Assessing Security Features of Drupal, Joomla, and WordPress

In terms of popularity among users across the globe, Joomla, Drupal, and WordPress are the most sought after Content Management Systems. CMS can be attributed for structural stability of World Wide Web as it accounts for building vital components of all websites. 

Since hackers thrive on loopholes and vulnerabilities of Content Management Systems, one needs to assess level of preparedness in the face of an impending attack by cyber criminals. In fact, popularity of CMS is directly proportional to its vulnerability to cyber attacks. 

It is hardly surprising as to why the developers of Content Management Systems pay significant attention to secure these systems in the wake of perpetually existing online threats. Content Management Systems share a common feature of being open source projects and are backed by communities of developers. 

These solutions rely on add-ons as well as extensions for supporting core codes to facilitate additional attributes. Every CMS solution has unique approach as far as security of the system is concerned. Although these platforms differ from each other in terms of security features, they share a common scripting language in addition to sharing conventional database management systems. 

We take look at the major security aspects that influence use of three of the most popular Content Management Systems. 

WordPress

Popularity of CMS breeds hacking attempts. This statement aptly explains why WordPress is the most vulnerable CMS option. To further add to vulnerability of WordPress, there is a severe dearth of experts in the security team that includes a measly number of 25 engineers for the millions and millions of websites running on WordPress CMS. 

The most important issue impacts boosts vulnerability of CMS platforms to hacking attempts is the presence of entry points that exist due to a large number of extensions and plug-ins that belong to third parties. In fact more than 55 percent of vulnerabilities of WordPress can be attributed to such entry points. 

In spite of the fact that members of paid WordPress services are provided special attention, the threat of online attacks still persists. VIP clients of paid WordPress hosting are looked after by team of security experts that undertake through review of code to identify weak areas. 

In addition to this the experts are also able to provide valuable guidance to mitigate maintenance related expenditure and chances of major disrupting events. Users also receive valuable guidance regarding the best practices and measures for updating their platforms to keep hackers at bay. 

Joomla

Since Joomla CMS is the only hardcore Content Management System among all major solutions being discussed in this article, it also offers a steep learning curve due to its inherent complexities. Joomla is not meant for users who are looking for DYI solutions. 

Joomla hosting provides a large volume of documents that instigate users to rely less on the system and perform special tasks to enhance security of their CMS platform. Even though, the core of Joomla is designed to be seamlessly secure there is always a possibility of loopholes, being created while configuring the system.

Joomla provides a huge assortment of information to step up security measures and thus makes up for the excruciatingly inadequate security teams that includes only thirteen personnel. 

Drupal

Drupal’s seriousness regarding security of its platform reflects in its dedicated server hosting team of security professionals that comprises of developers who volunteer their expertise in securing the complex and huge volumes of content being handled by tech savvy users of Drupal Content Management System. 

The security credentials of Drupal can be easily gauged by the fact that large government and mission critical sites rely on Drupal CMS. Online management of critical data is facilitated by Drupal and it is for the same reason major organizations think of Drupal while establishing their online applications. Majority of security experts and consultants to government organizations are unanimous about security attributes of Drupal CMS hosting platform. 

Drupal is the most scalable platform as compared with Joomla and WordPress CMS platforms and this establishes it as the perfect solution for large and complex site that can be further expanded to accommodate larger volumes of information. Drupal allows seamless management of online information.

Statistical overview

Team of Drupal CMS has been successful in mitigation of vulnerabilities that were as high as 75 in the year 2008. In comparison to this the latest figures put the total vulnerabilities in the last two years to just 29. This underlines the string will to keep vulnerabilities under control. 

Cross site scripting has caused most of the vulnerabilities in WordPress as well as Joomla CMS. On the other hand, Joomla has been dealing more with attacks of SQL injection as well as flaws in the execution of codes. 

In conclusion

After studying the nature and incidence of vulnerabilities, one can conclude that Drupal is far more reliable Content Management System as compared with Joomla or WordPress.