What are the key features to look for in a CMS security policy and how do you implement it?

When it comes to securing a Content Management System (CMS), there are several important security policies and practices you should implement to protect your system and its data. Here are some best security policies for CMS: 1. Regularly update the CMS: 2. Use strong and unique passwords: 3. Limit user privileges: 4. Secure user authentication: 5. Regular backups: 6. Implement access controls: 7. Use secure hosting environment: 8. Secure code development: 9. Monitor for security threats: 10. Educate users: 11. Regular security audits: Additionally, consult the documentation and security guidelines provided by your CMS vendor for specific recommendations tailored to your CMS platform.

User Management - roles, permissions, access controls, user groups, etc. must be handled carefully. Anonymous browsing vs authentic browsing must be clearly distinguished for every feature implemented. Workflows with corresponding access controls have to be rightly designed and implemented

Here is our standard security policy implemented on our CMS: -Minimum password length must be enforced, combining uppercase, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. -Reject simple passwords, repetition of letters, etc. -Implement account locking after defined number of invalid login attempts (e.g. 5 attempts). The account must be locked for a period of time sufficient to discourage brute force guessing of credentials (e.g. 30 minutes). -Add CAPTCHA to stop brute force attacks. -Use two-factor authentication. -Authentication failure responses should not indicate which part of the authentication data was incorrect, instead of "Invalid password" or "Invalid username", it should return "Invalid credentials" in all cases.

In CMS user management, assign specific roles with appropriate permissions, enforce strong authentication, regularly update user accounts and the system, ensure data protection, and log activities for security and ease of use.

Always keep up with security updates! They are there for a reason! If you're using a third-party or open source CMS, this will ensure your installation can be supported by either the vendor or even your own IT team. However, test the updates first! Ideally, you have a staging server/installation where you can test an update to see if it works, if it provides the protection it promises, and, maybe most importantly, if it creates any new problems or downgrades any features or basic functionality. Finally, inform your CMS users of updates and involve them in testing as they will have the most experience with all that your CMS offers. Test scripts and user scenarios can help you avoid problems and save a lot of headaches in the future.

When applying updates, consider when site usage peaks and try to schedule for a period when visits tend to be lower. Use site analytics to review traffic by day of the week and time of day to avoid disruption. If possible, provide "site unavailable" messaging and proper response codes (e.g., 503) so that visitors, search engines, and others understand that the outage is temporary and intentional.

Plan updates considering the traffic peaks/off hours. Make sure proper backup. (data, content etc) is taken before running the updates.

Let me illustrate this with an example from Adobe Experience Manager (AEM - a CMS from Adobe). AEM regularly releases security updates in the form of service packs for each version. Installing these packs, along with any dependent updates, helps address known security vulnerabilities that have already been resolved by Adobe. For AEM's cloud offering, the platform is continuously kept up to date, with users promptly notified of new software updates for evaluation and quick installation. It’s crucial to always have a backup or rollback strategy in place for these updates.

Regularly updating your CMS is crucial for security and performance. Check for updates, back up your site, prioritize security patches, and test after updating. It's the key to keeping your website safe and running smoothly.

My unique take on data encryption within a CMS security policy involves a strong emphasis on encryption key management, ensuring secure generation, storage, and rotation of keys. Additionally, continuous monitoring and audits play a pivotal role in identifying and mitigating potential vulnerabilities, thus enhancing the overall security of sensitive data.

Encrypting data in a CMS is like putting your personal information in a secret code. It scrambles the data so that even if someone gets their hands on it, they can't understand it without the right key. This keeps your sensitive information safe and your CMS secure.

Specific backup and recovery policies will depend on your chosen CMS and whether it is a SaaS offering or on-premise. SaaS offerings will handle all of this for you, so it's out of your hands and taken care of. On-Premise offerings will need you to go ahead and organise this either with your IT team or the hosting provider you choose. All decent CMS's should have an inbuilt recycle bin and restore method in the back office to ensure that any accidentally deleted data can be restored by content editors simply and easily, and they should also have an accurate and detailed audit trail. Umbraco as an example has all of these features (both in the Saas and On-Premise offerings

Backup and recovery in a CMS is like having a safety net for your website. Backups protect your valuable data, ensuring that if anything goes wrong, you can quickly restore your site to its previous state. It's like having a failsafe, giving you peace of mind that your content is always secure.

A security audit in a CMS is like a check-up for your website's safety. It's about examining all the locks and bolts to ensure your site is secure against cyber threats.

Have an Incident Response Plan. Preparation: Develop a clear procedure for responding to security incidents. Notification: Set protocols for notifying affected users and authorities if needed. Recovery: Outline steps for site recovery and return to normal operations after an incident.