We will explain why nulled (illegally distributed) WordPress themes/plugins are dangerous.
What is a nulled theme/plugin?
There are many sites that host and distribute various paid WordPress themes and plugins, or programs that have been removed from the official directory or suspended from distribution, without permission, such as by removing the license certificate.
Such unauthorized distribution from sites that are not official distribution sites (especially programs that have had their licenses removed) is called nulled themes and plugins.
(Nulled themes and plug-ins may contain malware or backdoors.
In addition to programs that bypass the license authorization process, nulled themes and plug-ins may, although not 100% of the time, contain backdoors, which are portals that allow hackers to modify server data. For this reason, it is safer not to use nulled themes or plug-ins.
Some specific examples of how malware can be included are listed below.
eval(base64_decode($code));
eval(gzinflate(str_rot13(base64_decode('Sy1LzNFQy8xLVShJLEnV...')))) ;
base64_decode gzinflate hides (obfuscates) the contents of the malicious code and executes arbitrary code with eval(). The reality is a backdoor.
add_action('*****', function() {
if (!username_exists('support')) {
wp_******_user('support', 'P@ssw0rd!', 'support@example.com');
}
});
Generates an invalid user (some of the code has been withheld because it is dangerous)
function theme_license_check() {
$data = file_get_contents('hacker site');
As shown above, some code disguised as a license can be used to notify an unauthorized destination of its own existence, or to pull down and execute unauthorized code.
Unknowingly using a nulled (illegally distributed) theme/plugin
If you have outsourced the creation of your site, the production company you outsourced to may have used a nulled theme/plugin.
This often leads to hackers attacking your site and spreading malware throughout the site.
To some extent, malicious code in nulled themes and plugins can be detected by malware scanning plugins.
We recommend that you run a malware scan once your site has been delivered by an outsourced vendor.
Free WordPress:Malware Scan & Security Plugin [Malware and Virus Detection and Removal].
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