Most webmasters often overlook website security, and as a result, they face serious consequences, including data loss, broken websites, redirects to spam websites, and, in the worst cases, websites being hacked. It is therefore essential for every website owner to learn about the basics of website security. When it comes to website security, two familiar threats come to mind: malware and viruses. Are they the same? If not, what’s the difference between them?
In this blog post, we have shared some of the fundamental differences between website malware and viruses.
What is malware?
Malware is a broader term for any malicious code injection that’s designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a website. Some of the common forms of malware include viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, and spyware.
What is a virus?
A virus, on the other hand, is a common type of malware. It attaches itself to files or code, spreads when executed, and can corrupt data or slow down websites.
Differences between website malware and viruses?
Scope: As mentioned earlier, a virus is just one form of malware, while malware is an umbrella term that encompasses all types of harmful code or scripts.
Behaviour: Viruses replicate and spread; however, with malware, it’s not the case. Malware may stay hidden, steal data, or redirect traffic without spreading.
How can malware or viruses affect your WordPress site?
Slowing down the performance of your WordPress site.
Compromising your customer’s sensitive data.
Your website may get blacklisted by Google.
They can damage your website’s reputation by scaring your users with security warnings or redirecting them to websites associated with spam farms.
How do WordPress developers secure websites?
There are several things that WordPress developers do to secure a website:
Install & configure a security plugin such as ‘All in One WP Security’ and configure it properly.
A professional WordPress developer would change the default admin URL (/wp-admin/) to something different that’s not easily guessable for hackers. Additionally, the developers can also change the default username of the backend ‘admin’ to a custom username. At Innomedia, we also adhere to security standards for all the sites we build.
A web developer can also limit or restrict crucial file/folder permissions on the server, preventing hackers from gaining unauthorized access.
Strengthen all required passwords for the WordPress backend, control panel, FTP, database access, and other relevant systems.
Is your website compromised, showing security warnings, or hacked? Consult a professional web developer in the UAE now. Get in touch with us for a quote!
