WordPress, which emerged as a blogging tool, has transformed into a mighty website builder and content management system. You don’t have to be tech-savvy to use WordPress. Once you’ve set up the installation, publishing an article or a blog post is as easy as ABC. Not only is WordPress the most popular open-source website creation platform but also the most hacked one. WordPress websites have exploitable vulnerabilities, many issues being interrelated. Once malicious actors gain access to the website, they run all sorts of activities such as stealing sensitive information, displaying illegal content, or defrauding customers. Needless to say, getting hacked is a waste of time, money, and energy.
In this article, we’ll discuss 3 WordPress-related issues that are worth recognizing and understanding. Don’t fret because there are things you can do to keep you and your site safe. Rather than sitting back and waiting to be infected, you’d better arm yourself and fight back. Make sure you’re not affected and you feel safe while using WordPress as your CMS.
Issues found in themes and plugins
Each WordPress theme addresses the needs of a different audience. Therefore, it’s necessary to opt for a theme that will complement the content of your site. For instance, if you’re thinking about starting a blog on politics and international relations, it’s a good idea to use a theme that enhances readability. It’s just an example. Although they might require some customization, the templates offer numerous advantages. WordPress plugins, on the other hand, add functionality and new features to your website. You can find countless free plugins in the WordPress directory.
For years, there hasn’t been any important vulnerability in the WordPress core. That’s because it’s maintained by a team of experienced and qualified developers. WordPress developers work day and night to ensure that the platform is completely secure. Unfortunately, themes and plugins still present some vulnerability. It’s not that WordPress is an insecure system; it’s just that WordPress is that the plugins and themes are created by third-party developers, which explains why vulnerabilities occur so frequently.
To ensure the security of the code, use a web-app firewall. Most importantly, only use themes and plugins from trustworthy sources. The themes and plugins should be updated on a regular basis to avoid incompatibility with the latest version. If you have serious doubts regarding a theme or plugin, it’s better to use a database that lists the most common vulnerabilities throughout WordPress. A specialized security scanner will let you know if there’s any risk involved.
WordPress Core Vulnerabilities
WordPress is an open-source project, which translates into the fact that people from all corners of the globe bring their contribution. We’re talking about an ever-increasing community that makes WordPress better by the day. The source code is easily obtainable, so businesses, regardless of their size, can reduce expenditure and take advantage of innovation opportunities. Thousands of talented people make their contribution to WordPress. That’s good, but it also has a downside. To be more precise, malicious actors are able to identify core vulnerabilities and, of course, exploit them.
What you need to do is to force WordPress to check for updates. You don’t want to expose your website to an attack, do you? Make sure you’re using an updated version of WordPress and stop running older versions with PHP, scripting language, etc. In case you didn’t already know, WordPress developers have identified those exploits and made adjustments to help make WordPress more secure. Updating won’t break your website. On the contrary, it will improve the performance of the site.
Chances are that you don’t know where to start. Well, it’s not as complicated as you think. All you have to do is log in to the admin area of the site and go to Dashboard >> Updates page. Once you’ve identified the new version of WordPress click on the Update Now button. During the upgrade process, your website will be in maintenance mode. If you refuse to update your site, you’re risking website security, not to mention that you’re missing out on the latest improvements. The latest security enhancements prevent the website from being exploited. Basically, you can defend yourself against malicious code hackers.
SQL injection attacks
An SQL injection is basically a code injection technique. What happens is that malicious SQL queries or statements are injected into the database, via web page input. Cyber criminals frequently deploy this technique to obtain unauthorized access to sensitive data, which can take the form of personal information, trade secrets, intellectual property, and so on. Never allow access to your MySQL credentials and make sure to keep up with updates. Undoubtedly, the best approach is to take control of user input and keep an eye out for attack patterns. Pattern matching can be used to identify and detect abnormal behavior from a sequential action.
Control field entries and data submissions. In this respect, it’s necessary to reach out to a developer. Last but not least, use a WordPress firewall, which acts as a shield between you and incoming traffic. Security threats are blocked even before they reach your website. Even if you’re not running a vulnerable theme or plugin, it’s still a good idea to install a firewall. Do a test and see if indeed your WordPress website is vulnerable to attacks. Run your own attack and see what happens. Test your site with a professional tool and fix vulnerabilities before hackers take notice of them.
All in all, security attacks can be easily disguised and difficult to deal with. The good news is that with basic security practices, you can easily prevent cyber-attacks from impacting your WordPress website. Take the necessary steps to enhance online security and protect yourself from malicious actors. Failing to take the measures enumerated above means that you’re at serious risk. So, be careful. Regardless of what type of content your site might provide, you can be a target. Don’t relax now. Beef up your security and reap the rewards.
