Avoid Getting Hacked


        Joomla! Web Security
        Northern Virginia Joomla Users Group
        January 2012
        Dorothy Firsching, Ursa Major Consulting, LLC
        dfirsching@ursamajorconsulting.com



1-19-2012             www.ursamajorconsulting.com       1
Agenda
   Discuss Security Considerations and
    Approaches
   Identify Resources and References
   Additional Programs / Presenters?




1-19-2012      www.ursamajorconsulting.com   2
Joomla! Web Security Discussion
   PHP-based / database driven sites are
    vulnerable
           SQL Injections -- Commands where data
            input is expected
           Validate Inputs and Enforce size
           Current version of PHP with appropriate
            settings
           Secure coding practices --
            http://joomladaymidwest.org/news/slides-
            and-video/2011/slides-jeff-channell-
            secure-php-coding-practices.html

1-19-2012             www.ursamajorconsulting.com   3
Pick a Good Host
   Shared Host Vulnerabilities
     http://docs.joomla.org/Security_Checklist_2
      _-_Hosting_and_Server_Setup
     Choose a good hosting provider
                – experienced in Joomla; responsiveness; forums
                / helps
           Appropriate permissions
               Directories = 755
               Files = 644
               .htaccess, configuration.php = 644
           Webserver is set up to use user account as
            owner of PHP-created files

1-19-2012                 www.ursamajorconsulting.com          4
Upgrade Regularly
   Upgrade to Latest Version of Joomla
           Akeeba Admin Tools
   Use Safe Extensions
   Upgrade Extensions
           Check the vulnerability list --
            http://docs.joomla.org/Vulnerable_Extensions_List

           Subscribe to updates
   Keep a spreadsheet of your sites
           And the versions they use

1-19-2012               www.ursamajorconsulting.com       5
Joomla Setup
   Password protect folders in control panel
   Use a site-specific database username and
    password
   Change jos_ table prefix
   Hide Admin login
           jSecure Authentication Plugin
           add a suffix to your back-end URL to make it
            look like this:
            http://www.mysite.com/administrator?199abbetc


1-19-2012              www.ursamajorconsulting.com     6
Access Control
   http://docs.joomla.org/Security_Checklist_4_-_Joomla_Setu
   Strong Passwords
   Change Admin Username and Number
      Default ID for admin user in Joomla is 62, and this
       may be used by a hacker
               Create a new super-administrator with another user
                name and a strong password
               Log out and in again as this new user
               Change original admin user to a manager and save (you
                are not allowed to delete a super-administrator).
               Delete original admin user (user ID 62) and rename
                from the default Admin to a new one.



1-19-2012                  www.ursamajorconsulting.com              7
Backups / Upgrades
   Akeeba Backup
           Remove backups from site
   Multi-backup scheme
   Test restoration / upgrades
           Test site is helpful
   Hosting provider backups
   Hosting provider virus scans or site backup
    using local download / scan
   http://docs.joomla.org/Security_Checklist_6_-_S


1-19-2012                 www.ursamajorconsulting.com   8
Vulnerabilties
   Old Joomla! versions
   Community Builder before 1.7.1
   JCE before 2.0.19
   Unchecked user input (SQL injection,
    buffer overflows)
   eXtplorer left on site
   http://
    docs.joomla.org/Vulnerable_Extensions_L
1-19-2012     www.ursamajorconsulting.com   9
Check What’s Happening
   Logs / AWSTATS / other packages
   Google Analytics
   File Modification Dates / Contents




1-19-2012      www.ursamajorconsulting.com   10
Resources
   http://docs.joomla.org/Category:Security_Check
   http://joomladaymidwest.org/news/slides-and-v

   Securing PHP Web Applications, Tricia
    Ballard and William Ballard, 2009
   Joomla! Web Security, Tom Canavan, Packt
    Publishing, 2008; out-of-date but still
    useful.



1-19-2012       www.ursamajorconsulting.com   11

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Avoid Getting Hacked! Presentation on Joomla! Web Security

  • 1. Avoid Getting Hacked Joomla! Web Security Northern Virginia Joomla Users Group January 2012 Dorothy Firsching, Ursa Major Consulting, LLC [email protected] 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 1
  • 2. Agenda  Discuss Security Considerations and Approaches  Identify Resources and References  Additional Programs / Presenters? 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 2
  • 3. Joomla! Web Security Discussion  PHP-based / database driven sites are vulnerable  SQL Injections -- Commands where data input is expected  Validate Inputs and Enforce size  Current version of PHP with appropriate settings  Secure coding practices -- http://joomladaymidwest.org/news/slides- and-video/2011/slides-jeff-channell- secure-php-coding-practices.html 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 3
  • 4. Pick a Good Host  Shared Host Vulnerabilities  http://docs.joomla.org/Security_Checklist_2 _-_Hosting_and_Server_Setup  Choose a good hosting provider  – experienced in Joomla; responsiveness; forums / helps  Appropriate permissions  Directories = 755  Files = 644  .htaccess, configuration.php = 644  Webserver is set up to use user account as owner of PHP-created files 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 4
  • 5. Upgrade Regularly  Upgrade to Latest Version of Joomla  Akeeba Admin Tools  Use Safe Extensions  Upgrade Extensions  Check the vulnerability list -- http://docs.joomla.org/Vulnerable_Extensions_List  Subscribe to updates  Keep a spreadsheet of your sites  And the versions they use 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 5
  • 6. Joomla Setup  Password protect folders in control panel  Use a site-specific database username and password  Change jos_ table prefix  Hide Admin login  jSecure Authentication Plugin  add a suffix to your back-end URL to make it look like this: http://www.mysite.com/administrator?199abbetc 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 6
  • 7. Access Control  http://docs.joomla.org/Security_Checklist_4_-_Joomla_Setu  Strong Passwords  Change Admin Username and Number  Default ID for admin user in Joomla is 62, and this may be used by a hacker  Create a new super-administrator with another user name and a strong password  Log out and in again as this new user  Change original admin user to a manager and save (you are not allowed to delete a super-administrator).  Delete original admin user (user ID 62) and rename from the default Admin to a new one. 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 7
  • 8. Backups / Upgrades  Akeeba Backup  Remove backups from site  Multi-backup scheme  Test restoration / upgrades  Test site is helpful  Hosting provider backups  Hosting provider virus scans or site backup using local download / scan  http://docs.joomla.org/Security_Checklist_6_-_S 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 8
  • 9. Vulnerabilties  Old Joomla! versions  Community Builder before 1.7.1  JCE before 2.0.19  Unchecked user input (SQL injection, buffer overflows)  eXtplorer left on site  http:// docs.joomla.org/Vulnerable_Extensions_L 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 9
  • 10. Check What’s Happening  Logs / AWSTATS / other packages  Google Analytics  File Modification Dates / Contents 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 10
  • 11. Resources  http://docs.joomla.org/Category:Security_Check  http://joomladaymidwest.org/news/slides-and-v  Securing PHP Web Applications, Tricia Ballard and William Ballard, 2009  Joomla! Web Security, Tom Canavan, Packt Publishing, 2008; out-of-date but still useful. 1-19-2012 www.ursamajorconsulting.com 11