WordPress Penetration Testing Is Rare. Here’s Why It Should Be a Standard

There’s hardly a company that neglects manual QA testing services these days. However, some of the testing types don’t get enough attention and room in the QA strategies.

WordPress (WP) penetration testing isn’t as common as it should be. 45.8% of all websites rely on WP. And very few see value in WordPress pentesting. Yet this CMS consistency means that hackers can use identical vulnerabilities to target almost half of pages across the Web.

So, let’s dive into why you need secured WordPress and how you should approach it.

Why Is WordPress Pentesting Overlooked?

WP-based platforms don’t get enough cybersecurity attention. Here are the main reasons that make owners and teams put pentesting on pause.

• Penetration tests can be pricy, which may be a barrier for teams with limited budgets.
• Some view penetration testing as an unnecessary expense. As there’s a misconception that a site’s content or user data is “useless” for hackers.
• Many may not recognize the importance of penetration testing for WP sites. So, they view, for example, regular software and plugin updates as enough.
• Penetration testing is like an authorized attack (with some restrictions). So, cybersecurity experts need agreements to protect them from possible issues. The fear of legal problems often makes stakeholders reluctant to proceed with pentesting.
• Smaller businesses may lack the resources for regular penetration tests.
• Sucuri lists present WP vulnerabilities every month and offers patching recommendations. So, in a way, you already know what hackers might use for their attacks. Hence, you can check those elements exclusively.

These considerations are justifiable. But let’s answer one question – will any of these aspects impede a determined black hat? Some people may break your site for practice or “fun”. And there’s no reason to wait for the final push that drives you to improve your page’s security.

Be proactive and save a ton of expenses you’ll need to spend on fixing the mess a hacker leaves behind.

Plus, you can always rely on QA outsourcing for cost-effectiveness and work with seasoned security experts to outright forget about any legal troubles.

Ethical Hacking: Introduction to the Forces of Digital Peace

Is WordPress Secure at All Then?

Generally, WordPress is secure:

• Developers routinely conduct audits of the WP core software.
• Services like Sucuri inform users of any issues.
• And Automated tools offer quick scans.

But, curiously, almost all vulnerabilities come from companies leaving out proper cybersecurity practices.

Common WordPress Vulnerabilities

Since 2017, more than one million WP sites have been attacked via a single malware. But this isn’t the biggest worry for you.

Brute-Force Attacks

Hackers systematically attempt various username and password combinations until the correct one is found. And you’d be surprised how easy it is to do. Once they gain access to your page, they can gather sensitive data, modify content, or even take over the site.

Outdated Software & PHP Versions

Updates to WP and PHP (WP’s underlying programming language) introduce vulnerability patches. Using outdated versions creates a risk of exploitation by malicious actors. And the longer you wait to refresh your WP, the more time hackers have to learn how to break your page.

Old Themes & Plugins

Outdated themes and plugins often have unaddressed security issues. For example, a patched error in a plugin that hasn’t been updated by a user won’t take effect. Also, there are increasing cases of people buying older plugins to add malware to them.

Web Server Misconfigurations

Another risk lies in the mismanagement of server settings, permissions, and access controls. These can lead to unintended security gaps, exposing sensitive data or access points.

Weak Passwords

Precisely because many don’t see a WP-powered site as a lucrative target, weak passwords are common. Add to this a phishing attack, and the chances of a hacker fully controlling your website are near 100%.

Vulnerable File Permissions

Improperly configured file permissions compromise the website’s security. By leveraging access configurations, hackers can modify your WordPress site. In this situation, the best-case scenario is downtime. And the worst – damaged reputation and lawsuits related to user-data leaks.

Insecure Hosting Providers

On top of that, black hats can get to your page through an insecure hosting provider. They can exploit server-level vulnerabilities and take down the entire hosting infrastructure.

Is WordPress’ Security Undermined?

As you may have noticed, most vulnerabilities come from internal mishaps. Not the core WordPress software. So, it’s not that WP has compromised security. You can use it safely. You just need to take preventive measures to ensure that this safety is lasting.

How to Prevent a DDoS Attack

Penetration Testing for WordPress

One of the best ways of resolving security concerns is penetration testing. Why it may be better than any other cybersecurity method? Because QA services specializing in it simulate real attacks.

For instance, they use the Sucuri page to learn current WP vulnerabilities. They can:

• Determine what would catch a hacker’s attention.
• Isolate the weakest website components.
• Define the steps a black hat is likely to take.
• And even predict the first symptoms in your system.

So, pentesting helps direct your cybersecurity efforts and take specific actions to enhance your WP site protection.

Why Run Pentesting for WordPress?

Unlike static security measures, pentesting provides a dynamic assessment, mimicking the evolving tactics of attackers. Such proactivity lets you stay one step ahead of emerging threats.

Unique Benefits of Pentesting

• Pentesting replicates real-world scenarios, providing insights into how an attacker might exploit vulnerabilities. This realism allows for a more accurate assessment of the risks, helping prioritize critical issues.
• Pentests uncover issues that may go unnoticed through automated scans or routine security practices. Cybersecurity experts can get creative and thoroughly evaluate your site’s resilience.
• It also allows for tailored recommendations based on your page’s specific environment and configurations. This personalized approach enhances the effectiveness of security measures and saves costs.
• You can adapt penetration testing to focus specifically on WordPress-related vulnerabilities. This approach ensures that the testing aligns closely with the unique aspects of WordPress sites.

