How to Find Out My WordPress Website Vulnerabilities

A hacked website can seriously damage your business revenue in addition to your reputation. Hackers can steal user information, and passwords, install malicious software, and even spread various types of malware on websites. It is even possible that you will have to pay ransomware to regain access to your website. Creating a professional website requires us to consider time, effort, and money. If the website is hacked means all efforts will go in vain. So you never want your website to fall into the hands of hackers. In this article, we will learn How to Find out My WordPress Website Vulnerabilities. Here we mainly focus on “WordPress Website Vulnerabilities” because it is one of the most used CMSs at present time. So hackers mostly target the website built in WordPress. Let see…

How to Find out WordPress Website Vulnerabilities

There are several steps you can take to find and identify vulnerabilities in a WordPress website. Follow the below steps:

i. Use a security plugin:

There are several security plugins available for WordPress that can help to identify vulnerabilities and harden your website’s security. These plugins can scan your website for known vulnerabilities and provide recommendations on how to fix them.

ii. Perform a vulnerability scan:

You can use a vulnerability scanner to scan your website for known vulnerabilities. These scanners can identify weaknesses in your website’s code, configuration, and other areas that could be exploited by attackers.

iv. Use a website security audit service:

There are several online services that can perform a security audit on your website. These services will check your website for common vulnerabilities and provide a report with recommendations on how to fix them.

v. Manually check for vulnerabilities:

You can manually check for vulnerabilities by reviewing the source code of your website and plugins, looking for known vulnerabilities and insecure code.

vi. Monitor your website’s access logs:

Monitoring your website’s access logs can help you identify suspicious activity, such as repeated failed login attempts, which could indicate a brute-force attack.

vii. Educate yourself on common attack methods:

Familiarizing yourself with common attack methods, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and cross-site request forgery, can help you identify and protect against potential vulnerabilities.

It’s important to note that finding and fixing vulnerabilities is an ongoing process, as new vulnerabilities are discovered and new attack methods are developed. Regularly monitoring and updating your website’s security can help you stay ahead of potential threats.

10 Tips to Protect Your Website from Hackers

As the Internet becomes increasingly interconnected, so do threats to our online security. Hackers are constantly finding new ways to exploit websites’ vulnerabilities, and it can be difficult to stay ahead of the curve. In this part, I will share 10 tips to protect your website from hackers.

1. Use website security plugins

If you have a website, it’s important to take steps to protect against potential security threats. One way to do this is to use website security plugins, which are designed to keep your site secure and protect against various types of attacks.

There are many different website security plugins available, and choosing the right one for your site is important. If you’re not sure which plugin to choose, I recommend to read the article “WordPress security plugin”.

By the way, here are a few important things to look for in a website security plugin:

• The plugin should be compatible with your website platform.
• It should provide protection against common attacks, such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting
• It has a good reputation and should be updated regularly
• It should be easy to install and maintain.

Considering these factors will ensure that you have a quality product to protect your website.

2. Have strong passwords and multi-factor authentication

It is important to have strong passwords and multi-factor authentication for your online accounts.

Here’s why:

A strong password is difficult to guess for anyone. It should be at least 8 characters long and its pattern should be like a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols.

The easiest way to use strong passwords is to use a secure password manager app. Here is a list of some of the best password managers right now.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an additional layer of security that can be added to your online account. To verify your identity MFA requires you to use two or more factors when logging in. For example, you can use your password and a one-time code sent to your phone.

Adding MFA can help protect you from hackers who might have your password on your account. Even if they have your password, they can’t log in unless they also have your phone

3. Have good data backup

It is essential to have a good data backup for your computer. A data backup is a copy of your data that you can use to restore your files if they are lost or damaged.

There are many different ways to back up your data, and you should choose the best method for you. Some website platforms have features that do this automatically, some require configuration, and others require you to download a plugin that will create backups for you.

Whichever method you choose, it’s important to have multiple backups in case one of them fails You should store your backups in a safe place, such as a fireproof safe or a safety deposit box.

4. Use encryption wherever possible

Encryption is the process of converting readable data into unreadable format. In this case, a mathematical algorithm is used to process the data and then a key is applied to it. Encrypted data is known as ciphertext and unencrypted data is called plaintext. Encryption is used in various situations to protect information from being accessed by unauthorized persons.

For example, encrypting email messages ensures that only the intended recipient can read them while encrypting files on a computer ensures that only anyone with the decryption key can access them.

While encryption is not a perfect solution, it is an important tool that can help protect your information from being accessed by unauthorized persons. Whenever possible, you should encrypt your data to keep it secure.

5. Penetration Testing

Penetration testing is one of the ways to ensure the security of your company’s data. It is a type of security testing used to find vulnerabilities in a system. An attacker can access sensitive data or systems by finding and exploiting these vulnerabilities. This type of testing helps you find it before hackers do. It is possible to hire a dedicated penetration testing team or outsource it through a bug bounty program.

6. Avoid writing custom code

One of the most common mistakes made by software developers is writing conventional code when already existing solutions can be used. This can lead to a number of problems including wasted time, buggy code, and poor quality software. This code can introduce security vulnerabilities in your website that a hacker could potentially exploit.

7. Make sure your input is valid

Input validation is One of the most important steps in secure coding. It is the process of verifying that data input into a system is valid and in the correct format. Invalid data can lead to all kinds of security issues, so it’s important to make sure you validate all user input

There are a few different ways to perform an input validation. The most common is to use data type checking, which ensures that data is of the correct type (such as an integer) before being input to the system.

Another common method used is whitelisting, which means only certain characters are allowed in the data. Input validation is an important part of secure coding, so make sure you’re doing it right.

8. Limit the Access to Contributors

As your site grows, you start adding more contributors, such as guest writers or freelance web developers. It is important to limit the access you give to each contributor. This will help you keep your site organized and prevent contributors from accidentally deleting or modifying important files. Most platforms allow you to select a different role depending on the function the user has. Use it to ensure users only have the access they need to perform their job functions and nothing more.

9. Use a Reputable Website Platform

If you are starting a website for your business, it is important to use a reputable website platform There are many different website platforms out there and they are not all created equal. There are some platforms that are more secure than others, and there are some platforms that are easier to use than others. Researching and choosing the right platform for your business is important.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a website platform, but security and ease of use are two of the most important. Make sure you take the time to find a platform that will work well for your business and that you feel comfortable using.

WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace are good examples of website-building platforms with a good reputation.

10. Do not post any sensitive information

We all know that posting sensitive information online is never a good idea. But what exactly qualifies as sensitive data?

In general, something that could potentially be identity theft or fraud should be avoided. Personal information such as your Social Security number, credit card information, bank account number, and password are included in this category.

In the context of your website, you need to hide any information that could allow someone to impersonate you and take over your account. Things like your email/username, physical address, phone number, etc If someone can collect all of this information, they may be able to impersonate you to call your service provider and gain access to your website.

Also read,

• Best Plugin to Increase Website Speed
• Free Online Website Speed Tests
• Why Mobile Friendly Website is Important

Conclusion

There are several ways to find out WordPress Website Vulnerabilities and also steps you can take to protect your website from hackers. These include keeping your CMS up to date regularly, using strong passwords, and limiting access to your website. By following these tips, you can prevent WordPress Website Vulnerabilities and help to keep your website safe from attacks.