If you ’ve chaffer a website in recent day and been indiscriminately redirect to the same Sir Frederick Handley Page with unelaborated “ resources ” or undesirable advert , it ’s probable the internet site in question was 1 ) ramp up with WordPress prick and 2 ) hacked .
Researchers at Sucuri , a security provider owned by GoDaddy , revealed on Wednesdaythat the cyber-terrorist behind a months - long campaign focalize on injecting malicious scripts into WordPress themes and plugins with fuck security measure hole were at work yet again .
It ’s significant to note that these ward-heeler are related to melodic theme and plugins built by K of third - political party developers using the open seed WordPress software , not WordPress.com , which offers hosting and creature to build websites . Automattic , WordPress.com ’s parent troupe , is a major contributor to the software but does not own it .
Thousands of Wordpress sites have been hacked via known vulnerabilities in recent months, according to security firm Sucuri.Photo: Jack Guez/AFP (Getty Images)
According to Sucuri , there are 322 WordPress land site with plugins and motif that have been affected by this new exploit , although the “ literal number of impacted internet site is probably much higher . ”
In April alone , hackers used this maneuver to taint intimately 6,000 web site , Sucuri malware psychoanalyst Krasimir Konov stated .
Sucuri detect the hackers ’ intrusions this retiring Monday while investigating WordPress website that complained of undesirable redirects . All of the websites shared a common issue , Konov explained ; they contain a malicious JavaScript hidden in their file and databases .
The JavaScript creates redirects that top user to a range of poison apples , include phishing pages and malware , the research worker explained . regretful of all , visitor might not even notice they ’re going down the cyberspace ’s version of a dark and dangerous bowling alley , as the redirect landing place page looks clean innocent .
If that were n’t bad enough , Konov said that opt - in manuevers for push notifications are one of the most common way hacker can run technical school supporting scams . These consist of the annoying windows that pop up out of nowhere to assure you that your computer is infected and that you should call a phone turn to get it fixed . Do not do this . The Federal Trade Commission , which is an expert in observe scams , helpfullypoints outthat real security system messages and admonition will not take you to call a phone number to get technical school help .
WordPress.com on Thursday told Gizmodo that plugins and idea are independently write and maintained outside of the core WordPress software package . In regards to Sucuri ’s report , the fellowship said that any plugin or theme hosted on WordPress.org , the website for the software , “ is on a regular basis skim for vulnerabilities . ”
“ If security issue are identified , plugin and theme authors are send word like a shot . Specific to Sucuri ’s report , any plugin that was n’t patched was either closed or not host on WordPress.org . WordPress.org also provides resources on security to both theme developer and plugin developers , ” a spokesperson for WordPress.com said . “ For self - host internet site , WordPress users are notified and encouraged to update core software , plugins and themes by nonpayment . ”
Sites hosted on WordPress.com are also put up services that address exposure like those referenced in the news report , the representative add .
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