Hackers exploit security bug in a WordPress plugin used by 11 million websites

Hackers have recently exploited a security bug in a WordPress plugin used by 11 million websites. The vulnerability was discovered in the popular WP GDPR Compliance plugin, which helps website owners comply with European Union data privacy regulations. According to reports, hackers were able to gain access to vulnerable sites and inject malicious code into them.

The vulnerability was first reported on April 15th by Wordfence, a company that provides security services for WordPress websites. They stated that the bug allowed attackers to take control of any site running the plugin without needing authentication credentials or user interaction. This means that anyone who had installed this particular version of the plugin could be at risk of having their website compromised.

WordPress is one of the most widely-used content management systems (CMS) on the web today, powering over 35% of all websites worldwide according to W3Techs’ survey results from March 2020. It is also estimated that there are currently more than 11 million active installations using this particular plugin alone – making it an attractive target for cybercriminals looking for easy targets with valuable information stored within them.

Fortunately, developers behind WP GDPR Compliance quickly released an update patching up this security hole shortly after its discovery and urged users to upgrade as soon as possible in order to protect themselves from potential attacks exploiting this vulnerability further down the line. However, many users may not have been aware of these updates due to lack of communication or simply forgetting about updating their plugins regularly – leaving them open for attack even after patches were available if they hadn’t upgraded yet when news broke out about it being exploited already by hackers online..

It is important for website owners and administrators alike to stay vigilant when it comes keeping their CMS updated with latest versions and patches whenever necessary; especially considering how much sensitive information can be stored within these platforms nowadays such as customer details or payment information which can easily fall into wrong hands if proper precautions aren’t taken beforehand against potential threats like these ones here mentioned above..

In conclusion, while no major damage has been reported so far due to exploitation of this particular vulnerability; it serves as a reminder why staying up-to-date with your software should always be priority number one when managing any kind of digital platform – regardless whether you’re running something small scale like personal blog or large enterprise level system where hundreds upon thousands people interact daily through your service(s). |Hackers exploit security bug in a WordPress plugin used by 11 million websites|Security|The Hindu

Original source article rewritten by our AI: The Hindu