WordPress based websites just like other sites are vulnerable to ransomware attackers from hackers. Read on to know how to mitigate ransomware threats from hackers…
As a matter of fact, WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world. But, it’s also true that due of its popularity, WordPress based sites have been a favourite target for malicious hackers.
With WordPress accounting for 41.5% of all websites, it’s no surprise that hackers are targeting it. Some of the new malware that steals users’ data, such as EV ransomware, is even designed to expressly target WordPress flaws.
Unfortunately, because ransomware attacks have grown in size and scalability over time, it is more often than not a question of ‘if’ rather than ‘when’ online enterprises will be targeted. This tendency is expected to continue, given the high-profile success of recent ransomware operations.
However, there are a number of things you can do to make your website less vulnerable to ransomware attacks.
Best Security Practices
To keep hackers out of your organization and keep your customers safe, you’ll need to follow some of the best security practices that would minimize the chances of ransomware attacks
Update Your Company’s WordPress Website: To maintain a website safe, it usually necessitates manual activities like updating. It is critical to keep track of which various components that requires updation. This holds true for plugins, themes, and even WordPress. You should also make sure that your host’s PHP and MySQL versions are up to date on a regular basis. Since this is a crucial activity, you should make it a habit to check for updates on a frequent basis. Alternatively, you might utilise the auto-update feature to handle the most of minor changes.
Check for Brute Force Attacks: A brute force attack, as the name implies, is a crude attack in which a bot attempts hundreds of username and password combinations each minute until it succeeds. Due to the blunt nature of these attacks, banning IP addresses that attempt to access your site several times with wrong login credentials is a reasonably simple way to avoid them. Bots, on the other hand, can attempt to get access repeatedly until they succeed if this simple layer of defence is not in place.
Implement Robust Access Security: Using short, easily guessed words or, even worse, the term ‘password’ as your password can leave your WordPress site extremely vulnerable. Even strong passwords can become vulnerable if they have been used for too long or for too many different applications. To create a strong and unique passwords for each login, it is recommended to use password generators. Implementing two-factor authentication to your WordPress login can add extra degree of protection for every WordPress users, allowing allowing less privileged user roles to continue logging in with a strong password.
Mandatory Installation of SSL Certificates: SSL certificates encrypt all data sent between your computer and your browser, making it much more difficult for hackers to intercept it. Managed WordPress hosting providers like WP Engine, for example, includes automated SSL certificate installation and renewal with all of their hosting plans.
Regular Backup of Your WordPress Website: One of the key reasons why so many organizations pay the ransom is that they don’t have proper backups, thus implying that cost of the ransom is more expensive than the cost of maintaining the backup of data. And the more backups you have, the better. If your backups are kept on a local drive, ransomware attacks can encrypt them as well. Your data can be backed up on the server, but off-site backups in a secure location are much safer. Server-side backups are commonly included with managed WordPress hosting plans.
Conclusion
The repercussions of ransomware attack can not only damage your customer’s trust in your organization, but it can also cost you hugely in ransom money. But there is reason to be optimistic. There are a number of practical steps you can take to secure your WordPress site. When choosing a protect WordPress based websites, follow some of the security practices listed above and start protecting your site right now.
While you may not be able to prevent all ransomware attacks, especially if your organization is being targeted – there are a few things you can do to make sure your WordPress based websites doesn’t become easy prey for hackers. Ransomware’s scope and sophistication are increasing all the time, but hackers, like most criminals, are opportunists, and making your website less vulnerable than the majority is still the best way to keep your data safe.