Why WordPress Websites Get Hacked: WordPress is known to be a popular content management system and is given credit for changing the modern web structure. Due to this software, making any website is not a problem today. It is highly flexible and easy to use, and around 62% of websites operate due to this software, and most of companies use it for several purposes.
But nothing is risk-free here; with immense popularity, WordPress is a common target for cyber-criminals too, and around 90% of the hacked websites belong to WordPress.
However, this doesn’t mean that WordPress is not secure. It is said to be the most secure CMS. if we avoid some common mistakes, it can make WordPress less vulnerable to cyber attacks. But what are those mistakes? Let’s have a look.
5 Reasons Why WordPress Websites Get Hacked
Here are the top reasons why WordPress websites get hacked – read or explore the reasons to secure your website.
1. Use Of Weak Passwords
This is the most common pitfall due to which WordPress websites are hacked. These weak passwords are not able to secure the platform. We assign these weak passwords for our convenience, as we like to keep passwords that are easy to recall, but such easy passwords are cracked immediately by hackers.
Therefore, we must use a strong password for the websites; generally, a combination of numbers, letters (both uppercase and lowercase), and symbols should be used. Moreover, WordPress also has a feature to set up strong passwords for you on its own, and those passwords can be used without any second thoughts.
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2. If the Username is -Admin
The following main reason for WordPress website hacking is using a default ‘admin’ username. This is the username that WordPress proposes when we are setting the website up, and if we don’t change it, then we increase the chances of a website being hacked.
Moreover, if an admin ‘username’ is followed by a weak password, then the risk of the website getting hacked increases significantly. Hence, it is advisable to add something else as the username instead of ‘Admin.’ Do not use your name as a username as it makes it easy for the people who know you.
3. Use Of Insecure FTP Protocol
FTP is known as File Transfer Protocol. This protocol is designed to upload files to the web server and is another route by which cyber-criminals attack WordPress-based websites just because of these WordPress errors.
This is because it is similar to that of HTTP. When you are uploading files through default FTP, then the FTP credentials of your account are transferred in an unsafe manner. The files we send are also passed without any suitable security safeguards- if our data packets are stolen, then the files can also be seen. one of the effective Why WordPress Websites Get Hacked.
Therefore, if you wish to protect the server from such an attack, ensure that you use SFTP. This is the protocol primarily the HTTPS equivalent of FTP, as it encrypts everything before any transfer.
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4. Not Installing an SSL Certificate
If the website is loading on the default HTTP protocol rather than secure HTTPS, then both your website and visitors are at risk of hacking. An SSL certificate encrypts the data and information before its transmission so that the data cannot be stolen.
This is because the information sent to any website over HTTP protocol can be visible to anyone due to a data sniffing attack.
For example, if your website makes it mandatory for people to register, their usernames and passwords can be breached by hackers while they are still en route between your server and their computer.
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You can prevent this from occurring by installing an SSL certificate on the web server, ensuring that the website loads over safe and secure HTTPS protocol. Moreover, if you are looking for any cost-effective option in this regard, then a Comodo Essential SSL certificate is a good option in this case. one of the effective Why WordPress Websites Get Hacked.
5. Not Updating the WordPress on Time
Updating your software, computer, and devices is crucial if you wish them to perform well. Make sure your WordPress installation is the latest and up-to-date. This updating feature is also essential for security purposes.
The WordPress developers release regular updates to fix several security issues depending on the type of vulnerabilities revealed.
These are some of the tips that can help you save your WordPress from being hacked. There are other tips in this regard, so make sure you follow these and have a safe web experience.