Using Joomla!, 2nd Edition

Chapter 14. Making Your Website Secure and Optimized

Security is something that should be taken very seriously. Joomla itself provides regular updates, and one easy thing you can do is always make sure you are using the latest versions of Joomla and that any extensions you use are updated. The Joomla Security Center provides updates on any vulnerabilities discovered in Joomla, and we recommend that you sign up for the mailing list to receive notifications when a security update is released. See Figure 14-1.

Figure 14-1. The Joomla Security Center

Tips and Best Practices

There are so many great Joomla extensions and it’s tempting to try them all, but you should do your homework first. If you find an extension you want to use, check to see if it has any known vulnerabilities on the Joomla Vulnerable Extensions List. Also, browse around the help section of the developer’s site and see if users have reported issues. Is the developer responsive to support questions? Has the developer made regular, timely updates to fix and improve the extension? What kind of support can you expect? Is there a paid support option? These are important questions you need to consider before choosing an extension. Doing some research and searches on Google will help you form a picture of the safety and security of that extension.

You also need to do similar research on your web hosting company. Is it responsive ...