Vulnerable plugins: 7 good practices to adopt on WordPress

Contrary to popular belief, WordPress still has numerous security vulnerabilities. Despite its reliability, this CMS is known to have nearly 4,000 weaknesses that can at any moment destroy the work you have done on your website.

You can well imagine the importance of protecting your WordPress site and knowing about these vulnerabilities in order to limit the damage. And sometimes, we don't look in the right place. The problems you may encounter on your site can come from several sources. For instance, hacker adversaries can infiltrate your various themes by using your password or old files. It is also worth noting that 61.4% of WordPress users admit to not knowing how hackers break into their sites — a significant figure that clearly demonstrates the importance of raising awareness about the origin of these problems.

1. Keep a close eye on your plugins

Plugins can be a real asset for the development of your WordPress site. But they can also be the cause of bugs of varying severity. Despite their usefulness, they are the modules that render your site most vulnerable. Although your WordPress core may seem secure and in safe hands, your various plugins still have many security vulnerabilities. They come from all over, developed by different people with widely varying skill levels. This is where we draw your attention: the way in which a plugin has been developed can be the primary cause of a great deal of damage. According to research conducted by Wordfence, plugins are the leading cause of the majority of hacks on WordPress sites, as hackers know how to identify each unsecured plugin.

Make a point of regularly checking the status of your plugins to minimise risks. As you will have gathered, a hacker can easily break into your WordPress site through them. So, how do you prevent their vulnerability and how do you effectively protect your WordPress site in this situation? Here are a few tips.

2. Use a security plugin for WordPress

Although a security plugin cannot prevent all hackers from attacking you, it is still strongly advisable to have a solid security plugin in place. This will reduce the risk of finding yourself in an awkward situation. To choose a reliable one, take the time to check its options and unique features to find the best match for your security needs.

3. Detect vulnerabilities with WpScan

WpScan is an effective solution for analysing your plugins. Developed in Ruby, it is capable of listing all your plugins and alerting you to any security vulnerabilities. What's more, you can search for a plugin by name in alphabetical order. If you notice a risk in the list, make sure no update exists to fix the vulnerability before taking action. If no fix is available, you can remove the plugin from your site to prevent hackers from gaining easy access through it.

4. Use updates: ManageWP

ManageWP is a highly effective dashboard for protecting your WordPress site and managing all security vulnerabilities. This is why they collaborated with WPScan Vulnerability Database, in order to offer you an advanced method of checking your plugins for vulnerabilities when you use ManageWP's website management services. This feature is a good remedy for improving the security of your WordPress site and, best of all, it is free. No excuses, then, for not getting updates and identifying a risky plugin.

To top it all off, ManageWP, in addition to detecting vulnerable plugins, identifies the exact problem and indicates where that module is running on your site. It can also remove a plugin that poses a risk.

5. Take care of your plugins regularly

Sucuri

Sucuri is a particularly reliable plugin for securing your WordPress site for several reasons:

• It checks that the WordPress version is up to date
• It checks for the installation of a firewall linked to your site and can even offer to install its own firewall, if that fits within your budget
• It is capable, when necessary, of blocking your access to wp-content
• It can analyse the PHP version on your server
• It can block editing of your themes and plugins when needed

6. Regular updates

This may seem obvious, but it is vital to point it out: regularly update your plugins! Updates generally improve the plugin and fix any security issues. On a more technical level, choose reputable plugins such as those from the WordPress repository (where each plugin undergoes strict vetting). It is also advisable to check other users' reviews, compatibility, support, and installation figures to ensure they are properly secured.

7. Avoid abandoned plugins

When a plugin is updated, it means the developer has vetted it and corrected the various issues. If you notice that a plugin you wish to use on your site has not been updated in the past 6 months, consider alternatives. Abandoned plugins are not vetted to detect security issues, which puts your WordPress site at risk. The simple solution is to remove unnecessary plugins — and not merely deactivate them. Even when inactive, they give hackers the opportunity to infiltrate and plant malicious code on your WordPress site.

Good to know

Plugins are very good and effective — there is no doubt about that. They extend the functionality and design of your website and add great value for visitors engaging with your content. However, failing to recognise the threat that certain plugins pose can cause significant harm to your WordPress site. This is why it is essential to carry out research before installing random plugins on your site. Even if this takes time, these steps are essential and can be entrusted to a quality maintenance service.

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