Security is the most important aspect of any ecommerce store. While this is essential the year-round, it attains special significance in the holiday season because of the increased threats from cyber criminals. Given the volume of transactions and interactions that occur on ecommerce stores, the holiday season is the prime time for the hacks and attacks on online stores.
Drupal is a powerful content management system that has an edge over all other CMS because of its ironclad security. Thus, ecommerce stores powered by Drupal are already pretty secure right out of the box. However, there are still ways in which store owners could enhance the security measures on the Drupal stores. This is why the application is the number one choice for government agencies and some of the most renowned companies around the world.
In this post, I have listed some of the absolutely necessary security measures that will increase the protection of your Drupal website.
Stay Updated with Security News
To stay on top of the latest security releases and updates, you should follow Drupal security updates. Subscribe to Drupal security mailing list and receive security advisories through the newsletter. You can subscribe to security notifications via email by visiting the official Drupal website. Once you are logged in, select the “Security announcements” option.
Update Drupal Core and Modules
Drupal core is extremely secure (well, it is much more secure than, say WordPress). In addition, the Drupal installation ensures that the store owners receive timely notifications about the available Drupal security updates.
This is important for any CMS because updates usually patch security flaws and install bug fixes. These bug fixes are equally important for modules since they add new features along with fixes to the previously identified issues. More importantly, it is always better to test the new features and updates before taking them live on your website. Â
Keep an Eye on the Modules
All third party Drupal modules (even from reputable developers) must be treated with caution. Although the Drupal security team checks the modules regularly, there are too many modules to keep track of. Popular modules are the most common targets since they have the widest installation base.
Use Complex Passwords
It goes without saying that you need to secure and complex passwords that are difficult to crack. Simple and easy-to-guess passwords are an open invitation to attackers. In addition, it is a good practice to change the passwords regularly to further strengthen the security of the websites. In this regard, Drupal also reminds the administrators about the password strength at the time of creation or updating the accounts.
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Audit Code and Configurations
Running independent security audits on your website’s configurations can save you from a lot of trouble. At the same time, you should also review your existing settings for potential openings and backdoors. Run audits through online tools that identify security loopholes and provide information about potential bugs.
Maintain Backups
Even if you have mastered your Drupal security management, why take a chance with the database that contains all the vital information for your website. You should run automatic backups of your database on regular basis. You can also ask your hosting provider to take backups. Managed cloud hosting solution providers such as Cloudways offers free backup with optional hourly backups to make sure that even if the disaster strikes, you have a recent backup to take the store live ASAP.
Conclusion
It is important to follow the Drupal security standards and regularly brush up on security updates. Use the above measures to enhance the security of your Drupal website. Use secure passwords and take regular backups to ensure that your website remains protected at all times.
If you are looking to improve your Drupal ecommerce store’s performance, I would suggest to read the blog post by us on, Improving Drupal’s Performance Through Cloudways.
Hamza Zia
Hamza is a Drupal Community Manager at Cloudways - A Managed Drupal Hosting Platform. He loves to write about Drupal and related topics. During his free time, he can be seen obsessing over Football, Cars, Android and Gaming.
