Security Constraints for Salesforce Code

When to Use

This skill auto-activates when writing, reviewing, or modifying any Apex class, trigger, LWC component, or Visualforce page. It enforces CRUD/FLS checks, sharing model compliance, SOQL injection prevention, and XSS protection for all Salesforce code.

Hard rules that apply to every Apex class, trigger, LWC component, and Visualforce page. Violating any constraint below is a blocking issue that must be fixed before the code is considered complete.

Reference: @../_reference/SECURITY_PATTERNS.md, @../_reference/SHARING_MODEL.md @../_reference/DEPRECATIONS.md

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Never Do

#	Constraint	Why
N1	Skip CRUD/FLS checks on user-facing SOQL or DML	Exposes data the running user should not see or modify
N2	Use without sharing without a written justification comment	Silently bypasses record-level security for every query in the class
N3	Build SOQL with string concatenation of user input	SOQL injection -- attacker can read or modify arbitrary records
N4	Trust client-side input without server-side validation	Client payloads are trivially forgeable; all validation must repeat in Apex
N5	Use element.innerHTML = userInput in LWC	Direct XSS vector; LWC auto-encoding is bypassed
N6	Hardcode API keys, tokens, passwords, or record IDs in Apex	Credentials leak via source control; IDs differ across orgs
N7	Log sensitive field values with System.debug	Debug logs are accessible to admins and can be exported
N8	Omit the sharing keyword on a class entirely	Defaults to without sharing in most contexts -- an implicit security bypass

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Always Do

#	Constraint	How
A1	Enforce CRUD + FLS on user-facing queries	WITH USER_MODE in SOQL (see @../_reference/API_VERSIONS.md for minimum version)
A2	Enforce CRUD + FLS on user-facing DML	Database.insert(records, false, AccessLevel.USER_MODE)
A3	Use with sharing as the default class keyword	Switch to inherited sharing only for utility/helper classes
A4	Use bind variables for SOQL filter values	Static SOQL :bindVar or Database.queryWithBinds()
A5	Sanitize output in Visualforce	HTMLENCODE, JSENCODE, JSINHTMLENCODE, URLENCODE per context
A6	Use textContent or <lightning-formatted-rich-text> in LWC	Never assign user-controlled strings to innerHTML
A7	Store credentials in Named Credentials / External Credentials	Use callout:NamedCredential prefix in Apex HTTP requests
A8	Document every without sharing usage	Include: why sharing bypass is needed, who approved, date reviewed
A9	Whitelist-validate dynamic SOQL components	Sort fields, directions, object/field names must match a known-safe set
A10	Use Security.stripInaccessible() when silent field removal is acceptable	Always check getRemovedFields() to avoid downstream NullPointerException

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Sharing Keyword Decision

Apply the correct keyword on every class. Reference: @../_reference/SHARING_MODEL.md

User-facing code (LWC, VF, Aura, REST API)?     -->  with sharing
Utility / helper called from mixed contexts?     -->  inherited sharing
Scheduled batch / system-only processing?        -->  without sharing  (document justification)
Trigger handler?                                 -->  with sharing  (call without sharing helper only if justified)
Inner class?                                     -->  declare explicitly  (does NOT inherit outer class keyword)
Omitted / unsure?                                -->  with sharing

Key rule: sharing context does not propagate to called classes. A with sharing class calling a without sharing class runs the called method without sharing.

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Anti-Pattern Table

Anti-Pattern	Security Impact	Correct Pattern
Database.query('... WHERE Name = \'' + input + '\'')	SOQL injection -- attacker reads/modifies arbitrary data	[SELECT ... WHERE Name = :input WITH USER_MODE] or Database.queryWithBinds()
public class FooController { ... } (no sharing keyword)	Implicit without sharing -- returns all records	public with sharing class FooController { ... }
public without sharing class AccountCtrl (user-facing)	All records visible regardless of OWD, role hierarchy, sharing rules	public with sharing class AccountCtrl
insert records; in user-facing code	No CRUD/FLS enforcement	Database.insert(records, false, AccessLevel.USER_MODE);
element.innerHTML = serverData in LWC	Stored/reflected XSS	element.textContent = serverData
req.setHeader('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + hardcodedToken)	Credential in source code; leaks via SCM	callout:Named_Credential with External Credentials
{!rawMergeField} in Visualforce	Reflected XSS	{!HTMLENCODE(rawMergeField)} or <apex:outputText escape="true">
System.debug('SSN: ' + contact.SSN__c)	PII in debug logs	Remove sensitive field logging; use opaque identifiers
API_Keys__c.getOrgDefaults().Token__c for auth	Secrets in queryable Custom Setting	External Credentials (see @../_reference/API_VERSIONS.md for minimum version)
SOQL without LIMIT in user-facing context	Unbounded query; governor limit risk + data exposure	Add LIMIT clause; paginate with OFFSET or cursor

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CRUD/FLS Enforcement Quick Reference

Reference: @../_reference/SECURITY_PATTERNS.md

Approach	Min API	Enforces	On Violation
WITH USER_MODE (SOQL)	See @../_reference/API_VERSIONS.md	CRUD + FLS	Throws QueryException
AccessLevel.USER_MODE (DML)	See @../_reference/API_VERSIONS.md	CRUD + FLS	Throws DmlException
WITH SECURITY_ENFORCED (SOQL)	See @../_reference/API_VERSIONS.md	CRUD + FLS (reads)	Throws QueryException
Security.stripInaccessible()	See @../_reference/API_VERSIONS.md	FLS only	Silently strips fields
Manual isAccessible() / isCreateable()	All	CRUD only	Developer-controlled

Prefer WITH USER_MODE / AccessLevel.USER_MODE for all new code (see @../_reference/API_VERSIONS.md for minimum version). Fall back to stripInaccessible only when silent field removal is the desired behavior.

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Visualforce Encoding Quick Reference

Output Context	Encoding Function	Example
HTML body	HTMLENCODE	{!HTMLENCODE(account.Description)}
HTML attribute	HTMLENCODE	title="{!HTMLENCODE(account.Name)}"
JavaScript string	JSENCODE	var x = '{!JSENCODE(account.Name)}'
JS in HTML attribute	JSINHTMLENCODE	onclick="fn('{!JSINHTMLENCODE(val)}')"
URL parameter	URLENCODE	href="/page?q={!URLENCODE(val)}"

Use <apex:outputField> or <apex:outputText escape="true"> where possible -- they handle encoding automatically.

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Enforcement Priority

When reviewing or writing code, check constraints in this order:

1. Sharing keyword declared on every class (N2, N8, A3)
2. CRUD/FLS enforced on all user-facing SOQL and DML (N1, A1, A2)
3. SOQL injection -- no string concatenation with user input (N3, A4, A9)
4. XSS -- correct encoding in VF; no innerHTML in LWC (N5, A5, A6)
5. Credentials -- no hardcoded secrets; use Named/External Credentials (N6, A7)
6. Logging -- no sensitive data in debug statements (N7)