10 Web Session Timeout Best Practices

Web session timeouts are an important security measure for any website. They help protect against malicious actors who may try to gain access to a user’s account by hijacking their session. But setting the right timeout value can be tricky. Too short, and users may be logged out too often. Too long, and the website may be vulnerable to attack.

In this article, we’ll discuss 10 best practices for setting web session timeouts. We’ll look at how to determine the right timeout value for your website, as well as how to ensure that users are logged out securely.

1. Set a reasonable session timeout

A session timeout is the amount of time a user can remain inactive on your website before their session expires. If you set it too short, users may become frustrated and leave your site. On the other hand, if you set it too long, malicious actors could gain access to sensitive information or take advantage of open sessions.

The best practice for setting a web session timeout is to find a balance between security and convenience. A good rule of thumb is to set the session timeout to 15 minutes or less. This will ensure that users don’t have to constantly log in again while still providing adequate protection against unauthorized access.

2. Use the same session timeout for all users

Having different session timeouts for different users can lead to confusion and frustration. For example, if one user has a longer timeout than another, the user with the shorter timeout may feel like their session is ending too soon or that they are being treated unfairly. This could lead to negative feelings towards your website or product.

Using the same session timeout for all users ensures fairness and consistency across the board. It also helps reduce confusion and frustration since everyone knows what to expect when it comes to how long their session will last.

3. Consider using an idle timeout

An idle timeout is a feature that will automatically log out users after a certain period of inactivity. This helps to protect your website from malicious actors who may be trying to gain access to sensitive information or accounts by leaving their session open and unattended.

Idle timeouts are especially important for websites with sensitive data, such as banking sites or e-commerce stores. By setting an idle timeout, you can ensure that any user who leaves their session open without actively using it will be logged out after a set amount of time. This helps to reduce the risk of unauthorized access and keeps your customers’ data safe.

4. Don’t use cookies to store sensitive information

Cookies are stored on the user’s computer, and can be accessed by anyone with access to that computer. This means that if a malicious actor were to gain access to the user’s computer, they could potentially gain access to any sensitive information stored in the cookie.

To avoid this risk, it is best practice to store all sensitive information server-side instead of client-side. This way, only authorized users will have access to the data, and it cannot be compromised by someone gaining access to the user’s computer. Additionally, you should also ensure that your web application has strong authentication measures in place to protect against unauthorized access.

5. Log out inactive sessions

When a user logs into your website, they are given a session token that is used to authenticate them. If the user doesn’t log out or take any action for an extended period of time, their session token will remain active and can be used by someone else to gain access to their account. By logging out inactive sessions, you ensure that no one can use another person’s session token to gain unauthorized access. This helps protect both users and your business from potential security risks.

6. Implement multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication requires users to provide two or more pieces of evidence (or factors) when logging in. This could include something they know, like a password, and something they have, such as a mobile device with an authenticator app installed.

Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your web session timeouts by making it harder for malicious actors to gain access to user accounts. It also helps protect against brute force attacks, which are attempts to guess passwords using automated tools. By requiring multiple forms of authentication, you can make sure that only authorized users are able to log into their accounts.

7. Encrypt your data

When a user’s session times out, any data they have entered into the website is still stored in memory. If this data isn’t encrypted, it can be accessed by malicious actors who may use it for nefarious purposes.

Encrypting your data ensures that even if someone were to gain access to the data after a timeout, they wouldn’t be able to read or understand it. This helps protect both you and your users from potential security threats.

It’s also important to make sure that your encryption keys are kept secure and updated regularly. This will help ensure that your data remains safe and secure even if an attacker were to gain access to them.

8. Monitor and analyze user behavior

By monitoring user behavior, you can identify patterns in how users interact with your website. This allows you to adjust the session timeout settings accordingly. For example, if you notice that most of your users are spending more than 10 minutes on a page, then you may want to increase the session timeout limit for that page.

You should also analyze user behavior to determine which pages or features require longer timeouts and which ones don’t. This will help you optimize the web session timeout settings so that they provide the best experience for your users while still protecting your site from malicious activity.

9. Make sure your app is secure from end to end

When a user logs in to your app, they are trusting you with their personal information. If someone were to gain access to that data, it could be used for malicious purposes. To prevent this from happening, make sure all of the components of your web application are secure and up-to-date. This includes using strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and encryption technologies like SSL/TLS.

Additionally, set session timeouts at an appropriate length so users don’t stay logged in longer than necessary. This will help protect against unauthorized access and ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive data.

10. Keep your software up to date

Software updates often include security patches that protect against malicious attacks. If your software is out of date, it may be vulnerable to attack and hackers could gain access to sensitive information or disrupt the system. Additionally, newer versions of software are usually more efficient and reliable than older ones, so keeping up with updates can help ensure a better user experience.

Finally, staying on top of software updates helps you stay compliant with industry regulations. Many organizations have specific requirements for web session timeouts, and if you don’t meet them, you could face fines or other penalties.