Penetration Testing Process

To dispel any worries regarding pentesting, let’s get to know its process. Remember, a cybersecurity expert doesn’t want to break your page. They only look for ways an actual hacker might do it. And the procedure is fully guided by your team. So, you can implement binding restrictions to prevent any troubles.

We explore the details of the pentesting process in one of our previous articles, “What Is Penetration Testing and Why Is It Important?” For the purposes of this article, let’s overview how penetration testing would look for a WordPress site.

Step 1: Planning

Define pentesting scope, goals, and objectives and establish engagement rules.

Step 2: Information Gathering

Collect relevant information about the WordPress site, including its architecture, technologies used, and likely weaknesses.

Step 3: Vulnerability Analysis

Identify and analyze potential issues in the WordPress site. This involves examining outdated versions, weak passwords, misconfigurations, and other known problems.

Step 4: Exploitation

Attempt to exploit identified vulnerabilities to assess their severity and possible impact.

Step 5: Reporting

Document and communicate the findings and recommended remediation strategies.

Step 6: Remediation

Implement the recommended security measures to address located issues.

See? You don’t have to be afraid of pentesting. It’s a systematic process that follows predefined steps. And the end result? A website that is safeguarded from malicious intent.

WordPress Penetration Testing Tools

If your biggest pentesting concern is cost or lack of expertise, there are user-friendly solutions available. Managed security services, like Sucuri or Wordfence, offer simplified interfaces and automated features. And you don’t need extensive knowledge to use them.

There are also tools you can rely on for penetration testing. Let’s review the ones that have a proven record.

WPScan (Has a Free Plan)

WPScan is a specialized WordPress vulnerability scanner. It offers a detailed assessment of a WordPress site’s security, focusing on vulnerabilities attackers may exploit.

• WPScan’s extensive database of WordPress vulnerabilities lets you scan and identify risks quickly.
• You can enumerate WordPress usernames, locating possible targets for brute-force attacks.
• The tool can detect plugins and themes, assessing their likely vulnerabilities.

FFuF (Free & Open Source)

FFuF, or Fuzz Faster U Fool, is a versatile web tool for fuzzing (subjecting a system to a large volume of diverse and potentially malformed inputs). You can apply it to define prevalent WordPress vulnerabilities.

• You can send various payloads to identify vulnerabilities or misconfigurations.
• FFuF’s customization allows you to adapt fuzzing parameters and payloads to specific requirements.
• The tool can handle authentication mechanisms, allowing for more comprehensive security assessments.

Burp Suite (Paid)

Burp Suite is a widely used web application security testing tool that offers web vulnerability scanning, crawling, and analysis. It’s not exclusive to WordPress. Yet, it’s highly effective for assessing the security of WP sites.

• Burp Suite acts as a proxy between the browser and the target site. So, you can intercept and analyze HTTP traffic.
• You can use the tool’s web spider for mapping out site structures.
• Burp Suite facilitates the analysis of session tokens, cookies, and authentication mechanisms.

NMAP (Paid)

NMAP, or Network Mapper, is a network scanning tool. While not WordPress-specific, it is instrumental in identifying potential security risks associated with a WordPress site’s underlying infrastructure.

• You can scan open ports on a target server, defining active services and likely vulnerabilities.
• NMAP can detect the page OS, inspecting of the overall security environment.
• You can create custom scripts for specific scanning and analysis requirements.

Astra Pentest (Paid)

Astra Pentest focuses on locating vulnerabilities specific to WordPress installations. And eliminating vulnerabilities that hackers find attractive will go much faster.

• Astra Pentest is tailored for WordPress. You can focus its assessments on vulnerabilities relevant to the platform.
• You can investigate security headers to see if your site adheres to best practices for web security.
• The tool generates user-friendly reports, facilitating collaboration.

QA Engineers vs Penetration Testing Tools

Now, of course, penetration testing tools offer strong support to cybersecurity specialists. They help save time and eliminate basic issues. Yet, only the expertise of QA engineers ensures a nuanced approach to security.

Contextual Analysis

The biggest advantage of QA engineers is the human element. No software fully understands the unique intricacies of a WordPress site. QA specialists provide contextual analysis that goes beyond automated results.

Adaptable Testing

QA engineers are highly adaptable and can customize testing scenarios to your needs. This flexibility ensures a more thorough examination that automated tools can’t tackle.

Continuous Improvement

QA engineers’ continuous involvement ensures that security practices evolve alongside the dynamic WordPress threats.

Using automated tools only is like building a skyscraper with a shovel. Sure, it may turn out tall. But it’ll be more of a high pile rather than a stable structure. Expertise matters.

To Sum Up

Pentesting WordPress websites isn’t a common practice. Should it be? Given that over 30,000 pages are hacked every day, the mindset of “Oh, it won’t be me” never works. It’s better to save your worries, expenses, and resources in advance.

So, think about penetration testing now, not after your site goes down. And the expertise needed for a protected asset – we can help with that.