The Hidden Layer: Why Rails APIs Need Explicit CSRF Tokens Beyond SameSite

SameSite cookies provide baseline CSRF protection, but this deep dive reveals critical gaps—including login CSRF attacks—that only explicit token-based defense can close. By layering CSRF tokens with SSL enforcement and session hardening in Rails 8, developers move from a functional API to a production-grade system resistant to sophisticated forgery attacks. Essential reading for teams building APIs that handle authentication and state changes in cookie-based environments.