Category Archives: Articles

Why Is an Insignificant Site Like Mine Being Attacked?

This article is from Ask WordfenceWordPress Security on March 14, 2018 by Dan Moen

At a high level, an attacker views a vulnerable website as a juicy collection of resources that they can steal or exploit:

  • It’s backed by a server that they can use to run their own programs
  • It’s connected to the internet and likely has a squeaky-clean reputation
  • It might include interesting user data
  • It probably has traffic coming to it
  • It is likely important to you

Most of the time, they use those resources to make money. And they continue to find new creative ways to make a buck.

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How to Limit Security Risks From Plugins

This article is from Ask WordfenceWordPress Security on November 8, 2017 by Dan Moen

“According to survey results we published last year, vulnerable plugins are the top way that attackers gain access to WordPress sites. Reducing your plugin security risk is one of the most important aspects of protecting your site.

There are a number of things you can do to limit the risk of security issues on your site.

Use as Few Plugins as Possible

Every plugin you install on your website increases your “attack surface”. You are running more code, so your odds of having a security vulnerability exploited go up. Every plugin you add to your site also represents another developer you are relying on to keep you safe. That includes writing secure code, responding quickly to vulnerability reports and keeping your best interests in mind.

Only Download Plugins From Reputable Sites

If possible we recommend that you limit your plugin downloads to the official WordPress.org plugin directory. A great team of volunteers manages it, alongside a large community of users and security researchers helping out.”

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Amazon Prime Redefines Online Shopping

If you are a regular online shopper, chances are that you have an Amazon Prime account.  Through this service, we have all become accustomed to our purchases arriving on our doorstep in a blink of an eye.  Amazon has made 2-day free shipping the norm.

“As the number of Prime customers increases, it’ll be even more challenging for competing retailers to attract customers that are used to two-day free shipping and receive other Prime perks like free streaming of music, movies and TV shows.” ~Internet Retailer

There is even ‘Amazon Prime Day’.  The web sales from Prime Day are right on the heals of days like ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Cyber Monday’.  > Read more

 

Always Make Those Security Updates

Each orange dot is a unique infection by WannaCrypt ransomware as recorded by MalwareTech.com
Courtesy of malwaretech.com

“So this attack is raising one of these fundamental issues that we talk about in the security world, about whether NSA surveillance protects people or creates unexpected damage that does more harm than good.”

“Wana Decryptor exploits a Windows flaw that was patched in Microsoft’s Security Bulletin MS17-010 in March. But on machines that haven’t been updated or patched, the malicious code encrypts all of an infected machine’s files — and then spreads itself.”

Always do your security updates promptly…

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