Drupal CMS Security Guide

Drupal is the CMS of choice for some of the world's most prominent corporations, institutions, and governments, including Panasonic, UNESCO, Pfizer, the University of Toronto, and the City of London.

According to BuiltWith, over 1.7 million websites utilize this open-source platform, renowned for its robust security features.

However, like any CMS, Drupal is not immune to cyber threats. In this article, we'll explore the best practices that Drupal users can adopt to mitigate the risk of cyberattacks.

Drupal Security Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the work landscape, with organizations transitioning to remote work and accelerating their digital transformation.

This shift has expanded network perimeters and increased the potential entry points for cybercriminals.

The surge in remote work has also led to a spike in cybercrime, with a 38% increase in global cyberattacks reported between 2021 and 2022. Health and educational institutions, as well as the aviation industry, have been particularly vulnerable to these attacks.

Despite these challenges, Drupal has maintained a strong security posture, with fewer reported vulnerabilities than WordPress since 2005. This can be attributed to the active Drupal community and the platform's dedicated security team, which works diligently to safeguard the software.

Potential Security Risks

CMSs are susceptible to various security threats, including:

1. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Attackers inject malicious code into client-side scripts, which can be mitigated by using frameworks that avoid HTML tags and employing web vulnerability scanners.
2. Authentication Bypass: Weak authentication mechanisms can be addressed by encrypting session IDs and cookies and deploying antivirus protections.
3. Remote Code Execution (RCE): This involves hackers remotely executing malware to compromise systems. Organizations can protect against RCE attacks by implementing robust security measures.
4. SQL Injection: Developers can prevent SQL injections by avoiding dynamic queries and preventing user-supplied input from altering the logic of executed queries.
5. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): CSRF attacks can be mitigated by implementing security measures that prevent unauthorized actions.

iSpectra's certified team of Drupal specialists can help you avoid all potential security risks. Learn more about our comprehensive Managed Services that directly impact your website's vulnerability.

Drupal Security Best Practices

To safeguard your Drupal CMS, consider the following best practices:

1. Regularly update Drupal and its modules to benefit from the latest security patches and fixes. Important: Upgrade to Drupal 10 if your website CMS is still on Drupal 9 or earlier versions of Drupal, your CMS is either unsupported or about to stop being supported.
2. Perform consistent site backups to ensure a quick recovery in the event of an attack.
3. Obtain an SSL certificate to enable encrypted connections and secure user credentials.
4. Implement HTTP security headers to protect against various cyber threats.
5. Monitor user roles and secure file permissions by applying the principle of least privilege.
6. Sanitize user inputs to prevent XSS and SQL injection attacks.
7. Choose a trusted hosting service that aligns with your security needs.
8. Use secure connections, such as SFTP, and avoid saving FTP passwords.
9. Consider additional security protections, such as IP firewalls, SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and bot managers.

Helpful Resource: If you are about to launch your new Drupal website, use our free Perfect Website Launch checklist that helps you avoid bugs, errors, and security risks.

Essential Drupal Security Modules To Install

Here is a list of essential Drupal security modules to install to help protect your Drupal website from any threats and risks:

• Automated Logout: This module automatically logs users out after a specified time period.
• CAPTCHA: This module filters out spambot form submissions, blocking automated scripts that publish spam content.
• Content Access: This module determines content permissions based on the author's role.
• Password Policy: This module enforces secure password policies and adds another layer of security against login bots.
• Security Kit (SecKit): This module provides a range of security-hardening options to minimize exposure to application threats.
• Session Limit: This module restricts the number of sessions per user.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): This module adds an additional layer of authentication during login attempts.

iSpectra Drupal Security and Manged Services

By following the best practices outlined in this article, you can significantly enhance the security of your Drupal CMS and protect your website from cyber threats. Stay vigilant and keep abreast of the latest security updates to ensure the safety and integrity of your digital assets.