🔴 CRITICAL - MUST COMPLETE BEFORE DEPLOYMENT
JWT_SECRET configured
Generate with: node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(64).toString('hex'))"
HTTPS enabled with valid SSL certificate
Let's Encrypt or commercial certificate installed
Database backed up
Full backup of SQLite database and uploaded files
Admin password changed from default
Default password was shown at server startup - change immediately
Security patches applied
server-patched.js deployed with all 7 critical fixes
🟠 HIGH PRIORITY - COMPLETE WITHIN 24 HOURS
CORS origin whitelist configured
Update ALLOWED_ORIGINS in .env with production domain
Email alerts configured
SMTP settings in .env, test alert sent and received
Security monitoring active
Apply security monitoring middleware, logs directory created
Rate limiting enabled
5 login attempts per 15 minutes configured
Security headers configured
Helmet configured with CSP, HSTS, frame protection
🟡 MEDIUM PRIORITY - COMPLETE WITHIN 1 WEEK
Web Application Firewall (WAF) deployed
Cloudflare, AWS WAF, or ModSecurity configured
Database encryption enabled
ENCRYPTION_KEY set, sensitive fields encrypted
Backup automation configured
Daily automated backups to secure location
DDoS protection enabled
Cloudflare or AWS Shield protection active
Log rotation configured
Weekly rotation, 12 weeks retention
🟢 LOW PRIORITY - COMPLETE WITHIN 1 MONTH
External penetration test completed
Third-party security firm validates security
Security documentation updated
Incident response plan, runbooks, contact list
Team security training completed
All staff trained on security best practices
Bug bounty program established
HackerOne or Bugcrowd program active
Security monitoring dashboard set up
Grafana, DataDog, or SIEM visualization
✅ PRE-DEPLOYMENT TESTING
Login functionality tested
Admin, technician, and customer logins all working
API endpoints functional
All /api/ routes responding correctly with auth
File uploads working
Before/after photos upload successfully
Mobile app APK tested
Tech app installs and functions on Android device
Email notifications working
Security alerts received at admin email
SSL certificate valid
Browser shows secure lock, no certificate warnings
📋 POST-DEPLOYMENT VERIFICATION
Website accessible via HTTPS
https://yourdomain.com loads without errors
Security headers verified
Check with securityheaders.com
SSL Labs A+ rating achieved
Test at ssllabs.com/ssltest
First security alert received
Test with /api/admin/test-security-alert endpoint
Log files being written
logs/combined.log and logs/security.log exist with data