WordPress is the most popular CMS among website owners as it allows them to build, host, and maintain their site trouble-free. You can easily customize your website using the wonderful template system and plugin architecture of WordPress.
But, the issue of WordPress security keeps huge importance. So, it’s quite a significant query like “Is WordPress safe from hackers?” Yes, it is! WordPress is completely safe from hackers if you can follow its top security measures. And, these security measures include regular site monitoring and updating security themes and plugins, etc.
So, if you don’t want to see your website on the Google blacklist, you’ve no way but to be aware of those WordPress security practices. Let’s know in detail from our step-by-step guide.
WordPress in Brief
WordPress is the updated result of B2/cafelog. B2 or cafelog was a blogging tool built by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little in 2003 for their own website blogging purpose.
Later, they made changes to their blogging platform and took all the robust features, and created today’s WordPress platform. And, it is now the most popular and extensive CMS among users worldwide.
WordPress is a completely open-source platform that will offer you a free website building facility. PHP and SQL is their main programming language.
However, every single CMS runs through specific terms and conditions for its security. WordPress is not out of that boundary. Therefore, you’ve to be concerned about the WordPress security infrastructure.
WordPress Themes & Plugins
If you want to run your website securely and keep the database safe from hackers, the WordPress themes and plugins should be a priority.
80% of your website security comes depending on what themes and plugins you choose. Before choosing themes and plugins, you’ve to be aware of their security and updating process.
We strongly recommend you avoid using the old version of WordPress themes or plugins. However, let’s see what does WordPress theme and plugin mean in short-
WordPress Themes
WordPress themes are required when you need to change the appearance of your website. A WordPress theme includes in terms of its navigation, design, layout, colors, and everything that requires taking an eye-catchy look at your website.
Selecting the right theme based on your website purpose is important because of your site growth. You’ll get more than 11,000 WordPress themes available.
Let us introduce you to the 10 most popular WordPress themes in the present time-
- Avada
- Divi
- Ultra
- StudioPress
- SeedProd
- Astra
- OceanWP
- SoleDad
- Neve
- Exponent
WordPress Plugins
The difference between WordPress themes and plugins is that themes will allow you to change the website’s appearance. And, the WordPress plugins, on the other hand, will make sure the site’s functionalities and features.
Here are some of the top used WordPress plugins that you can choose for your site-
- Redirection
- SmashBalloon
- SeedProd
- Modula
- Wordfence
8 Significant Ways How Your WordPress Can Be Hacked
Every single CMS runs through its specific terms and conditions for its security. WordPress is not out of that boundary. You’ve to study some of the significant safety measures of WordPress to know, is WordPress safe from hackers? Let’s see what these safety measures are-
- Unauthorized ogin
The hackers can make an unauthorized login to your site using a bot called brute force. Through that bot, the hackers try making billions of passwords and usernames combinations.
And, trying through these billions of combinations, they get information and access afterward. Hackers can apply these unauthorized login systems due to the default login page.
As a result, the hackers can find the main URL of your site hassle-free. The hackers here apply the brute-force system and get your site access easily.
- Poorly Defined User Roles
You will ask to choose 6 different roles during your website building time. These roles will tell your subscribers/ users what they are permitted to do and what not.
Every single user of your website will become an authorized admin and can make any change unless you change the default setting. And, it can be a big threat to your site security.
When a hacker will go through this simple setting, s/he will work as an administrator. And, s/he will even change the admin authority and hack your site control.
Also, the poorly defined user roles will provide easy access to the front-end capabilities to the hackers. For that reason, hackers can easily get all the confidential data of your site visitors as well.
- Dated Plugins and Themes
In terms of thousands of WordPress unique plugins and themes, you can customize your website. These unique plugins and themes come with infrequent updates by the developers.
In this regard, if you choose any of the themes or plugins that are not recently extended can enhance your site security risk. Because the hackers find it easy to hack a site built with dated themes and plugins.
Here, the hackers can use different updated tools to go through these old themes and plugins. And, it allows them to hack the site trouble-free.
- SEO Spam
SEO spam is the most common hacking system among the hacker’s WordPress sites. In the case of SEO spamming, they target the top-ranking content on your website.
They fill that top-ranked page with all the pop-up ads and spammy keywords. And, they spoil your long-term hard work to counterfeit merchandise.
This SEO spamming is too dangerous as it is tough to detect. In this hacking system, hackers get access but don’t let the owners know until they place spammy keywords on the top-ranked page.
They keep indexing the site with their spammy SEO-based keywords. But your code will remain integral since they insert the relevant keywords. Therefore you cannot recognize it until your site is hacked.
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
The hackers place malevolent code into your website’s backend code in terms of the cross-site scripting hacking system. This system is completely similar to the database injection.
And, those codes will scuttle in your website files. But, this XSS tries to attack the web page functionality. The hackers target to harm the visitor’s engagement once they get access to the website’s front-end display.
