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Security Best Practices ​

This guide covers security best practices for protecting your OmniSuite CMS installation, including server security, application security, user security, and data protection.

Table of Contents ​

  1. Overview
  2. Server Security
  3. Application Security
  4. User Security
  5. Data Protection
  6. SSL/HTTPS Setup
  7. Security Updates

Overview ​

Why Security Matters ​

  • ✅ Protect user data
  • ✅ Prevent unauthorized access
  • ✅ Maintain trust
  • ✅ Comply with regulations
  • ✅ Prevent attacks

Security Layers ​

Multiple Layers:

  1. Server security
  2. Application security
  3. User security
  4. Data protection
  5. Network security

Server Security ​

Server Hardening ​

Update System ​

Regular Updates:

bash
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

# CentOS/RHEL
sudo yum update -y

Firewall Configuration ​

UFW (Ubuntu/Debian):

bash
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
sudo ufw enable

Firewalld (CentOS/RHEL):

bash
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

SSH Security ​

Disable Root Login:

bash
# /etc/ssh/sshd_config
PermitRootLogin no
PasswordAuthentication no  # Use SSH keys

Use SSH Keys:

  • Generate SSH key pair
  • Add public key to server
  • Disable password authentication

File Permissions ​

Correct Permissions ​

Directories:

bash
find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;

Files:

bash
find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Writable Directories:

bash
chmod -R 775 storage bootstrap/cache

Sensitive Files:

bash
chmod 600 .env

Application Security ​

Environment Configuration ​

.env File Security ​

Protect .env:

  • Never commit to version control
  • Restrict file permissions (600)
  • Use strong passwords
  • Rotate keys regularly

Application Key ​

Generate Key:

bash
php artisan key:generate

Keep Secret:

  • Never expose in code
  • Don't share publicly
  • Rotate if compromised

Password Security ​

Strong Passwords ​

Requirements:

  • Minimum 8 characters
  • Mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols
  • No common words
  • Unique per account

Password Hashing ​

Laravel Default:

  • Uses bcrypt
  • Automatically hashed
  • Salt included

SQL Injection Prevention ​

Laravel Protection:

  • Uses prepared statements
  • Query builder protection
  • Eloquent ORM protection

Best Practices:

  • Always use query builder
  • Never concatenate SQL
  • Validate input
  • Use parameter binding

XSS Protection ​

Laravel Protection:

  • Automatic escaping
  • Blade template protection
  • CSRF protection

Best Practices:

  • Escape output
  • Use Blade syntax
  • Validate input
  • Sanitize user content

CSRF Protection ​

Laravel CSRF:

  • Automatic token generation
  • Form token validation
  • API token protection

Best Practices:

  • Always include tokens
  • Verify on POST requests
  • Use middleware

User Security ​

Authentication ​

Strong Authentication ​

Requirements:

  • Strong passwords
  • Email verification
  • Two-factor authentication (if available)
  • Account lockout

Session Security ​

Configuration:

  • Secure session cookies
  • HTTP-only cookies
  • Same-site cookies
  • Session timeout

Authorization ​

Role-Based Access ​

Best Practices:

  • Principle of least privilege
  • Regular permission review
  • Remove unused permissions
  • Monitor access

User Permissions ​

Management:

  • Assign appropriate roles
  • Review regularly
  • Remove when no longer needed
  • Audit access

Account Security ​

Account Lockout ​

Configuration:

  • Max login attempts
  • Lockout duration
  • Automatic unlock
  • Notification

Password Policies ​

Enforce:

  • Minimum length
  • Complexity requirements
  • Password expiration
  • Password history

Data Protection ​

Data Encryption ​

At Rest ​

Database:

  • Encrypt sensitive fields
  • Use database encryption
  • Secure backups

Files:

  • Encrypt sensitive files
  • Secure storage
  • Access control

In Transit ​

HTTPS:

  • Always use HTTPS
  • SSL/TLS encryption
  • Secure connections

Data Backup Security ​

Backup Security:

  • Encrypt backups
  • Secure storage
  • Access control
  • Regular testing

Privacy Protection ​

User Data ​

Protection:

  • Collect only necessary data
  • Secure storage
  • Access control
  • Data retention policies

GDPR Compliance ​

Requirements:

  • User consent
  • Data access rights
  • Data deletion
  • Privacy policy

SSL/HTTPS Setup ​

Why SSL is Important ​

  • ✅ Encrypts data transmission
  • ✅ Builds user trust
  • ✅ Required for payments
  • ✅ Improves SEO
  • ✅ Prevents man-in-the-middle attacks

Obtaining SSL Certificate ​

Let's Encrypt (Free) ​

Install Certbot:

bash
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

# CentOS/RHEL
sudo yum install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

Obtain Certificate:

bash
# Nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com

# Apache
sudo certbot --apache -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com

Auto-Renewal:

bash
sudo certbot renew --dry-run

Force HTTPS ​

Application Configuration ​

.env:

env
APP_URL=https://yourdomain.com

Middleware:

  • Force HTTPS middleware
  • Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
  • Secure cookies

Security Updates ​

Regular Updates ​

Application Updates ​

Laravel:

bash
composer update
php artisan migrate

Dependencies:

  • Update regularly
  • Check for vulnerabilities
  • Test before production

System Updates ​

Server:

  • Update OS regularly
  • Update PHP
  • Update web server
  • Update database

Security Monitoring ​

Log Monitoring ​

Monitor:

  • Access logs
  • Error logs
  • Security logs
  • Application logs

Vulnerability Scanning ​

Tools:

  • Security scanners
  • Dependency checkers
  • Penetration testing
  • Regular audits

Incident Response ​

Response Plan ​

  1. Identify:

    • Detect security issue
    • Assess impact
    • Contain threat

  2. Respond:

    • Fix vulnerability
    • Restore services
    • Notify users if needed

  3. Recover:

    • Verify fix
    • Monitor for issues
    • Document incident

Best Practices ​

General Security ​

  1. Keep Updated:

    • Regular updates
    • Security patches
    • Dependency updates

  2. Use Strong Credentials:

    • Complex passwords
    • Unique per account
    • Rotate regularly

  3. Limit Access:

    • Principle of least privilege
    • Remove unused access
    • Regular review

  4. Monitor Activity:

    • Log monitoring
    • Anomaly detection
    • Regular audits

  5. Backup Regularly:

    • Automated backups
    • Test restores
    • Secure storage

Troubleshooting ​

Security Issues ​

Solutions:

  1. Review security logs
  2. Check permissions
  3. Verify configurations
  4. Update software
  5. Consult security experts

Last Updated: [Date will be updated during final review]

Released under the MIT License.

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