Securing Rails Params with params.require & params.permit
Ruby on Rails is a popular web application framework that uses parameters (often abbreviated as “params“) to pass data between a user and the server. However, it’s essential to ensure that the data passed through params is safe and secure. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to use params.require and params.permit to control the data that is allowed to be passed through params.
The Purpose of params.require
params.require is used to ensure that a specific parameter is present in the params hash. If the specified parameter is not present, an exception will be raised. This method is useful for preventing errors when the expected parameters are not present.
For example, suppose we have a form that collects user information, including their name and email address. The form data is passed to the controller action through the params hash. We can use params.require to ensure that both the name and email parameters are present in the params hash.
def create
@user = User.new(user_params)
# ...
end
private
def user_params
params.require(:user).permit(:name, :email)
end
In this example, we are requiring that the params hash has a key of :user. If the :user key is not present, an exception will be raised.
The Purpose of params.permit
params.permit is used to specify which parameters are allowed to be passed through params. Any parameters that are not explicitly permitted will be discarded. This method is useful for preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Continuing with the previous example, we can use params.permit to specify which parameters are allowed to be passed through params. In this case, we are permitting only the name and email parameters to be passed through:
def user_params
params.require(:user).permit(:name, :email)
end
This ensures that any other parameters in the params hash will be discarded, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Using params.require and params.permit Together
By combining params.require and params.permit, we can ensure that the expected parameters are present and that only the necessary parameters are passed through params.
Ruby
def create
@user = User.new(user_params)
# ...
end
private
def user_params
params.require(:user).permit(:name, :email)
end
In this example, we are requiring that the params hash has a key of :user, and we are permitting only the name and email parameters to be passed through. This ensures that only the necessary data is passed through params and that the data is safe and secure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, params.require and params.permit are essential methods for securing the data passed through params in Ruby on Rails. By using these methods, we can ensure that the expected parameters are present, that only the necessary parameters are passed through, and that sensitive data is protected from unauthorized access. It’s essential to always use params.permit to explicitly permit only the parameters you need and not permit all parameters in the params hash, which could be a potential security risk.
Greetings, my name is Kirk. I’m the creator of Rails Zone and a passionate Ruby on Rails developer. During my free time, I develop helpful tools and tutorials that aid fellow Ruby on Rails developers in creating applications with improved efficiency and speed.