Drupal Security Vulnerabilities

Drupal boasts a reputation for being more secure compared to other CMS platforms. With a dedicated team of security developers actively working on Drupal security modules, vulnerabilities are quickly identified, announced, and resolved. Being open source also plays a significant role in mitigating security risks, as anyone can scrutinize the source code for vulnerabilities and suggest fixes.

Nevertheless, Drupal security vulnerabilities evolve, and one of the riskiest threats is remote code execution attacks. In these attacks, hackers execute malicious software on systems hosting Drupal CMS. Drupalgeddon2 exploited remote code execution vulnerabilities in Drupal 7 and 8, which were patched in 2018. Other common vulnerabilities include access bypass vulnerabilities, allowing unauthorized access to content, and DoS (Denial of Service) vulnerabilities that enable attackers to disable Drupal websites.

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Top Drupal Security Best Practices to Implement

Review User Roles and Access Permissions

 Drupal offers multiple user roles, such as admin, authenticated users, editors, and anonymous users. It's essential to assign and grant permissions correctly for each role to protect your website. Ensure that roles and file permissions like read, write, and modify are appropriately configured. It's advisable to block access to critical files like upgrade.php, authorize.php, install.php, and cron.php.

Install an SSL Certificate

 While some argue that SSL certificates are only vital for eCommerce sites, having an SSL certificate is crucial for securing data transfer on your Drupal login page. It also provides SEO and performance benefits. Choose a trusted vendor like Indusface for your SSL certificate.

Use Strong Usernames and Passwords

 Weak passwords are a leading cause of data breaches. Using complex usernames and passwords significantly strengthens Drupal security. Avoid common and easily guessable passwords like "12345."

Limit Login Attempts

Implementing restrictions on login attempts helps protect against brute force attacks. Drupal versions 7 and above limit login attempts to five per user within 6 hours. Consider adding a Drupal security module for earlier versions to restrict login attempts.

Keep Your Drupal Version Updated

Regularly updating your Drupal version is crucial for website security. Updates often include patches and fixes for security vulnerabilities. Delaying updates can leave your site vulnerable. Don't forget to keep your Drupal extensions and themes up to date as well.

Perform Regular Backups

Creating backups of your website ensures you can quickly restore it in case of an incident. Include all essential components in your backup, such as Drupal core, module files, and critical site elements. Make sure to create a reliable backup before making any significant changes to your site.

Leverage Drupal Security Features

Drupal offers security modules that add an extra layer of protection to your website. These modules can help you block security threats, enforce strong passwords, scan for vulnerabilities, and more. Some recommended Drupal security features include:

• Security Review Module: Automates security testing.
• Two-factor authentication: Adds an extra layer of authentication.
• Password policy: Enhances login-form security.
• Content Access: Allows permission management based on roles and authors.
• ACL (Access Control Lists): Provides access control features.
• Captcha: Filters out unwanted spambots.
• Automated logout: Logs out users after a set time.
• Session Limit: Limits the number of sessions per user.