While WordPress is a trustworthy platform, there is always the possibility of a content management system being compromised.

Hackers have become increasingly smart with the methods they use to attack websites like WordPress and for this reason, you’ll find that malicious software or services can often be disguised as legitimate programs.

For example, it was recently established that a security plugin on WordPress was malicious software disguised under the name X-WP-SPAM-SHIELD-PRO. The authentic-sounding name led users to believe that the plugin was trustworthy. Even an expert may not notice the difference between malware and legitimate software, demonstrating the seriousness of WordPress hacker threats.

Fake WordPress plugins can wreak havoc upon your site. The X-WP-SPAM-SHIELD-PRO plugin retrieved username and password data, deleted or disable existing plugins to further compromise security, created a new admin account to control the site, and redirected web traffic elsewhere.

For this reason, it’s important to remain vigilant when it comes to WordPress security. Rather than frantically resorting to damage control once your personal information has already been compromised, take a preventative approach to your website security.

Firstly, if you do install WordPress plugins, ensure that they come from the official plugin repository. While the database is susceptible to malware, it’s patrolled by a team of admins and community members who work to keep plugins safe.

Prior to installing a plugin, read up on some reviews to confirm its reliability. A quick Google search should provide you with enough information to determine whether it’s authentic or a scam. As mentioned above, be wary of plugins that sound genuine — the recent WordPress plugin scam shows that names and hackers’ disguises can be very deceiving and hard to spot.