Site Managers canÌýdo their partÌýtoÌýensure that users' confidential information is protected when they fill out webforms.
Don't ask for financial information
AskingÌýusers to provide the following information via a WMS formÌýis absolutely verboten:
- credit card numbers
- debit card numbers
Any forms that have collected such information will be immediately flagged and shut down.
Furthermore, any database backupsÌýcontaining credit card informationÌýwill be deleted.Ìý
Since backups contain more than oneÌýWMS site, deletionÌýwill not justÌýaffect the site where the form originated. Multiple sites may find their abilityÌýto have their databases restored compromised.
Don't show user credentials
Anonymous forms that ask users to enter the following informationÌýwill also be flagged but not shut down:
- Â鶹AV ID
- password
- username
Site AdministratorsÌýwill be notified so they can ensure that the form is authenticatedÌý(i.e., requires users to login) and these fields are removed.
If Â鶹AV IDs and usernames are required to verify a user's identity, the fields should be modified to use tokens so this information can be saved in the submission records.
Webform best practices
- Authenticate, authenticate, authenticate
Most security issues can be averted simply by asking users to login. Just uncheck anonymous user under SUBMISSION ACCESS in the Form Settings.
You can also further restrict your form by making it available only to certain roles or user groups:- Â鶹AV Staff and Faculty
- Â鶹AV Casual Staff
- Â鶹AV Affiliate
- Â鶹AV Student
- Â鶹AV Undergraduate Student
- Â鶹AV Academic Staff
- All Faculty and Staff
- Don't create a spam portal
Anonymous forms should not send confirmation messages that reference any text entered by users. Such fields should be unchecked under INCLUDED E-MAIL VALUES under settings for E-mails.
Confirmation emailsÌýfromÌýanonymous formsÌýshould be restricted toÌýsimpleÌýthank you messages. TheseÌýcan also beÌýforgone in favour of aÌýConfirmation messageÌýthat appears only on the form - which can beÌýconfigured underÌýForm settings > SUBMISSION SETTINGS. - Protecting Anonymous forms
If your form has to remain anonymous in order to accept submissions from persons who do not have Â鶹AV credentials, there are certain measures you can take to prevent or reduce spam submissions.
Even when anonymous, a user's IP address is collected whenever a form is submitted. This means that you can use the Per user submission limit under the Form settings to foil spambots.
Though set to unlimited by default, you can specify the number of submissions allowed for a given period of time.
- Backup your webform submissions
Webform submissions can be stored on the WMS for only 40 days, at which point they automatically expire. Site managers should download their Webform submissions routinely.Ìý
Just go to the RESULTS tab and click on Download in order to save submissions either as Delimited text or as Microsoft Excel files. - Be cautious with files
If you are using a File field, make sure that your form is authenticated.
You should also set which types of files can be uploaded. NoteÌýthat some file types are more likely to contain malicious code than others (e.g., word files versus PDFs). Never, ever accept .exe files.
Lastly, makeÌýsure that you scan filesÌýthat you download from form submissions before opening them.Ìý
This article was updated August 30, 2020
Related content: