Introduction to WordPress Security Attacks

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) available today, powering over 45% of all websites. However, since it is so popular and widely used, it can also present a big target for hackers.

Because WordPress is open-source and customizable, it can also lead to security problems if the site owner isn’t careful. In fact, roughly 8% of WordPress sites are flagged with medium to high security risks.

The good thing is that many attacks can be easily prevented. The mini leads through the common attacks and how to be safe from them.

An overview of the most frequent security vulnerabilities affecting WordPress can be found in this blog.

Let’s get started.

What are the 7 Common WordPress Security Attacks?

WordPress powers millions of sites across the world, and being so popular makes it a target. If you know what security attacks there are and take some basic steps, you will have done a lot to secure your site. Here are seven common security risks you will face on your WordPress site:

• Brute-force attacks
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
• SQL Injection
• Backdoor
• Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks
• Phishing
• Hotlinking

Now, let’s dive deeper into each attack.

Brute-Force Attacks

Brute-force attacks are a common challenge for WordPress websites. These happen when a bot tries to hack a site. The bot does this by repeatedly guessing different username and password combinations until it gets in. 

Bots typically use simple usernames like “admin” or your site’s name with weak or commonly-used password choices. Because WordPress uses a standard login URL (ex, /wp-admin), it’s easier for bots to know where they should begin.

Even if the bots can’t get in, their repeated attempts can slow down your site. This can even crash your site if your server can’t handle all the requests. And are they able to guess the proper login credentials? Then, they have complete access to everything—posts, pages, settings, user information, etc.

It also isn’t about getting into the site on the first attempt. Bots are quick, effortless, and, most importantly, patient. That’s why using strong, unique passwords and adding an extra layer of security to your login page will significantly help.

How to Prevent Brute-Force Attacks?

• A strong password makes a difference. Combine letters, numbers, and symbols – don’t use your name or the word “password,” and don’t use “1234.” Make it a lot harder to guess.
• Plus, don’t let bots try forever. 
• You can limit the number of login requests so that after a certain number of tries, they get locked out. Simple plugins, like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded, do this.
• Incorporating a one-time password (OTP) can add an additional level of security even if someone has your primary password. 
• Changing your login URL from the default can also help since it does not let the bot know where the entrance is located.
• CAPTCHAs are great for stopping bots quickly, as they cannot usually solve the problem, return the results, or take action. Past login logs are also helpful to track from time to time; if you notice an abundance of failed attempts, something is wrong!

Tools and Plugins for Protection

There are many great plugins to prevent brute-force attacks.

• Wordfence is a good choice—it monitors your site and reduces login attempts. 
• Loginizer will also be good for preventing repeated offenses and modifying the login URL. 
• iThemes Security has a full range of security tools, including brute-force protection.  

Use strong and unique logins, limit login attempts, and enable two-factor authentication if you can. Watch your login page regularly—frequent monitoring can help you notice any unusual behaviour quickly.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Cross-site scripting (XSS) threats are one of the most common problems on WordPress sites. XSS attacks happen when a lousy script gets injected into a trusted web page. This can steal information or change how users’ browsers work.

XSS attacks mainly happen when a user interacts with an infected part of the website, such as filling out a form or clicking on a comment. If a website does not properly sanitize and filter user input, attackers can inject malicious code. 

Once the script executes in a victim’s browser, the stolen cookies can be used to create a session hijack. This means attackers can impersonate and redirect the user to a malicious website or create fictitious ads to make money. It is totally sneaky, but precautions can be taken to prevent this behavior.

Types of XSS Attacks

There are a few types of XSS you should know about.

• Stored XSS is initiated when the malicious script is stored on your site’s server, so when somebody visits that page, they get infected.
• Reflected XSS uses a link as its delivery method, making the attack work only if the user clicks that particular URL.
• DOM-based XSS attacks the structure of the page in the browser, changing how the page acts for the user.

XSS can steal data, mess with user accounts, and hurt your site’s reputation. If the admin account is targeted, attackers can take over completely.

How to Prevent XSS Attacks?

• To block XSS, start by sanitizing user input—use WordPress functions like esc_html() or esc_attr() to keep scripts out.

• Don’t forget about regular scans. Plugins like Sucuri and Wordfence regularly scan your files and code to catch anything suspicious before it becomes a problem.

• When displaying data (on any part of your site), only output data that has been properly encoded. wp_kses() is very effective at filtering out malicious code.

• Another way of preventing XSS is to set up a Content Security Policy (CSP) that controls which scripts your site can load.

SQL Injection

SQL injection (SQLi) is a common method hackers use to access your site’s database. They find weak spots in your code and change SQL queries to steal private data, such as usernames and passwords. 

It works by inserting malicious SQL code into input fields such as a login form or search box. If the input is not properly sanitized, the database could be fooled into leaking far more data than it should, sometimes all of the user accounts.

The Impact of SQL Injection Attacks

SQL injection attacks can cause significant harm. 

