Layered Protection
Physical security practitioners are taught the concept of layered protection commonly referred to as the five Ds of protection.
- Deter – discourage attackers.
- Detect – cameras, intrusion detection systems.
- Deny – physical barriers, access control.
- Delay – reinforced doors, bollards.
- Defend – physical force, or cyber security measures.
Cyber security measures related to website security.
At a higher level, what can we do to increase the security of our website and decrease our vulnerability to attack, and potential loss of data?
- Choose a host that offers robust server security.
- Implement a Secure Socket Layer Certificate (SSL) to encrypt data transmitted between the user’s browser and your site.
- Perform regular backups of files and databases in case of a security incident.
WordPress Security Measures.
Within the WordPress environment there are a number of items that may be implemented to bolster the security level of your site.
- Updates – keep WordPress and plugins updated.
- Manage passwords – enforce strong passwords and consider two factor authentication.
- Use security and monitoring tools – employ firewalls and monitor for suspicious activity.
- Perform regular backups – store in a separate location.
- Scan for threats – scan for malware and security vulnerabilities
- Limit access – manage user access based on user roles (Król, 2019)
- Limit access – manage user access based on user roles (Król, 2019)
User Management
WordPress, for a single site, offers five user levels. These are, in hierarchical order:
- Admin – full website control
- Editor – publish and manage posts and pages, moderate comments, manage categories and tags and upload media files.
- Author – write, edit publish and delete posts, upload media for their own content.
- Contributor – write and edit their own post and submit for approval,
- Subscriber -manage their own profile and view content (Król, 2019)
Since my site will be relatively small, I visualize a smaller number of user roles limited to subscribers, an author or editor. (based on trust) and potentially an additional admin as a backup.
Summary
The need for website security can best be summarized by Ben Franklin’s advice to Philadelphians, in 1735, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. (Franklin, 1735)
References
Franklin, B. (1735, February 4). On Protection of Towns from Fire. The Pennsylvania Gazette.
Król, K. (2019). WordPress 5 Complete. Packt Publishing.