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8 Drupal security best practices

Security remains a top priority for many organizations, especially those in industries that manage a lot of sensitive information, like government and healthcare.

As a result, IT administrators have a critical responsibility to protect website content and user data and mitigate potential vulnerabilities. Data breaches or leaks can threaten customer and employee privacy rights and lead to fines and reputational damage. These risks can be heightened if the organization uses open source content management systems, like Drupal.

Best practices to maintain security in Drupal systems include the following:

• Use the latest version.
• Back up websites regularly.
• Secure file permissions.
• Enable two-factor authentication.
• Limit user roles and secure permissions.
• Monitor logs for suspicious activity.
• Deploy Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for the intranet.

The following best practices can help admins protect sensitive data and maintain regulatory compliance.

Organizations that host Drupal in private or public data centers should always run the latest version of the platform and its modules because these versions include the latest security patches. Additionally, because Drupal is open source and widely used, hackers may have advanced knowledge of vulnerabilities they can exploit against organizations.

Admins should frequently check their Drupal admin interface and review the reports on the portal to identify whether updates are available for the current version.

A Drupal website backup requires admins to create copies of their site's database and files to prevent data loss. Admins should perform backups regularly and establish a policy that requires the organization to retain several copies of the backups on-site and off-site.

Cybersecurity tools, like Acronis or custom scripts, can help admins automate this process. Organizations that require a more in-depth disaster recovery plan can use data backup tools, such as Veeam or Rsync, to protect server configuration and settings.

File permissions dictate who can read, write or execute files on a server. Admins must set and configure these permissions correctly to protect content from unauthorized access.

Ideally, admins should set these permissions right after the installation and configuration to avoid functionality issues. If they wait, any changes to file permissions can block critical Drupal features.

Two-factor authentication, a type of multifactor authentication, adds a layer of security that requires users to verify their identity through two methods, such as a password, physical token or one-time code sent to their phones.

Drupal admins should install the two-factor authentication module in the platform to enforce its use within the web portals and apply it to both end users and admins.

For both user and admin permissions, Drupal admins must implement a data governance policy to ensure users can only access files they need. This security measure requires strategic planning and clear policies to avoid excessive permissions, or giving users access beyond what they need to do their jobs. Overpermissioned accounts can lead to accidental changes and data breaches.

Like many other platforms, Drupal offers logs that record site activities, such as login attempts, configuration changes and errors. Admins can check these logs for abnormal behavior and possible unauthorized access attempts, including failed logins, unauthorized administrative changes, and access from unsafe and external IP addresses. These logs can help admins identify vulnerabilities and improve their site's overall security posture.

Several security monitoring tools in the marketplace, like Watchdog and Splunk, offer real-time alerts based on predefined or custom rules.

Admins can sometimes overlook or ignore the server's HTTP traffic, which refers to the communication between a web browser and a server. So, admins should use an SSL certificate to encrypt all authentication and data access between the end user's browser and the web server. This practice prevents bad actors from intercepting data during transmission.

Drupal offers various security modules that add layers of protection to websites. These modules can block common threats, enhance access controls and safeguard critical data.

Admins should consider the following modules for added protection:

• Security Kit. Enhances security to lower the risk of common vulnerabilities, such as cross-site scripting, cross-site request forgery and clickjacking.
• Paranoia. Disables risky PHP input formats and prevents PHP code execution attacks.
• CAPTCHA. Prevents spam and bot activity.
• Password Policy. Enforces password requirements, such as length and complexity.
• Login Security. Limits login attempts and prevents brute-force attacks.
• Session Limit. Controls the number of sessions a user can have at once.
• Security Review. Scans sites to detect potential security weaknesses.
• Encrypt. Offers an API framework to encrypt sensitive data across Drupal sites.

Admins can use these modules to enhance various aspects of their websites' security, including user authentication and data encryption. However, admins must update the modules regularly because cyberthreats continuously evolve.

Reda Chouffani runs a consulting practice he co-founded, Biz Technology Solutions Inc., and is CTO at New Charter Technologies. He is a technology consultant with a focus on healthcare and manufacturing, cloud expert and business intelligence architect who helps enterprises make the best use of technology.

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