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Pagely Guide

Pagely Guide

Your All-in-One Guide to Secure WordPress Sites.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Reasons for WordPress Security

Best Practices for Securing

Common Problems and Solutions

Additional Tools

Conclusion

Introduction

Never has the security of your WordPress site been more important than now, with a growing number of hacking and data breach cases. WordPress sites are often targeted because they are so popular and use lots of third-party plugins that can create vulnerabilities. Sucuri, a security vendor and a sister brand within the GoDaddy family, found that 90% of hacked websites were running WordPress. This figure clearly illustrates the pressing need for enhanced security measures.

Wordpress Security

Essential Reasons for WordPress Security.

Cyber Attack Threats are on the Rise

Because of the growing number of hacking and data breach incidents, securing your WordPress site has become more critical than ever. WordPress sites are frequent targets due to their popularity and the extensive use of third-party plugins, which can introduce vulnerabilities.

Concrete Examples from Reality

  1. NextGEN Gallery Vulnerabilities: In February 2021, two severe vulnerabilities were found in the popular NextGEN Gallery plugin, affecting millions of WordPress sites. These weaknesses allowed hackers to gain unauthorized access and compromise sensitive information.
  2. Recent Vulnerabilities in 2024: Several vulnerabilities have been discovered this year in popular plugins like SEOPress, MetForm, and WP Go Maps. These vulnerabilities, primarily cross-site scripting (XSS) and sensitive data exposure, have affected hundreds of thousands of installations. Updating these plugins to their latest versions is crucial to mitigate these risks.
  3. WordPress Exploits: Many WordPress sites have been hacked due to outdated plugins and themes. A notable example is the RevSlider plugin exploit from 2014, which led to thousands of websites being hacked, causing significant data loss and operational disruptions.

Best Practices for Securing Your WordPress Site.

1. Keep Your WordPress Version and Plugins Updated

The first line of defense against any security weakness is frequent updates. Security issues are often patched by WordPress and plugin vendors.

  • How to Update:
    • Log in to your WordPress admin panel.
    • Navigate to Dashboard > Updates.
    • For core updates, click on “Update Now”.
    • To update plugins, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins, select all items, and then choose “Enable auto-updates”.

2. Install and Use Security Plugins

Some plugins may pose risks, but there are a few highly recommended ones that increase site safety:

  • iThemes Security: Provides two-factor authentication, malware scanning, and strong password rules enforcement features.
  • Wordfence: Offers firewall services, malware scanning, and login protection measures.
  • Sucuri Security: Scans for viruses, checks blacklist status, and other security-related tasks.

3. Set User Permissions and Roles Understandingly

Users with different access levels are assigned roles in WordPress, so it’s important to control these roles to not compromise security.

  • Roles to Consider:
    • Super Admin
    • Administrator
    • Editor
    • Author
    • Contributor
    • Subscriber
  • How Permissions Can Be Managed:
    • Use the Capability Manager Enhanced plugin.
    • Navigate to Users > Capabilities within your admin dashboard.
    • Decide what each role can do or not do.

4. Strong Passwords Should Be Mandatory

Hackers commonly use weak passwords as an entry point into systems, thus making it necessary to enforce strong password policies to reduce this risk.

  • Recommended Plugins:
    • iThemes Security
    • WordPress Password Policy Manager
    • Force Strong Passwords

5. Activate Web Application Firewall (WAF)

A WAF keeps track of traffic flow while preventing malicious actions from reaching your website.

  • Types of WAF:
    • Cloud-based WAF: Sucuri services offer comprehensive protection, usually better than plugin-based alternatives.
    • Plugin-based WAF: Plugins like Wordfence include firewall functionalities.

6. Protect Web Traffic Through Encryption with SSL/HTTPS

Data is encrypted between your site and users via SSL certificates, adding another layer of protection.

  • Implementing SSL Involves the Following Steps:
    • Get an SSL certificate from a reputable source.
    • Set up the web server with the SSL certificate installed.
    • Use the Really Simple SSL plugin to handle moving your site over HTTPS.

7. Allow Limited Login Attempts and Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Brute-force attacks target login pages by trying multiple password combinations. Limiting login attempts and enabling 2FA can help stop unauthorized access.

  • Suggested Plugins:
    • Limit Login Attempts Reloaded: Limits the number of login attempts from specific IP addresses.
    • Two-Factor: Requires a second form of verification, thus enhancing security.

Common Problems and Their Solutions

1. Plugin Vulnerabilities

Problem: Hackers can exploit outdated or vulnerable plugins.

Solution: Keep all plugins and themes up-to-date. Use security plugins to check for weaknesses and scan your site regularly.

2. Weak Passwords

Problem: Users may use simple passwords that are easy to guess.

Solution: Use security plugins to enforce a strong password policy. Teach users how to create strong passwords.

3. Lack of HTTPS/SSL

Problem: If data sent between your site and users isn’t encrypted, it can be intercepted.

Solution: Get an SSL certificate and set up your site to use HTTPS instead of HTTP. Use plugins to help with the switch.

