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NexlifyDesk is built with security and performance as top priorities to ensure a fast, reliable, and safe helpdesk experience. Learn how to implement advanced security measures and optimize performance.
From custom encryption keys to advanced rate limiting, NexlifyDesk provides multiple layers of security to protect your support data and prevent abuse.
NexlifyDesk supports a custom encryption key for securing sensitive data like email passwords and API keys. This offers enhanced security over using the default WordPress AUTH_KEY, isolating your helpdesk's sensitive credentials.
While the default WordPress AUTH_KEY is secure, it is shared across the entire WordPress core and other plugins. A custom key provides a dedicated layer of security for your helpdesk data.
The custom key is used only by NexlifyDesk, isolating it from the WordPress core and reducing its potential exposure during site-wide security audits.
Uses the powerful 256-bit AES encryption standard to protect your data with military-grade security.
The key is generated and managed entirely by the site administrator, providing full control over data security.
Using a dedicated, isolated key helps meet stricter data security and compliance standards like GDPR and HIPAA.
Follow these steps to generate and implement your custom encryption key.
You can generate a secure, random key using one of the following methods. The key should be a 32-character base64 string.
Go to NexlifyDesk > Settings > Email Piping. Find the "Enhanced Security" section and click the "Generate New Key" button.
Run the following command in your terminal:
openssl rand -base64 32
Execute the following PHP code:
echo base64_encode(openssl_random_pseudo_bytes(32));
Copy your newly generated key and add it to your website's wp-config.php file. Place it just before the line that says /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */.
define('NEXLIFYDESK_ENCRYPTION_KEY', 'YOUR_GENERATED_KEY_HERE');
Replace YOUR_GENERATED_KEY_HERE with your actual generated key. Keep this key secure and never share it publicly.
Navigate back to NexlifyDesk > Settings > Email Piping. A confirmation message, "Custom encryption key is active," should now be visible.
If you see the confirmation message, your custom encryption key is properly configured and protecting your sensitive data.
Proper management of your encryption key is crucial for maintaining security.
Your wp-config.php file contains sensitive information. Ensure its file permissions are secure (644 or 600) and it is not publicly accessible.
Securely back up your encryption key and document its location. Losing the key will result in the permanent loss of access to encrypted data.
For maximum security, you can periodically rotate your key. Note that rotating a key requires re-entering all previously encrypted settings in the admin panel.
The custom encryption key is used to protect the most sensitive credentials stored by NexlifyDesk:
This indicates the NEXLIFYDESK_ENCRYPTION_KEY constant has not been correctly added to your wp-config.php file.
Solution: Double-check the constant name spelling and placement in wp-config.php.
This typically occurs after the encryption key has been changed. You must re-enter and save all encrypted passwords and API keys.
Solution: Re-enter all email passwords and API credentials in the admin panel.
The system doesn't detect your custom key.
Solution: Verify the constant name is spelled correctly and the key value is a valid base64 string with no extra spaces.
All forms and AJAX requests are protected with WordPress nonces to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks.
All user input is strictly sanitized and validated before being processed or stored in the database to prevent SQL injection and XSS attacks.
Implements strict checks on file types and sizes to prevent the upload of malicious files. All uploads are scanned and validated.
Protects your ticket submission forms from spam and abuse by limiting the number of submissions from a single IP address in a given timeframe.
Employs a robust, role-based permission system to ensure that users and agents can only access the data and functions they are authorized for.
Utilizes a smart caching system to reduce the number of database queries, leading to faster page load times for both the frontend and backend.
Many frontend and backend actions are powered by AJAX, providing a smooth, responsive user experience without constant page reloads.
The database tables are designed with proper indexing to ensure that data retrieval is fast and efficient, even with a large volume of tickets.
Use WordPress object caching plugins like Redis or Memcached for better performance with high ticket volumes.
Periodically clean up old tickets and optimize database tables to maintain peak performance.
Set reasonable file size limits and consider using CDN for attachment storage to reduce server load.
Set up policies to automatically manage how long ticket data is stored, helping with GDPR compliance and database maintenance.
Provides an option to permanently delete old tickets and associated data to keep your database clean and optimized.
Allows for the export of your ticket data, ensuring portability and giving you full ownership of your support history.
NexlifyDesk includes features to help you comply with privacy regulations like GDPR, including data export, retention policies, and secure deletion capabilities.
Follow this checklist to ensure your NexlifyDesk installation is secure and optimized:
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