secure_output

Context-aware output encoding for every place an application emits data — HTML, JSON, URL, JS strings, CSS, XML, LDAP, shell (OWASP C4). Part of the SunLit Security Libraries workspace.

When to reach for this crate

You're rendering server-side HTML and need an injection-safe encoder that's zero-copy when input is already safe.
You're embedding user input into JSON inside a <script> tag (the classic </script> injection pitfall).
You're building LDAP filters or shell argument strings and want explicit RFC-compliant encoders.
You need to sanitize URI schemes so <a href> and <img src> can't host javascript: or data: attacks.

All encoders implement an open OutputEncoder trait so callers pick by context, not by guesswork.

Install

[dependencies]
secure_output = "0.1.2"

Quick example

use secure_output::{HtmlEncoder, JsonEncoder, UrlEncoder, sanitize_uri_scheme};
use secure_output::encode::OutputEncoder;
use std::borrow::Cow;

// HTML body or attribute encoding — zero-copy for safe strings.
let html: Cow<str> = HtmlEncoder.encode("<b>hi</b>");
assert_eq!(html, "&lt;b&gt;hi&lt;/b&gt;");

// JSON encoding that also escapes </script> for inline-script embedding.
let json: Cow<str> = JsonEncoder.encode(r#"</script><script>alert(1)</script>"#);
assert!(!json.contains("</script>"));

// URL percent-encoding per RFC 3986.
let url: Cow<str> = UrlEncoder.encode("hello world & friends");
assert_eq!(url, "hello%20world%20%26%20friends");

// Block dangerous URI schemes before emitting an href/src.
let safe = sanitize_uri_scheme("javascript:alert(1)");
assert!(safe.is_err()); // returns DangerousUriScheme

What's inside

Type	Encodes for
`HtmlEncoder`	HTML body and attribute context (zero-copy when safe).
`JsonEncoder`	JSON output, including `</script>` defense for inline-script embedding.
`UrlEncoder`	RFC 3986 percent-encoding.
`JsStringEncoder`	JavaScript string-literal context.
`CssEncoder`	CSS context via Unicode escape.
`XmlEncoder`	XML text and attribute context.
`ldap::LdapDnEncoder`	LDAP Distinguished Name (RFC 4514).
`ldap::LdapFilterEncoder`	LDAP search filter (RFC 4515).
`shell::ShellEncoder`	POSIX shell argument quoting.
`sanitize_uri_scheme`	Returns `DangerousUriScheme` for `javascript:`, `data:`, etc.

Compatibility

MSRV: 1.78
#![forbid(unsafe_code)], #![deny(missing_docs)]
Zero allocations on the safe-string fast path (returns Cow::Borrowed)
Pure Rust, no system dependencies

Status

Alpha.

Related crates

Part of the SunLit Security Libraries workspace:

Crate	Purpose
`security_core`	Shared types, identity, classification, severity, redaction.
`security_events`	Security logging and tamper-evident audit chain.
`secure_errors`	Three-layer error model with redaction-safe public errors.
`secure_data`	Secrets, envelope encryption, Argon2id, FIPS, mobile storage.
`secure_network`	TLS policy, SPKI pinning, mTLS, cleartext detection.
`secure_device_trust`	Native-client device trust and session certificates.
`secure_resilience`	RASP and environment-detection policy.
`secure_privacy`	PII classification, consent, retention, pseudonymization.
`secure_boundary`	Input validation, security headers, boundary protections.
`secure_identity`	JWT/OIDC, MFA, sessions, biometric step-up.
`secure_authz`	Typed deny-by-default authorization with device-trust predicates.

Getting help

Questions, ideas, design discussions — open a GitHub Discussion.
Bug reports — use the bug-report template in GitHub Issues.
Security issues — please do not open a public issue. See SECURITY.md for the responsible-disclosure process.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome. Please read CONTRIBUTING.md and the Code of Conduct before opening a PR.

License

Dual-licensed under MIT or Apache-2.0 at your option.

secure_output 0.1.2