phpMyAdmin is a widely used database management system that allows you to view your database and make all possible edits and modifications in your browser, but it can cause security problems if it is installed in the folder where WordPress is installed.
We will explain the reasons for this.
Why the presence of phpMyAdmin is dangerous
What happens if phpMyAdmin is hacked?
If a hacker can log into phpMyAdmin and rewrite the database, it is possible to create an unauthorized user with administrative rights to WordPress.
In this case, they would be able to log in to WordPress with administrator privileges, and they would be able to do all kinds of things, including installing unauthorized files and backdoors, using the WordPress system with its file writing and rewriting capabilities.
It is also possible to rewrite the data of posts in the database and plant malicious links or redirect hack scripts.
How hackers can find out if phpMyAdmin is installed on a site’s server
Hackers will use various folder names to find out if phpMyAdmin is installed in a folder on your WordPress site.
If you have phpMyAdmin installed in the following folders, you need to be especially careful.
phpmyadmin
php-myadmin
myadmin
admin
phpadmin
databaseadmin
etc.
phpMyAdmin is also vulnerable to brute force attacks.
If a hacker finds out that phpMyAdmin is present, the hacker will attempt to log in to phpMyAdmin.
One of the reasons why WordPress can be hacked and administrator privileges taken away is a brute force attack.
This attack is a method of mechanically trying to log in to the admin panel tens of thousands of times using commonly used passwords, and this attack can be performed on phpMyAdmin as well.
If wp-config.php is compromised
Some vulnerabilities in plug-ins and themes can allow users to download arbitrary files in the server.
If this vulnerability is exploited and wp-config.php is compromised, hackers can log into phpMyAdmin using the database user ID and password listed in wp-config.php.
Coping Methods
If you want to run your WordPress site safely, you should not have phpMyAdmin on your server. Many servers provide direct access to phpMyAdmin, so it is better to use that method.
For servers that have not already been hacked, changing the name of the phpMyAdmin folder to a non-associative name (e.g. random string) may also help prevent hackers from accessing phpMyAdmin directly.
If your WordPress has been hacked, you can use a security plugin to detect and remove backdoors and other malicious files.
Free WordPress:Malware Scan & Security Plugin [Malware and Virus Detection and Removal].
