Guide to Protecting Your WordPress Site from Hacking and Vulnerabilities in 2023
WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world. More than 63% of websites are built on this CMS, making it one of the most attractive targets for hackers. One of the reasons why WordPress is frequently targeted is because it uses many open-source plugins. These plugins can contain malicious code and scripts that give hackers the ability to inject malware into WordPress and carry out criminal activities. Additionally, hackers also use new WordPress Google Dorks to search for vulnerable sites and confidential information.
Here are a few common reasons why WordPress sites get hacked:
- Vulnerabilities in third-party plugins and themes - many plugins and themes contain vulnerabilities that hackers can use to hack into your site.
- Weak passwords - weak admin account passwords can easily be hacked, giving hackers full access to your site.
- Outdated WordPress versions - outdated WordPress versions can contain vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to hack your site.
- Unauthorized access to files and folders - if files and folders on the server are not properly configured, hackers can gain access to them and make changes to your site.
- SQL injection attacks - SQL injection attacks can allow hackers to gain access to your site's database and modify its content.
- Brute force attacks - hackers can use password cracking software to guess the admin password and gain access to your site.
- Malware infection - hackers can inject malware into your site that can be used to steal user data or spread malicious programs.
Websites on the Internet can be subject to hacking attempts, not just sites on the WordPress platform. However, WordPress is the most popular website builder in the world, which makes it a frequent target for hackers. Evidence of this is the high volume of search queries for the phrase "how to hack a WordPress site in 2023".
Reasons for WordPress Hacking
Reason 1. Vulnerable Plugins and Themes
One of the most common reasons for WordPress website hacking is the use of vulnerable plugins and themes. Some plugin and theme developers do not update their products, making them vulnerable to attacks. To avoid this, it is recommended to use only reliable plugins and themes that are regularly updated. It is also recommended to remove all unused plugins and themes to reduce the likelihood of vulnerabilities.
Reason 2. Weak Passwords and Insufficient Administrator Account Protection
Weak passwords and insufficient protection of the administrator account are another common reason for WordPress website hacking. Hackers can use dictionary attacks or brute force attacks to gain access to the administrator account and gain full control over the website. To avoid this, it is recommended to use strong passwords and two-factor authentication, as well as not to use the username "admin".
Reason 3. Outdated WordPress Version
Some WordPress site owners fail to update their sites to the latest versions, which makes them vulnerable to known vulnerabilities. To avoid this, it is important to regularly update your site to the latest version of WordPress.
Reason 4. Insufficient wp-config.php Protection
The wp-config.php file contains confidential information about your WordPress site, including database information and encryption keys. If this file is compromised, hackers can gain access to your database. To avoid this, make sure the wp-config.php file is located in a secure place and protected from external access.
Of course, this is not a comprehensive list of all possible reasons for WordPress site hacking, but following these recommendations can significantly improve the security of your site.
Various Methods of Hacking WordPress Sites
Hackers use various methods to gain access to WordPress sites depending on their goals. Below are the most common attacks and methods used on sites created on the WordPress platform:
- Creating new users via FTP If HTTP is inaccessible for hackers, they will try to gain access to the FTP server and create new administrator accounts. All they need is FTP access to your website. Being an administrator, the hacker will get all the necessary information to connect to the server and create new user accounts by creating a new function using your theme.
- Changing the functions.php file There are two ways to modify the functions.php file: the first one is through cPanel, the second one is using an FTP client. Using cPanel, hackers open the file manager and find the active theme folder. Then, they go to the public_html/wp_content/themes folder and find the theme. It remains only to open its functions.php file and add code before the closing tag. Don't forget to change the password. After creating a new account, hackers remove the code from the functions.php file.
- Using cPanel/MySQL This method is used to change the password of an existing user or to create a new account. To do this, you need access to cPanel or the website database via MySQL. If you use cPanel, log in, find and open phpMyAdmin. Find the table that ends with _users (most likely it will be wp_users), and edit the user_pass field, replacing the password hash with one generated using the MD5 algorithm. Then save the changes and log in to WordPress with the new password.
There are several techniques and exploits that can be used to hack WordPress. Some of them include:
- Password guessing attacks: Hackers can use password cracking software to automatically attempt to log in using various username and password combinations. To protect against such attacks, it's important to use strong passwords and install plugins that can stop brute force attacks.
