# Secure a Buttons deployment

> Protect user access, restrict network exposure, secure integration credentials, and prepare for recovery.

Use this checklist to protect access to Buttons and the systems it controls. Follow the linked guides for setup instructions. Choose your setup Only on this computer You use Buttons on the computer where it is installed, and other devices cannot connect to it. Start with: Protect accounts and access Prepare for recovery If you add connections or API integrations, also follow Protect integration credentials . Other devices on your network You access Buttons from another computer, phone, or control surface on your network. This can be a home network or a larger installation. Follow the local-computer guidance, then: Check who can reach Buttons Protect network traffic Protect integration credentials Access from outside your network You or other users need to reach Buttons remotely. Follow all sections below. Before enabling remote access, review network exposure, HTTPS, and access permissions with whoever manages your network. Check who can reach Buttons Check which devices can connect to Buttons and whether it is reachable from outside your network. Check your firewall and any remote-access settings. Do not assume that every device on your network is trusted. For a local-only deployment, verify that remote devices cannot reach it. For network access, allow only the users, devices, and integrations that need it. For access from outside your network, review the exposure with your network administrator before opening ports. See the Network ports reference when planning firewall rules. Protect accounts and access Give each person their own account. Do not share passwords. See Create and manage users . Grant only the permissions each job needs. See Create roles and assign permissions . Treat PINs and NFC cards as credentials. Do not share them. See Set up PIN and NFC sign-in . Keep a tested local administrator account available for recovery. Store its credentials securely. If you use SSO, follow Get started with SSO for setup and testing. Review role synchronization and access removal when someone no longer needs access. If you lose the System Administrator password, follow the recovery procedure for your deployment. For desktop deployments, see administrator password recovery . Protect network traffic Use HTTPS with a trusted certificate for network access. Make sure the certificate covers the hostname users connect to. See Replace the HTTPS certificate . Restrict plain HTTP access or enforce HTTPS through your reverse proxy and firewall. Installing an HTTPS certificate does not disable HTTP. Arrange certificate renewal and monitor expiry. If an external certificate manager handles renewal, verify that renewed certificates reach the endpoint users connect to. Protect integration credentials Use secret bindings for supported connection credential fields. See Store and rotate connection secrets . Replace bindings before deleting an in-use secret. Buttons does not block its deletion, and dependent connections may lose their credentials. For remote-execution tools such as Bitfocus Listener, allow only the remote actions you need. See Connect to Bitfocus Listener . Give each Control API integration its own key with only the permissions it needs. See Get started with the Control API . Set the API rate limit for your expected traffic and monitor the request log. See Secure and monitor the Control API . Revoke exposed API keys promptly. Revocation blocks subsequent authentication, but does not cancel requests or actions already authorized. Create a replacement key if needed. To choose an integration interface, see Choose how another system operates Buttons . Prepare for recovery Enable scheduled backups and monitor successful runs. See Configure and monitor scheduled backups . Test restoration on a non-production instance. A successful backup run does not prove that you can recover the deployment. Keep a separate backup of the current configuration before restoring. Restore and rollback operations can fail. See Restore and verify a backup . Store backup and export archives securely, and limit who can download them. Exported archives contain configuration and license data. Excluding stored secrets does not remove all sensitive data, such as credentials stored directly in configuration or certificate private keys. See Export or import Buttons configuration for what an archive contains. Monitor the deployment Review service health and investigate unexpected failures. See Interpret system health and restart services safely . If you need help, follow Collect logs and support evidence . Review the collected files for sensitive information before sharing them. Where to go next Settings overview