• An attacker could steal sensitive data (e.g., logins, payment information, and customer data). 
• Attackers could also corrupt or delete records, which may take down your entire application. 
• In extreme cases, an attacker could take over the database and execute commands on the server.

How to Prevent SQL Injection Attacks?

• Use prepared statements to prevent SQLi. They ensure that user input is treated like data (and not code). 
• Always validate and sanitize user input. WordPress has functions like esc_sql() to aid in that. 
• Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) like Sucuri and Cloudflare can stop attacks before they even reach your site!
• Limit your database users’ access. They shouldn’t be able to delete or create tables unless absolutely necessary for your app’s functions.

SQLi can cause massive data leaks or total loss of control, so it’s likely worth locking some things down.

Related Article: Monitor the Security of Your Website

Backdoor

A backdoor is a way for hackers to bypass normal logins and sneak into your WordPress site. The dangerous thing is that backdoors are often hidden for a long period of time, and hackers can gain entry again whenever they want.

Hackers often break in by using malicious code. They insert this code into a plugin, theme, or file. This usually happens through a weak file upload feature. Once a hacker is in, they are able to execute commands, add malware, create a new admin account, and so on— all without you knowing.

The Impact of Backdoor Attacks

Backdoors can stay hidden for a long time. Even if you think your site is clean, hackers can still easily get in. 

Hackers can steal user data, payment info, or private documents. But sometimes, they just deface the site, redirect visitors to unwanted pages, or even take 

Hackers can always drop more malware that can either affect your site or possibly affect your users’ devices. It’s possible to turn your site into a resource for a more significant attack against other victims.

How to Prevent Backdoor Attacks?

Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated—software updates fix already-found holes. If file uploads aren’t needed, turn them off. If they are part of the site, limit them by type and scan them.

Make use of tools such as Wordfence or Sucuri to monitor for unintended file changes. If a file gets modified without your knowledge, you’ll receive an alert.

Delete inactive plugins and themes—they’re additional liabilities. Lock down file permissions for files such as wp-config.php so they can’t be changed.

Remember, backdoors can linger for a while, too. Regular updates, strict file upload policies, and ongoing diligence can accomplish a lot.

Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks

Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks attempt to target a website’s server with enough traffic to pressure that server to crash. This is elevated to a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack when a number of systems are used in the attack.

DDoS attacks can hurt businesses that depend on their website for sales, customer service, or reputation.

During a standard DoS attack, the hacker uses a single system to send increasingly large requests to a server to slow it down or possibly crash it. In a DDoS attack, a hacker uses many systems, often from a botnet, to send requests to a server at the same time, making it hard to stop the attack.

Attackers may also choose to attack specific parts of the site, such as login pages or database queries, to create more chaos and disruption.

The Impact of DoS and DDoS Attacks

Online downtime can result in lost sales, lost customers, and a loss of trust. And if you have to deal with a DoS attack, it costs you resources, time, and money. Attackers may use a DoS attack to distract while they set up a more planned action.

How to Prevent DoS and DDoS Attacks?

• Consider using a CDN like Cloudflare to distribute traffic across multiple servers. Distributing traffic can help lessen the impact of DoS attacks.  
• Rate limiting can help overwhelm your server with requests from one IP address.
• A web application firewall (WAF) keeps out malicious traffic and blocks IP addresses that are considered suspicious. 
• Pay attention to traffic patterns and look for spikes in activity to detect a DoS attack sooner rather than later.

A DoS or DDoS attack can hurt your business in many ways. However, using tools like a CDN, rate limiting, and a WAF can protect your WordPress site.

Phishing

Phishing is a trick used by cybercriminals. They fool users into giving up sensitive information like passwords or credit card details. Phishing scams can happen through email or social media. WordPress sites are also targets. These scams usually appear as fake login pages or forms.

A hacker often creates a fake version of a real website, like a WordPress login page. Then, an app or website directs users to this fake page through fake emails or ads. When the user fills out the credentials, those credentials are routed directly to the hacker. In WordPress, phishing methods can also involve a compromised plugin or theme capable of creating fake login forms.

The Impact of Phishing Attacks

Data theft can occur through phishing attacks. This includes stealing personally identifiable information (PII), passwords, and payment details. Stolen credentials might also be used in identity theft or fraud.

Websites with phishing content affect their reputation and users’ trust. In addition, organizations may face legal liabilities for not properly protecting user data.

How to Prevent Phishing Attacks?

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Two-Factor Authentication adds a layer of security. Even though a hacker may have gotten the user’s password, they do not have a device with the required authentication code.
• Install an SSL Certificate. SSL encrypts data passed between your website and your users. An SSL certificate displays an icon in the browser to help build trust and security with your users. Ensure that your WordPress site uses an SSL certificate & Doesn’t Have Issues
• Install Anti-Phishing Plugins: Security plugins like Wordfence and iThemes Security can help you spot and block phishing attempts.
• Educate Users: Regularly train users and staff on how to spot phishing emails and links or other possible threats.

Phishing attacks can steal sensitive information and harm your reputation. You can protect your WordPress site with several tools and practices. First, use 2FA for added security. Next, install SSL to encrypt data. Anti-phishing tools should also be considered to safeguard against threats.

