Viruses, malware, and malicious code are a threat to any software, but the WP community is well-regulated and plugin-related virus problems are rare. So, the short answer is yes, anything is possible, but the risks are low. When you install a plugin, it will check your WordPress files to see if they have been altered. It also scans for malicious code, iframes, links, and suspicious activity before they reach your website.
Can WordPress plugins contain viruses? Yes, if they come from unreliable sources. But generally speaking, WordPress plugins don't contain viruses if you get them from reliable sources. If malware is detected on your site, we take immediate action to clean it by deleting the affected files or directories and will notify you by email. This may cause changes to the look or functionality of your site.
If the threat comes from a plugin or theme, you will be responsible for finding and installing a version of the plugin or theme that does not contain malicious code. Wordfence is one of the most user-friendly plugins for malware detection. Pre-made WordPress templates can be infected with backdoors in the hope that someone will buy the theme and install it. When you install an infected theme, your WordPress site becomes a target for hackers. Proper checks can help ensure your security, but many cyber attacks aren't discovered until after the fact. So how do you end up with malware-infected WordPress themes? It all comes down to the theme you're using and where to get a secure WordPress theme.
The ease of use of WordPress is impressive, but it can give users and developers a false sense of security. If you are using an untrustworthy theme, it's best to uninstall it and install a new one that has been verified by the WordPress team. Exploitations of vulnerabilities in the WordPress architecture have led to massive server compromise through cross-site contamination. At the same time, WordPress has grown in popularity as a blogging platform and CMS, powering nearly 17% of websites today. In addition to installing an infected theme, there are several other ways in which your WordPress website can be hacked or compromised. Before we get into the details, let's look at some of the reasons why WordPress users can be vulnerable.
MalCare brands itself as “the only WordPress security plugin with instant malware removal from WordPress” and this premium plugin is used by several well-known sites to help keep your WordPress data and assets safe. Regularly scanning for malware is very important since 83 percent of hacked CMS-based sites are built on WordPress. Like Sucuri above, it also comes with a built-in WordPress firewall that runs on your server before WordPress loads. Every time a new version of WordPress is released, users receive an annoying message but many users have become quite good at ignoring it. If you are using a free WordPress theme outside the official repository, it is important to scan the file with a scanner such as VirusTotal before installing it on your website.
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