What exactly is an authentication bypass vulnerability in WordPress, and how can you protect your site against it? Responsible WordPress website owners know that site security is at the top of the priority list. And if we don’t take the proper steps to make sure our sites are secure, we may be vulnerable to attacks.
In this guide, we’ll discuss the importance of proper WordPress website security, while diving into the details of what an authentication bypass vulnerability is. Of course, we’ll also give you the solution that will help you fully secure your WordPress site against it. Let’s dive in.
Maintaining proper WordPress site security protocols is no easy task. Even the largest corporate sites using WordPress often have issues with hacks and malicious attacks. But hackers don’t just target the big sites. In fact, hackers often exploit smaller sites because they know that security protocols are often neglected and they are easier to gain unauthorized access to. An authentication bypass vulnerability is often the open door to your website that a hacker will exploit.
What Is an Authentication Bypass Vulnerability?
In a nutshell, an authentication bypass exploits weak authentication mechanisms to allow a hacker to access your systems and data.
Skilled attackers seek unprotected files, gain access to them, gather information, then attempt to hack into protected applications by completely bypassing the normal authentication system. Site owners that fail to enforce a strong site access policy and full authentication controls could allow a hacker to bypass authentication.
An attacker may also bypass the set authentication mechanism by stealing valid session IDs or cookies. And an authentication bypass vulnerability may allow an attacker to perform a host of malicious operations by bypassing the device authentication mechanism.
At times, even a protected application may include files that are unprotected. For example, the main folder of an application may be secure, but the other folders can be opened without any protection from hackers. Similarly, sites that are protected could include folders that lack authentication.
It’s worth noting that the majority of websites use back-end databases and scripts to enforce authentication. Moreover, web-form-based authentication is executed in the client-side web browser scripts, or through parameters posted through the web browser.
It only takes the hacker to manipulate the values contained in the web forms or in the parameters to bypass authentication. Many WordPress site owners fail to test their systems prior to releasing their sites publicly, which leaves their data wide open for an attack.
Protecting Yourself From An Authentication
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This article was written by Kristen Wright and originally published on WordPress News | iThemes Blog.