Plone Security Hardening Guide

Plone is a secure CMS by default. But extra hardening is needed for high-risk environments. This guide covers advanced protection measures.

Why Harden Plone Security?

Plone has strong out-of-the-box security. But additional hardening helps against sophisticated attacks. It's critical for sensitive data.

Proper security protects against data breaches. It also ensures compliance with regulations like GDPR. Never skip security hardening.

1. Secure Plone Installation

Start with a secure foundation. Always use the latest Plone version. Older versions may have unpatched vulnerabilities.

Install Plone in a dedicated environment. Never use shared hosting for production. Isolate your Plone instance.

# Install Plone in a Python virtual environment
python -m venv plone-env
source plone-env/bin/activate
pip install Plone

2. Configure Production Security Settings

Plone's security settings need adjustment for production. Update the buildout.cfg file with secure defaults.

[instance]
http-address = 8080
debug-mode = off
verbose-security = on

Set debug-mode to off. Enable verbose-security for better logging. These changes reduce attack surface.

3. Implement Strong Authentication

Basic authentication isn't enough. Add two-factor authentication (2FA) for admin accounts. Use Plone's plone.app.multifactor package.

For API access, use JWT tokens. The plone.restapi package supports secure token authentication. Learn more about Plone REST API security.

4. Harden File System Permissions

Proper file permissions prevent unauthorized access. Follow the principle of least privilege. Restrict access to sensitive directories.

# Set secure permissions for Plone instance
chmod 750 var
chmod 640 etc/zope.conf

5. Configure Web Server Security

Use a reverse proxy like Nginx. Add security headers and SSL. Here's a sample Nginx configuration:

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name example.com;
    ssl_certificate /path/to/cert.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /path/to/key.pem;
    add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff;
    add_header X-Frame-Options DENY;
}

6. Regular Security Updates

Keep all components updated. This includes Plone, Python, and system packages. Subscribe to Plone security announcements.

Use pip to check for outdated packages:

pip list --outdated

7. Implement Rate Limiting

Protect against brute force attacks. Add rate limiting for login attempts. The plone.ratecontrol package can help.

For better performance under load, consider scaling Plone with ZEO and RelStorage.

8. Secure Content Workflows

Review and customize workflows. Ensure proper permissions for each state. Our workflow guide covers this in detail.

9. Database Security

Use separate database users with limited privileges. Encrypt database connections. Regularly backup your data.

[instance]
zodb-adapter-type = relstorage
rel-storage = postgresql://ploneuser:password@localhost/plonedb?sslmode=require

10. Monitoring and Logging

Implement comprehensive logging. Monitor for suspicious activity. Set up alerts for security events.

Use tools like Fail2Ban to block repeated attacks. Check logs regularly:

tail -f var/log/instance.log

Conclusion

Plone security hardening is an ongoing process. Start with these measures and stay vigilant. Regular audits are essential.

Combine these techniques with Plone testing best practices for maximum security. A secure Plone protects both your data and users.