They post different faulty and link or fake contact information forms to steal user’s detail.
This XSS is possible if you use outdated WordPress plugins or themes. The hackers dictate the poorly maintained plugin and get access to files of your site front-end.
- Supply Chain Attacks
Hackers hack the sites through this supply chain attacking the system in terms of themes and plugins of WordPress websites. In this hacking system, hackers inject different spammy codes into the site and keep updating your site.
Again this hacking can take place the means of plugin owner’s misuse. It means, that if the owner installs malware on any of the customer’s sites, it will threaten the site’s security.
If it happens on your site, the hackers will get backend capabilities access to your site. As a result, accessing files, visitors’ information, and also implementing other hacks like phishing, SEO spam, etc, will be in hackers’ hands.
- HotLinking
You cannot define hotlinking as a direct hacking method because it doesn’t run by the hackers directly but by the users of your site. In the matter of hotlinking, website owners keep their sites open.
Therefore, the users need no permission while they use the site’s images, data, etc. It is completely a poor practice of internet for your site that can arise questions for hacking.
- SQL Injection
The programming language SQL stands for Structured Query Language. SQL is the most favored WordPress database language to access data at a specific time fast.
Although SQL is the most essential programming language for WordPress, the hackers take total advantage of it to hack your site.
In terms of SQL injection, hackers utilize SQL and create accounts. For that reason, a hacker can observe and change the database directly on your website.
Later, they insert unauthorized content and link and edit your site content to hack your site.
However, if you wonder how WordPress sites are vulnerable to SQL hacking, the answer is the design of WordPress themes and plugins.
WordPress comes with a sense of community that takes a flexible design on its themes and plugins. And the hackers use that WordPress flexibility.
In that matter, they insert information through the visitor’s different contact forms. And, through the SQL, they don’t need your acceptance. They just enter code to change the terms and policy to match their data.
How to Protect Your WordPress Site
You can run your site with 100% security if you study the WordPress hacking medium and maintain its security measures properly.
Here are the best possible ways to protect your site from hackers. All these solutions are based on the security issues mentioned on top.
- Make a Strong Password
Through the brute-force hacking system, the hackers make a pair with the admin username where they try a very common password and get access.
In this case, you can easily protect your site by creating a strong password. Remember, the hackers never can match the password once you create it using letters, numbers, and symbols.
Here is an example of an extremely strong password that nobody can discover- P8dJNk9i!123%$W. So, create your password following that example.
Two-factor authentication is another additional security measure against password stealing and unauthorized login.
If you apply this two-factor authentication security measure to your website, it will notify or ask your permission whenever someone tries to log in illegally.
Also, we recommend you avoid using the admin user name for your WordPress account. Hackers can easily make another new account if you use your admin username.
Again, you will get many WordPress plugins available that limit login attempts and provide high security for a brute-force login system. Use any of them!
- Strict User Roles Setting
To keep your site secured 24/7, you’ve to monitor the permission. In this case, we strongly recommend you change the default roles settings of your site.
If you’re not running your WordPress site alone and sharing with other administrators, make sure you access them only the compulsory permission.
Never allow them to make any changes without your approval.
- Install the Updated Themes and Plugins
Developers keep updating the WordPress themes and plugins to include additional security. In that case, if you keep using the old version, you won’t be able to take those recently added security measures.
So, these frequent extensions will require you to choose the newly launched themes and plugins. And, it will allow you to update your site security precautions regularly.
But, to update your site security, you’ve to monitor whether there are any updates from the developers. It’s easy to install the updated themes to protect your website.
- Install a WordPress Security Plugins
To tackle the SEO spamming mentioned above, you can install the WordPress security plugins and run malware scanning for your site. It can be your first security attempt against SEO spamming hack.
Here are the top 10 WordPress security plugins that can protect your site directly from SEO spam hacks. Let’s check out the list given below-
- Defender
- Sucuri
- iThemes Security
- MalCare Security
- Jetpack
- NinjaFirewall
- Wordfence Security
- Security Ninja
- Shield Security
- BulletProof Security
You can use any of the security of the above plugin for your site protection. The other way to detect this hacking is to check the SERP position.
Check the analytical data whether there’s any unexpected change. Also, you can check your site traffic whether it’s increasing without any authentic reason.
Apply your coding knowledge (if you have it) on your ranked page and check whether you find any misplaced keywords.
If you can follow up on your site regularly with the ways we shared, you can avoid SEO spamming hacks and save your site from hackers.
- Keep Updating Your Site Frequently
There’s no other better option than keep your site updated regularly if you want to protect your site from XSS. Check out the recently changed security measures and update them.
Try to run the latest version of your WordPress themes and plugins. WAF which means the Web Application Firewall is another reliable way to protect your site from XSS.
