    public function blockMaliciousIPs(): void
    {
        // Find IPs with excessive failed attempts
        $maliciousIPs = LoginAttempt::where('successful', false)
            ->where('created_at', '>=', now()->subDay())
            ->groupBy('ip_address')
            ->having(DB::raw('COUNT(*)'), '>', 50)
            ->pluck('ip_address');

        foreach ($maliciousIPs as $ip) {
            // Add to blocked IPs list
            Cache::put("blocked_ip:{$ip}", true, now()->addHours(24));

            $this->logSecurityEvent('ip_blocked', null, ['ip' => $ip]);
        }
    }
}

Next Steps

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