Website Audit Plan

Here’s an extensive, reorganized, and non-redundant audit list for a PHP-based website connected to a MySQL database:

1. Security Audit

Input Validation and Sanitization: Verify data validation and sanitization to prevent SQL injection, XSS, and CSRF attacks.
Authentication and Authorization: Ensure secure user authentication and robust access control mechanisms.
Session Management: Review secure session handling, including session expiry and protection against session hijacking.
Encryption: Confirm the use of encryption for data at rest and in transit (e.g., HTTPS, password hashing).
Error Handling and Logging: Check for proper error handling that avoids exposing sensitive data and secure log management.
File Uploads and Inclusion: Audit file upload functionalities for security and protection against path traversal.
Server Security: Assess firewalls, DDoS protection, and secure access protocols like SSH.

2. Hosting and Infrastructure Audit

Server Configuration: Review web server (e.g., Apache, Nginx) and database server settings.
Resource Allocation: Check if server resources (CPU, RAM, storage) meet current and future demands.
Hosting Type and Scalability: Assess if the hosting type (shared, VPS, dedicated, cloud) suits the website’s needs.
Uptime and Reliability: Ensure the hosting provider meets uptime guarantees and has redundant infrastructure.
Server Location: Confirm that server location aligns with the target audience for better load times.
SSL and HTTPS: Verify the installation and renewal of SSL certificates and the enforcement of HTTPS.
Backup Solutions: Ensure reliable and frequent backups with easy restoration options.
Technical Support: Review the quality and responsiveness of hosting provider support.

3. Code Quality Audit

Code Structure and Organization: Check for a clear, modular, and maintainable code structure.
Comments and Documentation: Ensure the code is well-documented with sufficient comments.
Performance Optimization: Identify inefficient code structures or database queries.
Reusability: Verify the use of reusable components and best practices for code maintainability.
Version Control: Confirm the use of version control systems (e.g., Git) for code tracking and collaboration.

4. Database Audit

Query Optimization: Ensure efficient SQL queries and the use of indexes.
Data Integrity: Review database constraints and data type definitions.
Access Control: Verify proper user privileges for database security.
Backup and Recovery: Confirm backup strategies and recovery plans.
Scalability: Check if the database design allows for future scaling (e.g., partitioning or sharding).

5. UI & UX Audit

Design Consistency: Ensure consistency in fonts, colors, and visual elements.
Responsiveness: Verify that the site adapts well to all devices and screen sizes.
Navigation: Check for intuitive and user-friendly navigation structures.
Accessibility Compliance: Confirm compliance with WCAG for inclusive design.
Interactive Elements: Review the responsiveness and feedback of forms, buttons, and CTAs.
User Feedback Mechanisms: Ensure clear feedback for user interactions (e.g., error messages, tooltips).

6. Content Audit

Relevance and Accuracy: Check that all content is up-to-date and relevant.
Readability: Ensure content is easy to read with appropriate formatting.
SEO Best Practices: Verify the use of keywords, meta descriptions, and alt text.
Grammar and Spelling: Audit for language accuracy.
Internal Linking: Ensure logical and useful internal links for navigation.
Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Review the effectiveness of CTAs for engagement.

7. Performance Audit

Page Load Speed: Identify elements that slow down load times and optimize them.
Load Testing: Simulate high-traffic conditions to measure site performance.
Caching Mechanisms: Confirm the use of caching (e.g., page, database query, and object caching).
Server-Side Configurations: Review PHP settings (memory_limit, max_execution_time) and database optimizations.

8. Compliance and Legal Audit

Data Protection Regulations: Ensure compliance with GDPR, CCPA, or other relevant data protection laws.
Cookie Policy and Consent: Check for cookie consent mechanisms.
Privacy and Legal Policies: Verify that privacy policies and terms of service are present and clear.
User Data Handling: Confirm secure data collection, storage, and processing practices.

9. SEO Technical Audit

Sitemap and Robots.txt: Ensure an XML sitemap is available and robots.txt is properly configured.
Canonical Tags: Verify the correct use of canonical tags.
Structured Data: Ensure the presence of structured data (e.g., Schema.org) for rich snippets.
Broken Links: Identify and fix any broken internal or external links.

10. Mobile Optimization Audit

Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure design and functionality are optimized for mobile devices.
Page Load Speed on Mobile: Optimize mobile-specific loading times.
Viewport Configuration: Confirm proper viewport settings.
Mobile Navigation and Pop-Ups: Check for mobile-friendly navigation and non-intrusive pop-ups.

11. Backup and Disaster Recovery Audit

Backup Frequency: Verify how often backups are taken and where they are stored.
Disaster Recovery Plan: Ensure a tested and documented disaster recovery plan is in place.
Testing Backups: Confirm that backup restoration processes are regularly tested.

12. User Feedback and Analytics Audit

Feedback Collection Tools: Ensure tools for collecting user feedback (e.g., surveys) are implemented.
Analytics Implementation: Verify the correct setup of analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics).
Conversion Tracking: Ensure goals for key user actions are tracked effectively.
Session Recording: Use session recording tools for additional UI/UX insights.

13. Third-Party Integration Audit

APIs and External Services: Review API integrations for reliability and security.
Payment Gateways: Ensure secure payment gateway integrations.
Social Media Plugins: Confirm that social media plugins do not impact page speed or user data security.

14. Scalability and Future-Proofing Audit

Scalable Architecture: Verify that the codebase and database can handle future growth.
Cloud and Load Balancing Options: Ensure that the website can be easily moved to cloud services or use load balancing as traffic grows.

15. Performance Monitoring Audit

Real-Time Monitoring: Implement tools to monitor website uptime and performance in real time.
Alerts and Notifications: Ensure alert mechanisms are in place for performance issues.
Load Balancing: Check if load balancing is utilized for handling high traffic.

This extensive list should cover all aspects for auditing a PHP-based website connected to a MySQL database. Let me know if you need more elaboration on any specific section!