LAW FIRMS with WordPress websites should take special care to avoid the five most common security threats.
Your practice’s reputation could be on the line if your website is hit by an attack, and your clients’ data might be stolen and misused.
That, of course, could also lead to an investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office with the potential for a substantial fine under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), especially if sensitive information is accessed.
Why do hackers target law firms’ websites?
The attackers’ aim is to gain access to your site as an administrator, stealing data and redirecting web traffic to malicious sites.
Here are the five most common WordPress security threats…
- File inclusion exploits – This is where remote files are uploaded to the site to attack vulnerable code.
- Brute force attacks – Here, someone is attempting to gain access to your site by trying multiple usernames and passwords.
- Cross-site scripting – This problem is caused by insecure Javascript scripts which are loaded on web pages. This problem is found in certain WordPress plug-ins.
- SQL injections – SQL is a domain-specific language which is used in programming. It is designed to manage data held in a relational database management system or for stream processing in a relational data stream management system. SQL injections happen when an attacker gains access to the site’s SQL database. New data is injected which can include malware or links to malicious websites or spam websites.
- Malware – Hackers inject code into your site which allows them access to sensitive data, such as case files or banking details.
What makes your site vulnerable to them?
- Weak passwords – A huge no. If someone can guess your password, they have access to everything on your website.
- Not updating plug-ins and themes – Hackers can use these items to spread malware. Software providers will often send out patches for problems in updates. It’s always worth installing them.
- Poor quality hosting or shared hosting – Always ask who else is on your server and what security measures are taken to keep your data safe.
- Using themes and plug-ins from untrustworthy sources – They might seem cool or useful, but there is a big price to pay if you choose themes and plug-ins created by these sources.
What you can do…
Find yourself a WordPress management service which offers the full package, as we do here at Jötnar Systems.
Ask your provider if they have daily security checks, updates when new software is released including plug-ins and themes, malware protection with a state-of-the-art firewall, a robust cloud platform or dedicated virtual machine, and a secure socket layer as standard.
You’ll need daily backups to ensure as much of your data as possible is saved should the worst happen. That will help you get back online quickly.
Does your legal practice need specialist help updating your WordPress website’s security systems?
Contact us today for a no-obligation consultation