The WAF will automatically inspect the site traffic and prevent if there are any unapproved visitors. It will be easier for you to install the WAF plugin and maintain it.
The WAF can also guard your website against other attacks like SQL injection.
- Site Data Backup
Here again, we recommend you focus on your regular site updating, first of all. Regular site updating can prevent various hacking and protect your site trouble-free.
However, the developers of WordPress themes and plugins can recognize such bad hacking as supply chain attacks. So, it has a very small life span according to our study.
We suggest you make sure the installation of security plugins and your site data backup.
- Restrict Your Site HotLinking
In the case of hotlinking, the WordPress won’t offer you complete freedom because WordPress is a bit vulnerable with users for hotlinking
But, hotlinking is not that bad if you can keep full control over it. All you need to do is to make your website content restricted for individual usage.
In this regard, you should set preventive measures aligned with hotlinking. Once you restrict your content, hotlinking won’t bring you any hacking or other trouble. And, it will be illegal for all visitors to make hotlinking with your site.
Restrict the Direct Form Submission
If a visitor can submit his form directly on your site, the hacking possibility stays at a risk of 99%. In this case, the visitors can easily enter any unethical code into your site’s SQL database.
To restrict this direct process, you can use CAPTCHA. It will allow you to reduce the risk of injection attempts and direct data submission from visitors to your site.
Where to Use WordPress?
You have got the liberty to use WordPress for whatever business website you want. It has no limitations like you can use it for this and that.
So, making your website with WordPress will unlock your creativity. Because it will keep flexibility for the website customizing and you can customize your website as you wish.
So, updating the website with images, functionalities, rules, etc, will be in your hands. Here are some examples of website types that you can create through WordPress-
Blog
You can create your blogging website with WordPress where you can share your photos, thoughts, tutorials, etc. And, you can reach your targeted audience with ease.
E-Learning Website
Due to Covid-19, the e-learning platform becomes more popular than the previous years. So, e-learning website becomes more popular nowadays.
Use the popular WordPress themes and plugins if you want to build your own e-learning website,
WordPress offers a special plugin named LMS to help you create your e-learning website. So, sharing and selling your online courses on your WordPress e-learning site is pretty amazing.
Portfolio Website
To show off your creativity in different skills, you must share your portfolio. In this case, you’ll be able to create your portfolio site and share them with the buyers.
E-Commerce Website
If you want to sell services and goods through a website, WordPress will offer you its e-commerce plugin to build an outstanding e-commerce site.
Wedding Website
Plenty of WordPress wedding themes are available to assist you to build your wedding website. And, on your wedding website, people can share their wedding memories. Wedding sites are quite a popular platform for general visitors these days.
WordPress Features
If you wonder why people choose WordPress more than other CMS, the answer comes with its outstanding features. WordPress is the only platform that thinks about simplicity and users’ accessibility while building features.
Mobile Responsive
The first and most significant reason for WordPress is its mobile responsive feature. To run your website, you need not go through your laptop or PC all the time.
You can work on your website through your mobile phone any time you require.
SEO
WordPress provides the most exceptional SEO coding that will help your website increase the visitor’s engagement in terms of Bing or Google.
Simple Blog Adding Trait
WordPress will never come with any hazy process of blog adding matter. As a result, your blog adding will seem too easy as same as your blog publishing.
WordPress Media File Library
WordPress comes with an extraordinary media file library trait where embedding and uploading your images and videos will be easier.
And, it takes no difficult process to edit those media files on the site. Cool!
User-Friendly Interface
Some of the website platforms available that is too tricky to use for the owners. In that case, WordPress will offer the easiest setting and user-friendly interface.
So, you can use all its functions trouble-free from the very beginning of your site running time.
FAQs
Why do hackers choose to hack WordPress sites the most?
Well, WordPress is a tremendously popular content management system among users. It’s easy to create an amazing business site with WordPress.
And, this is one of the top reasons why hackers choose WordPress to hack maximum time. Also, there are some fragile security issues that the site owners don’t be aware of.
Are the WordPress themes Secured?
WordPress themes are secured if they are approved by WordPress. We mean, there are many WordPress themes that come under the control of third parties.
Hence, you’ve to choose your website theme that meets the WordPress security standard and measures. Or else, we cannot say the WordPress themes are 100 on 100 secured from hackers.
Can I rely on WordPress to build my business website?
Yes, you can. Most importantly, WordPress has some of the best security infrastructures to save websites from hackers.
But, you’ve to maintain regular updates to your website to keep it safe. Because all its activities run through the internet and the hackers always seek a way to hack the top-ranked website.
To Wrap Up
WordPress is an outstanding platform to build business worldwide but a hacked WordPress website is not! If you get your site hacked, it will bring unlimited loss for both you and your users.
If you wonder about WordPress security and keep questioning is WordPress safe from hackers? You can go through our article and know where to make changes for your utmost site security.