- Attacks on vulnerable plugins and themes: Hackers can look for vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins and themes and use them to hack the website. To avoid such attacks, it's important to regularly update plugins and themes, remove outdated plugins and themes that are no longer used, and choose only popular and trusted plugins and themes.
- Database attacks: Hackers can use vulnerabilities in WordPress to gain access to the website's database. To protect against such attacks, it's important to use strong passwords for the database, regularly backup the database, and encrypt data stored in the database.
- XSS attacks: Hackers can use XSS attacks to inject malicious JavaScript code onto WordPress website pages. To avoid such attacks, it's important to use firewalls and filters that can block malicious JavaScript code.
- Man-in-the-middle attacks: Hackers can use man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept data transmitted between the user and the WordPress server. To avoid such attacks, it's important to use SSL certificates to encrypt data transmitted between the user and the server, and to use secure Wi-Fi networks.
In general, to protect your WordPress website from hacking, it is important to use strong passwords, install only popular and trusted plugins and themes, regularly update plugins and themes, and create backups of the database.
XSS Attack in WordPress
XSS (cross-site scripting) is a common vulnerability in WordPress and can be used to gain access to users' cookie files, allowing attackers to impersonate them.
To protect against XSS attacks, it is recommended to use special plugins that filter malicious scripts and codes from user input. It is also important to use firewalls that can block requests containing suspicious characters and requests that resemble XSS attacks.
Another method of protecting against XSS attacks is to use HTTPS connections, as they can prevent traffic monitoring and data tampering. Finally, regular updates of WordPress and all plugins and themes installed on the site are an important step in preventing vulnerabilities, including XSS.
Malware
Malware is a serious threat to computer systems and devices. They can lead to data loss, financial losses, leakage of confidential information, and even identity theft. To protect against malware, it is recommended to use antivirus software and update it regularly, not to open suspicious emails and attachments, not to download software from unreliable sources, and not to visit suspicious websites. It is also important to regularly update the operating system and software to fix vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers to infect the system.
A few tips that can help improve the security of your website:
- Use two-factor authentication to log in to your account. This can significantly reduce the risk of your account being hacked even in case of password leakage.
- Limit the number of login attempts to your account. This can help prevent brute-force attacks on your password.
- Hide the WordPress version you are using. This can help prevent attacks that are based on known vulnerabilities in a specific version of WordPress.
- Use secure hosting. Hosting that provides good protection against DDoS attacks and other malware attacks can significantly improve the security of your website.
- Install an SSL certificate on your website. This will help protect the data transmitted between your website and users from interception.
- Periodically check your website for malware. This can be done using special online services such as VirusTotal.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Website Cleaning
The website cleaning service may include the following steps:
- Hacking Detection: Experts analyze your website to identify vulnerabilities and hacking methods. This allows them to find entry points for attackers and ensure that all vulnerabilities are fixed.
- Threat Blocking: Specialists block access by attackers to your website and hosting account to prevent further attacks.
- Malware Removal: Experts search for and remove malware that may be on your website. This includes removing viruses, Trojans, spyware, and other malicious elements.
- Data Recovery: If your website has been damaged or modified by attackers, the cleaning service can recover your data and restore the website to its normal state.
- Security Provision: Experts can offer additional security measures for your website to protect it from future threats and attacks.
Quick and efficient intervention
The Riverit team provides cleanup and protection services for WordPress sites. Our service includes quick and efficient intervention to regain control of the site and return it to its ideal working condition. The team will clean and protect your site within 48 hours or less. Cleanup involves removing malware, files, and code that can harm your site. Protection includes the installation and configuration of additional security measures to prevent future attacks. The Riverit team guarantees that your site will be cleaned and protected permanently.
Prioritized support
7 steps we take to guarantee the security of your site:
- We will transfer your site to a new and reliable hosting provider that will provide optimal protection and security for your site.
- We will conduct a complete scan of your site, starting with WordPress, to identify the problem and resolve it at the root.
- We will clean up your site by removing fraudulent files and notifying Google that your site meets their requirements. This will take 24-48 hours.
- We will install and configure high-performance security tools to prevent new attacks and minimize the risk of the problem recurring in the future.
- We will provide recommendations for securing your site to prevent future hacks.
- We will restore your site to be protected and 100% functional online.
- We will offer maintenance and service packages that include updates, backups, and security scanning to keep your site running and secure for 12 months.
We guarantee that your WordPress site will be securely protected through our procedures to enhance security. At any time, you can contact a security specialist for any questions related to the security of your site throughout the process.