Wordpress websites, Raleigh NC

Ever wonder why a hacker would be interested in your website? Think your site is too small or ‘insignificant’ to be hacked?

It is not uncommon to think a ‘small’ site is immune to malevolent hackers. But the truth is that no site is immune, and small sites are just as likely to fall victim to the attacks as larger ones.

Knowing some basic information about hacking and how to protect your site is the first step to decreasing your security risk. Here are answers to some common questions about site security:

  • Why are WordPress sites a target for hackers? Some estimates indicate that one-quarter of all websites are built with Wordpress. Because of the sheer numbers of WordPress sites, hacking code that targets them can find more sites with vulnerabilities. The same is true for sites built with other commonly used CMSs such as Joomla.
  • Why would a hacker seek access to my site? The majority of hacking activity is automated. The hackers are seeking unauthorized access to web servers to perform illicit operations ‘anonymously.’ They are indifferent to the specifics of the site through which they might ‘hack’ into for this access. Like a squatter on real estate, they can benefit from any site once they have obtained use of it.
  • How could a hacker benefit from my site? Hackers seek access to your web server to perform illicit operations which may include sending tons of spam or ‘mining’ digital currencies. Check out this UpdraftPlus post to read more.
  • If my site is hacked, what are the dangers to my site? If your site is hacked, the hackers can make changes – or they may lurk ‘behind the scenes’ hoping you will not discover the hack so they can continue to profit from their illicit connection. Their unauthorized operations, however, may cause your site to be ‘blacklisted’ which can impact your search engine listing and access to your site. Read more in this wordpress.org post.
  • What are the vulnerabilities that hackers exploit to access a site? Most frequently, hackers are able to access a site through an exploit in software — an outdated version of WordPress or a broken plug-in, for example. For a detailed description of why and how websites are  hacked, check out this sucuri.net blog post.
  • What steps can I take to secure my site from hackers? The first step to take is keeping WordPress, your theme and plug-ins up-to-date on your site. If you have installed plug-ins you are no longer using, remove them. Additional steps include selecting a hosting server based on security and reputation – not price – and choosing reliable passwords. Find detailed information for increasing WordPress security in these posts:  http://www.sitepoint.com/tips-to-secure-wordpress and http://www.sitepoint.com/securing-wordpress-hackers-ddos-attacks/.

Need Help Securing Your WordPress Website?

The Page Progressive team works daily to create and maintain secure websites for our clients, and we are specialists in WordPress. We’ve helped many clients optimize their site security and find the right hosting server. We’ve also helped some recover from being hacked when the unfortunate has occurred. We encourage you to take the necessary steps to protect your site without delay. Should you need any assistance, please give us a call.