Is WordPress a secure software platform?

What is WordPress

WordPress is undoubtedly the most widely used “CMS” in the world.
Suffice it to say that, at the time of writing, according to data provided by W3Techs, 27.4 percent of the planet’s websites are “proudly powered by WordPress” (cit.).

“CMS” is an acronym in English for Content Management System. An “Open Source” software platform that allows anyone to manage the content of a website without necessarily having in-depth knowledge of web design or more generally of web programming.

Is WordPress safe?

The question we are sometimes asked by our clients when we propose the use of the WordPress CMS is, “But is it safe?” The answer can only be, “It depends!”

WHEREAS, no online platform can be said to be 100% secure and any website can be “hacked” in some way, it can certainly be said that “WordPress is secure as long as all corrective maintenance and security procedures are carefully followed.”
WordPress, as an “Open Source” project , is followed by a global community and several national communities of developers who are concerned about making improvements, new features, and most importantly, identifying and solving security problems that arise in the code base.

What are the main WordPress security pitfalls?

At Neikos Web Agency, we want to point out the main WordPress security pitfalls.

Brute-force attacks.

In computer science, when we talk about “brute force” attacks, we refer to hackers’ activities aimed at deciphering passwords.
The most common method of gaining unauthorized access is to try all combinations of characters, letter symbols or numbers until the right one is found.
This type of attack can also cause hosting services to be suspended by providers, who as a precautionary measure want to avoid problems on servers, especially when the site under attack is shared with others.

Inclusion of files and injections into the database

Other techniques used by hackers involve including files in php code by exploiting access channels on the site (think, for example, of the contact forms on most Web sites). These files then allow the intruder to get hold of the access keys.
The same goal is achievable by the malicious person on duty using the so-called SQL injection technique. This procedure, acting directly on the database, allows new user accounts to be created at the administration level or to manipulate present data.

XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) Attack.

This is the most common form of attack among those used. This type of vulnerability, if exploited, allows a Script to be inserted into the site that can alter the behavior of the pages of our site, redirecting, for example, the visitor to other, often malicious, sites.

Malware

It is short for malicious software and we have come to know it because it is often an uncomfortable inhabitant of our PCs.
A site built with WordPress can be infected with malware in several ways, think of an infected computer used to update the site, for example.

What are the main causes of vulnerability of a site made with WordPress?

After analyzing some of the most frequent dangers to which our site is subjected, we at Neikos Digital Agency want to try to understand what are the main causes of vulnerabilities:

• weak passwords;
• Failure to update WordPress software, plugins and graphic themes;
• Use of plugins or graphical themes from unsafe sources;
• shared or poor quality hosting.

How to protect our WordPress site

There are numerous tasks that need to be performed to ensure the security of our site developed with the WordPress platform.
Let us try to list the most important ones or at least the indispensable ones:

• Use complex passwords;
• Update the version of WordPress, plugins and graphic themes;
• Install a security WordPress plugin;
• Perform scheduled malware scans;
• Have a reliable WordPress backup plan.

In conclusion

The web world is populated by as many self-styled web programmers as there are technical commissars during the World Cup!
Joking aside, entrusting the maintenance of your website to a team of professionals is the best way to ensure that everything is completed in the right way.

Want to learn more about the WordPress platform?

Contact us for a free consultation.