Hackers exploit WordPress plugin flaw that gives full control of millions of sites

In recent news, hackers have been exploiting a vulnerability in a WordPress plugin that has given them full control of millions of websites. The vulnerability was discovered by security researchers at Wordfence and affects the File Manager plugin, which is installed on over two million sites. This plugin allows users to manage their files from within the WordPress dashboard.

The flaw allowed attackers to gain access to any file stored on the server where the website is hosted, including sensitive information such as passwords and database credentials. In addition, they could also upload malicious code or delete important files without permission. This type of attack can be used for various purposes such as stealing data or launching distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against other websites.

Fortunately, there are steps that webmasters can take to protect themselves from this type of attack. First and foremost, it’s important to keep all plugins up-to-date with the latest version available from the developer’s website or through WordPress itself. Additionally, if you use File Manager specifically then you should update it immediately since an updated version has already been released which fixes this particular issue. It’s also recommended that users enable two-factor authentication for their accounts in order to add an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access attempts like these ones made by hackers exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated software versions..

Finally, it’s always best practice for webmasters to regularly back up their websites so they can quickly restore any lost data if something does go wrong due to a hack attempt like this one targeting vulnerable plugins like File Manager . By following these simple steps , webmasters can ensure that their sites remain secure even when faced with threats posed by cybercriminals looking for weaknesses in outdated software versions .

|Hackers exploit WordPress plugin flaw that gives full control of millions of sites|Security|Ars Technica