Hotlinking

Hotlinking, referred to as “bandwidth theft,” occurs when an unrelated site links to your media files (images, videos, etc.) without permission. This means their site loads your content, using up your server’s bandwidth and resources.

When you upload media to your WordPress site, it’s stored on your server. When they directly link to a file, they are hotlinking it, and instead of hosting it and using their server resources, they use yours to show it.

While this may not feel like it’s hurting you, it can exhaust your bandwidth and cause slow load times for your normal paying users!

The Impact of Hotlinking

Hotlinking may incur higher bandwidth and expense (especially painful if you have restricted hosting plans) and may ultimately impact your site performance, which could impact your users’ experience and SEO performance. When another site uses your media (images, videos) without your permission, you have lost control of that content and are even risking your content being misrepresented or misused. 

How to Prevent Hotlinking?

• You can prevent hotlinking by implementing  .htaccess rules, which will block other sites that link to your media. 
• CDNs such as Cloudflare can help you maintain bandwidth usage and have hotlinking prevention features built in. 
• If you want your brand obscured by hot-linked images, you can even add a watermark directly to the image itself. 
• You can even turn off right-clicking to make it harder for users to copy the URL of your image. 

Hotlinking consumes bandwidth and can also slow down your site, but you can start to protect your assets and resources from hotlinking with those steps.

Conclusion

To prevent security breaches on your WordPress site, you might consider some essential reasons why attacks take place: Your WordPress version might be out of date, which puts it at risk. Unused (and/or) outdated themes and plugins introduce security weaknesses. If your admin login is still set as just “/wp-admin,” then it is open to brute-force attacks.

If you want to make your WordPress sites more secure, give them a comprehensive security audit and get in touch with the ARZ Host.

Update your website frequently, use security plugins, and monitor activity to strengthen your protection against the most common kinds of attacks.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What Are the Most Common Types of Security Attacks on WordPress?

The most common types of security attacks on WordPress include:

• Brute-force attacks
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
• SQL Injection
• Backdoor
• Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks
• Phishing
• Hotlinking

How Can I Prevent Brute Force Attacks on My WordPress Site?

Here is a list of measures you can take to protect against brute force attacks: 

• Use strong and complex passwords with combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols. 
• Limit the number of attempts to log in using plugins like “Limit Login Attempts Reloaded” or “Login Lockdown.” 
• Implement Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to add a layer of security. 
• Change the default wp-login.php URL to a custom URL to make it more difficult for attackers to discover. 
• And delete any unused accounts or accounts that don’t need to exist.

What Is a WordPress SQL Injection Attack and How Can I Protect My Site Against It?

SQL Injection attacks occur when hackers insert malicious SQL code in order to manipulate your database. To protect your site from these attacks, you can use parameterized queries to treat user input as data rather than as executable code. 

You should also keep WordPress and any plugins up to date with security updates or patches. Additionally, you should utilize a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to block malicious attempts, validate and sanitize user inputs, and use parameterized queries to stop any harmful code from running.

How Do Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Attacks Affect WordPress Websites?

XSS attacks occur when hackers insert malicious scripts into your site, which run in visitors’ browsers. These attacks can steal information, manipulate the site’s appearance, and send users to unwanted pages. 

To help deter this, use a security plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri. Always sanitize and encode user inputs—don’t trust data from outside sources. Create a Content Security Policy (CSP) to limit what scripts are executed. If there are areas on your website that do not need JavaScript, disable it there.

What Is a Malware Attack, and How Can I Detect and Remove Malware from My WordPress Site?

When hackers insert malicious code into your site’s files, it is termed a malware attack. Malware can allow the hacker to access or steal data, or it may use your site as a tool for spam.

Scan your site frequently, using tools like MalCare, Wordfence, or Sucuri to find and remove malware. Be mindful of unusual file changes—look for any modified or newly added files. Remove all unused plugins or themes. They are likely a source of vulnerability. Perform a backup regularly so you have a clean version of your site from which to restore.

How Important Is Regular Updating of WordPress Core, Themes, and Plugins in Ensuring Security?

Keeping your WordPress site updated is critical to maintaining security. Updates patch bugs, eliminates vulnerabilities, and improves functionality. Without updates, you expose yourself to known threats. 

Automate updates for the core, themes, and plugins so you don’t fall behind. Don’t keep extra plugins that you are not using. More plugins can create more vulnerabilities. 

You should always back up your site prior to running any updates in case something breaks.

What Steps Should I Take if My WordPress Site Gets Hacked?

If you think your WordPress site has been hacked, then it is essential to act fast. 

• Immediately take the site offline to minimize further damage. 
• Next, run a malware scan with a reputable security plugin and try to identify how the hack occurred.
• If you have a clean backup, go ahead and restore it but don’t go live again with the site until you are sure that the vulnerability has been closed. 
• Change every password possible—admin, FTP, database, etc. 
• Lastly, if things look messy or too complex, do not hesitate to call in a professional to clean up the mess and secure your website.

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