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NSDAR Online Policies for Public Digital Platforms - Websites, Social Media, and Emerging Technologies - DIGITAL SECURITY

By Deb Hvizdos posted 10 days ago

  

DIGITAL SECURITY

Digital security is the practice of protecting your personal information, accounts, and devices from online threats. In simple terms, it’s about staying safe and private in the online world, similar to protecting your home and belongings in the physical world. In a world where everything is connected, your personal cyber safety is only as strong as the community’s collective defense, making every person a critical link in the security chain. Cyber threats aren’t a distant, abstract problem; they are a constant, invisible burglar at your digital doorstep, actively looking for a way to steal your identity, cripple your operations, or hold your data and all DAR’s data for ransom. We owe it to our amazing organization to be good stewards and good keepers of all DAR data and resources.

Confidentiality: Keeping your information private so only authorized people can see it.

● Real-world example: A bank account statement is only accessible to you, not anyone who finds your computer.

● DAR example: e-Membership information kept private and only accessible to those that have a need. Insignia shopping credit card information.

Integrity: Ensuring that your data is accurate and has not been changed or corrupted by an unauthorized person.

● Real-world example: A hacker can’t change the amount of money in your online bank account.

● DAR example: e-Membership, Prospective Members Database, and GRS kept safe, intact and private from those that do not have a need to use it.    

Availability: Making sure that your systems and data are accessible to you when you need them.

● Real-world example: A cyberattack that shuts down a website (like a bank’s online services) is a threat to availability

● DAR example: National Public website and Members Site availability, Insignia shopping availability.

SECURITY SUGGESTIONS

The Security Guide contains easy-to-follow tips for safer passwords, websites, and servers. Topics covered include suggestions for:

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7 days ago

I am very concerned about security and budget. Our chapter has a wordpress site hosted on Dreampress using the free shared hosting service for non-profits.
When I took over in May I could not update to PHP8.x because the theme was not compatible. I rebuilt the site on a new theme on a staging site (which required a paid hosting service). Fortunately, Florida VIS team and NSDAR were quick to work with me to win approval and 6 months later the unbudgeted hosting fee is no longer necessary. Additionally, I built a member only password protected site, which links to files, calendar, and embedded yearbook slideshow in the chapter’s free for non-profits GOOGLE Workspace. Finally, we have Mailchimp forms on the Public site (for prospective members) and the password protected member site (for members to update their contact info). 
I would like to know which Wordpress  security plug-ins are recommended and when to upgrade to a paid versions. Right now I have Simple Security, Jetpack, Askimet, Wordfence. To back up the websites I have multiple choices, from Dreamhost to the above plug-ins paid versions. 

Any thoughts?