WordPress is undoubtedly the most popular content management system in the world. Millions of websites around the world are being powered by this CMS thanks to its usability and scalability. But this popularity has also made WordPress a happy hunting ground for the hackers. Hundreds of security issues have been unearthed and fixed over the years as newer versions of the CMS tightens screws on these security threats. However, since WordPress is used as a blogging tool by many newbies but for them security threat increases due to lack of awareness. Here we shall take a look at some of the common WordPress security threats and their solutions.
1. Password Hacking
This is the most common problem that most WordPress users around the world talk about. Having your WordPress website hacked can do a lot of damage to your image and to your brand. A professional hacker can gain access to the administrative section of your website and install scripts which can steal your data or damage the whole server. People fall victim due to the habit of using easy to remember passwords such as their names, phone numbers and date of birth.
Solution
- It is important that you set a password which isn’t predictable and has a combination of alphabets, numbers and special characters for example [ndyx#189@]. Also you should always uncheck the ‘Remember Me’ box when using a public computer.
2. Themes and Plugins
Since WordPress is an open source platform, there are a number of free plugins and themes available which enhance the functionality of your website. This allows a lot of malicious themes and plugins to circulate in the system which can compromise the security of your website by hacking information, interrupting services and redirecting traffic causing a lot of harm to your site as well as the users.
Solution
– Always download themes and plugins from trusted sources, preferably the WordPress site itself. Keep the themes and plugins updated with the latest security patches whenever they are available. Remove unused themes and plugins from your server as they act as breeding ground for threats. Remember, if you are using the same WordPress set up for too long without any update you are inviting trouble!
3. Database Access using Root Account
WordPress stores content and web files in one database and when you make use of more than one application, separate databases are created. These databases can be accessed through the WordPress root account which are saved on the server or web hosting account. Any hacker who cracks into your root account gets complete access to all your databases creating a security issue.
Solution
– To overcome this problem you need to create dedicated accounts to access each database instead of using the root account. Although this might seem a laborious job, this can go a long way in securing your website.
4. SQL Threat
There are two core components which power a WordPress website – the database and the PHP script which runs the system. This makes the website vulnerable as hackers can make use of SQL injection to gain access to the database. This allows them to steal sensitive information such as customer data etc.
Solution
–You can prevent SQL injections by changing the default database tables prefix and customizing with strict rules which shall be used to access your .htaccess file hosted on your web server.
5. Database Permission
This is nothing but a set of rules which allows a web application to access and modify the secured parts of your database. Many people make the grave mistake of setting database permission too low which can easily be exploited by the hacker to gain control of the website.
Solution
– You need to set strict permission for web applications to access your database by updating the rights privileges. You can customize the set of permissions required for each type of application to access your database thus keeping the malicious web applications at bay.
6. Operating System Vulnerabilities
Most of us focus on securing the WordPress website taking all necessary precaution and often ignoring the source operating system and the infrastructure that is used to manage the website. Your computer or laptop is a major source of security issues to your WordPress website.
Solution
– Good food is always prepared in a clean kitchen and thus you need to secure the infrastructure at your end. Use a strong anti-virus and Internet firewall for your desktop/laptop to secure your website.
7. Database Backup
The best of the security measures can go awry when the website falls prey to professional hackers who always look to outsmart developers and break through the security cordon often exploiting the database.
Solution
– Backup your WordPress website religiously on a regular basis as this will help you restore the website quickly in case it has been hit by the bad guys. Backing up the site once a week is advisable. No web development platform in this world is full proof in terms of security. In fact, a WordPress website is as secure as you want it to be. Keep the above things in mind while developing or managing your WordPress site and it will shield against external threats easily.
This guest post is contributed by Jeff Thomson. He is working as a wordpress developer with MarkupBox.com. Markupbox.com is a specialized PSD to HTML Conversion Company, backed with years of experience and diligent professionals. MarkupBox offers PSD to HTML, PSD to WordPress, and other conversion services like PSD to Joomla, PSD to Magento, PSD to Email, PSD to Drupal, PSD to CSS and much more.
Tags: Internet Security, Online Security, Web Security, WordPressSource : techtalkafrica[dot]com
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