WordPress has dominated nearly one-third of the world’s websites, ranging from small personal blogs to large corporate websites. As this content management system (CMS) allows for the growth of massive businesses, the need for protection against WordPress phishing scams shall be considered.
When security has been compromised, the business and transaction are at stake. You surely do not want others to press and manipulate your word online. You can protect any site-building tools like WordPress inside your fortress. Here are the things you should know, ranging from the relevant questions about a phishing scam, its common signs, and ways to avoid it.
Relevant Questions About WordPress And Phishing Scams
- What are phishing scams?
- How does it affect your website?
- How does phishing work?
Common Signs Of Phishing Scams In WordPress?
- Unusual tone of language
- Emails that request a password change
- Email spinning
- “Do it now” supremacy
Ways To Prevent Phishing Scams
- Clean your website
- Use spam filters
- Email spinning
- Subscribe to a WordPress security service
Relevant Questions About WordPress And Phishing Scams
– What are phishing scams?
It is more like the act of “fishing.” They are sound-like, and their motives are pretty connected. A fisher catches fish whereas, in phishing, they want to capture your interest to obtain confidential information.
– How does it affect your website?
The purpose of the scam is to acquire usernames, passwords, and website admin information. This way bad actors can take control of the websites, infect them with malware, blacklist them from searches, and do anything else they want with them.
The acquired data is then utilized to access sensitive accounts, leading to identity theft and financial loss.
– How does phishing work?
A victim usually receives a message that appears to have been sent by a known contact or organization. The attack happens by sending a malicious file attachment, and then the victim clicks the link that leads to malicious websites. In either case, the goal is to infect the user’s device with malware or redirect the victim to a bogus website. Fake websites are set up to deceive people into giving over personal and financial information, including passwords, account IDs, and credit card numbers.
The phishing scam could look like an official-looking WordPress email, supplied with the exact font, style, and footer. Then, it “alerts” the recipient through a false need to update the database on the WordPress site. The email stresses the importance of the situation. Thus, providing an UPDATE button for the user to click. If the user complies, providing all of the requested information, the hackers stationed at the command and control server (C&C) gain control of the WordPress site.
Meanwhile, it is essential to note that the platform itself does not cause these flaws. Plug-ins are used in a lot of the attacks on these sites. Plug-ins are helpful because they connect and communicate between systems. However, not all plug-ins follow the same security protocols. Hackers simply need one weak link to gain access to the application that leads to the threatening WordPress phishing scams.
On the other hand, it is not as if WordPress did not anticipate that the risk would only grow. It was first mentioned by its founder in 2007. Furthermore, since the internet has grown to include billions of websites, the amount of spam that a WordPress site must combat has increased. WordPress now receives almost 82,000 more spam reports per hour than it did a decade ago.
Look Closely: Common Signs Of Phishing Scams In WordPress
Users must be vigilant to determine potential threats to their websites. Being gullible will lead you into danger and threat if you are fish. Thus, we need to spot the difference between a deceiving hook and an enlightening truth. Get your site checked and secured for potential threats!
1. Unusual Tone Of Language
When reading a phishing message, the first thing that generally raises suspicion is that the language is not exactly right. This means that there are grammatical errors, unsolicited messages, and inconsistent information. Thus, don’t click on it if something seems out of the ordinary, unexpected, and out of character. It might appear from someone you do not know or someone you do know; again, do not entertain it.
2. Emails That Request Password Change
Do not click on anything you did not specifically ask to be reset! A lot of queries keep bombing in your site’s help section. They are asking how people got their site’s usernames and passwords. Account-holders were receiving password reset emails, which kept coming up. These, of course, appear to originate from your domain. You did not, however, attempt to reset your password. Although the reset email link seems to be from your domain, clicking on it will either screw up your login or compromise it
3. Email Spinning
When hackers gain access to a WordPress site, they start sending out spam emails. Later on, it will penetrate your customer base. The emails will appear to be sent from your domain. However, clients should be cautioned about the message. To solve this, inform them that emails requesting PPI or other sensitive data will never come from the company. Next, please encourage them to forward these emails to you so that your team can investigate.
4. “Do It Now” Supremacy
For hackers, this tactic is the crowd’s favorite. They bring a sense of urgency because a service is only accessible for a limited time. Messages with a sense of urgency appeared to be a hook to catch your interest.
In addition, some messages may inform you that your account will be suspended unless you immediately update your personal information. Most reputable businesses give customers plenty of notice before terminating an account, and they never ask them to correct personal information via the Internet. When in doubt, go straight to the source instead than clicking a link in an email.
We Bring Solutions: Ways To Combat Phishing Scams On WordPress
Phishing scams have the potential to harm your website’s reputation. Maintaining your WordPress site up to date to protect your website is vital. Keeping up with the newest upgrades will ensure the WordPress CMS website’s reliability and security.
1. Clean Your Website
Most WordPress admins are completely unaware that their site contains phishing pages. The files are not included on the legitimate pages, yet the website appears identical. They are not visible to the naked eye. As a result, you could not find out about the pages until you received a notification from someone who got the phishing email.
To eradicate this problem, you need to remove the pages through the code. To figure out if your WordPress site has been hacked, you need to look at the code. These pages will exist on their own and be hidden within the CMS. One way to locate them is to search for them by name. Because a phishing scam attempts to make your site appear legitimate, file names are a dead giveaway. The files will include items related to your brand but not pages you authored.
2. Use Spam Filters
For plus protection, use spam filters. To determine a spam message, look for the source of the message. Then, determine the software used for the transmission and the quality of the message. Spam filters can sometimes prevent emails from legitimate sources. Thus, it’s not always 100 percent accurate.
3. Use The Security Systems
Website users can use CAPTCHA technology or two-factor authentication (2FA). This security system allows the distinction between human users and automated users. It has a difficult task that is impossible for a non-human user to crack.
Moreover, this technology verifies that a real person is accessing the web content. It automatically prevents spammers and bots from harvesting email addresses or signing up for websites, blogs, or forums. CAPTCHA prevents automated systems from reading the distorted letters in the image.
Meanwhile, 2FA adds an extra layer of verification when entering into critical applications. It is the most effective way to prevent phishing attempts. Two essential things are required in 2FA. First is your password and user name, which are the information you only know. The second is something they have, like a smartphone. 2FA prevents the hacker from obtaining your data even if your identifications are compromised.
Subscribe To A WordPress Security Service
To safeguard and manage your website, get a website maintenance subscription today! Look for a business that will handle all of your concerns so that you and your potential clients can navigate the website successfully with competent technical support. Site care is essential in your business as they provide services to protect your reputation. Some services they may offer include:
- WordPress Hosting with Premium Optimization
- Backups are made every day.
- Security Checks daily
- Analyzes of Daily Performance
- Every 5 minutes, the system is checked for uptime.
Attain tranquility when it comes to your WordPress. Remember that your website is an integral part of your brand and company. Please keep it safe, secure, and operational! Say no to WordPress phishing scams, and do not let your effort go in vain.