Additional Tools and Recommendations for Non-Developers

Useful Plugins

For website owners who are not developers, there are several WordPress plugins that can help simplify the process of securing your site:

  1. Sucuri Firewall and Monitoring Services
    • Features: Website security, malware detection, performance optimization, and more.
    • How to Use: Sign up for Sucuri services, follow the setup instructions, and configure the firewall and monitoring settings.

  1. Wordfence
    • Features: Firewall, malware scanner, login security, and more.
    • How to Use: Install from the WordPress plugin repository and follow the setup wizard.

  1. Yoast SEO
    • Features: SEO optimization, content analysis, and more. While primarily an SEO tool, it also provides insights into website health and security.
    • How to Use: Install from the WordPress plugin repository and follow the setup wizard.

Additional Suggestions

  1. Regular Backups: Always make a backup of your site before performing any security-related operations. This ensures you can restore your site if something goes wrong.
  2. Testing on a Staging Site: Implement security changes on a staging site first to ensure everything works correctly before applying changes to your live site.
  3. Seek Professional Help: If you’re unsure about performing these tasks, consider hiring a professional or contacting Pagely support for assistance.

Conclusion

Securing your WordPress site is essential to protect your data, maintain your reputation, and ensure the smooth operation of your business. By following the best practices outlined in this guide, Pagely customers can effectively safeguard their WordPress sites against common security threats. For non-developers, using recommended plugins and following simple steps can simplify the process while ensuring your site remains secure.

For more support, visit our Pagely Support page.ers rapid business growth and secure websites, check out Pagely’s solutions.

Additional Insights and In-Depth Case Studies

Significant Threats and Malware Trends

According to the Sucuri 2023 Hacked Website and Malware Threat Report, WordPress site owners should know about a number of key trends as well as threats that have emerged.

Backdoors: 49.21% of hacked websites were discovered with at least one backdoor present during the infection phase. When installed on websites, these malwares let hackers bypass normal authentication procedures, enabling them to continue accessing the back-end.

SEO Spam: SEO spam was found to be present in 20.30% of sites that had malware infections. This kind of malware usually involves injecting spam keywords and links into a website to manipulate search engine results ranking. An example of this is a Japanese SEO Spam campaign which has produced thousands of doorway pages on compromised sites.

SocGholish Malware: A total of 143,242 web pages have been identified with SocGholish malware using fake browser update tactics. This malware tricks users into downloading Remote Access Trojans (RATs), leading to ransomware attacks.

Balada Injector: This highly complex malware campaign targets WordPress sites using obfuscation techniques to evade detection. Since its discovery in 2017, this malware has redirected visitors from more than one million WP sites alone, making it a major threat.

Why You Should Protect Your Website

  1. Data Protection

It is crucial to protect user data. A breach can allow access to sensitive information, such as personal details, financial information, and passwords. Identity theft, monetary loss, and your reputation may suffer greatly as a result.

  1. Maintaining Trust and Credibility

Users trust that their data will be secure when they visit your site. Any compromise in security can erode that trust, leading to decreased traffic and potential loss of business.

  1. Preventing Financial Losses

Cyber attacks can lead to direct financial losses due to fraud or theft. Additionally, the costs associated with remediating an attack, such as hiring security experts, legal fees, and potential fines### Additional Insights and In-Depth Case Studies

Significant Threats and Malware Trends

According to the Sucuri 2023 Hacked Website and Malware Threat Report, WordPress site owners should know about a number of key trends as well as threats that have emerged.

Backdoors: 49.21% of hacked websites were discovered with at least one backdoor present during the infection phase. When installed on websites, these malwares let hackers bypass normal authentication procedures, enabling them to continue accessing the back-end.

SEO Spam: SEO spam was found to be present in 20.30% of sites that had malware infections. This kind of malware usually involves injecting spam keywords and links into a website to manipulate search engine results ranking. An example of this is a Japanese SEO Spam campaign which has produced thousands of doorway pages on compromised sites.

SocGholish Malware: A total of 143,242 web pages have been identified with SocGholish malware using fake browser update tactics. This malware tricks users into downloading Remote Access Trojans (RATs), leading to ransomware attacks.

Balada Injector: This highly complex malware campaign targets WordPress sites using obfuscation techniques to evade detection. Since its discovery in 2017, this malware has redirected visitors from more than one million WP sites alone, making it a major threat.

Why You Should Protect Your Website

  1. Data Protection

It is crucial to protect user data. A breach can allow access to sensitive information, such as personal details, financial information, and passwords. Identity theft, monetary loss, and your reputation may suffer greatly as a result.

  1. Maintaining Trust and Credibility

Users trust that their data will be secure when they visit your site. Any compromise in security can erode that trust, leading to decreased traffic and potential loss of business.

  1. Preventing Financial Losses

Cyber attacks can lead to direct financial losses due to fraud or theft. Additionally, the costs associated with remediating an attack, such as hiring security experts, legal fees, and potential fines, can be substantial.