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Find out how virtual patching protects websites against the latest vulnerabilities, even when immediate code updates aren’t possible.
You only have to turn on the news today to learn of the latest cyber attack. Recently the Co-op and M&S both shared significant losses and downtime caused by a cyber attack.
As WordPress security specialists, many companies come to us for help after they’ve experienced a website security breach. This means that we get to see firsthand how quickly vulnerabilities can compromise websites.
Zero-day exploits, plugin vulnerabilities, and theme security flaws don’t wait for convenient maintenance windows. That’s why virtual security patching is an essential component of our comprehensive security strategy for client websites.
Virtual security patching is a proactive security measure that provides immediate protection against known vulnerabilities, without the need for immediate code changes to your website. Think of it as a security shield that sits between your website and potential threats, filtering out malicious requests that attempt to exploit specific vulnerabilities.
Unlike traditional patching, which requires updating the actual vulnerable code, virtual patching works at the application layer to detect and block exploit attempts in real-time. This approach is particularly valuable when immediate code updates aren’t feasible due to compatibility concerns, testing requirements, or 3rd party provider delays in releasing official patches.
WordPress powers over 40% of all websites, making it an attractive target for cybercriminals.
One of the WordPress ecosystem’s strengths, its vast library of plugins and themes, can also present security challenges. With thousands of third-party developers contributing to the WordPress ecosystem, vulnerabilities are inevitable.
When a security researcher discovers a vulnerability in a popular plugin used by millions of sites, the race begins. Security and development teams need time to develop, test, and deploy patches, but attackers often move faster.
During this critical window, virtual patching provides immediate protection while proper remediation is planned and executed.
Whilst in many cases a plugin’s developers are active in creating fixes and patches, there is another scenario in which virtual patching is also invaluable.
Sometimes a developer will essentially abandon their plugin, leaving it unsupported and far more open to vulnerabilities.
When a vulnerability is discovered in these unsupported plugins, virtual patching provides protection for a website whilst an alternative plugin is found to replace it, or development is carried out to provide the same functionality. Then that compromised plugin can be removed, without breaking your site or any of its features.
As with vulnerable plugins, virtual patching would provide protection, whilst the theme developer developed and deployed a fix.
In the much rarer case of an unsupported theme, virtual patching would provide a business and its web developers with time to either harden the theme with development, or in exceptionally rare circumstances, a new theme would be found or developed, to replace the vulnerable one.
At Impact, we implement a comprehensive virtual patching strategy using two industry-leading solutions: Cloudflare and Patchstack. This dual-layer approach ensures maximum protection for our client supported websites.
We include their fees typically as part of our Support, Maintenance & Hosting plans. Let’s say not every client truly values security, and it is always the case that people don’t invest in insurance until they’ve been robbed – we’d prefer to avoid the ‘we told you so’ conversation – so include it for them so we don’t have to.
Cloudflare serves as our primary web application firewall (WAF), providing robust perimeter defence for our clients’ websites. Traffic is routed through Cloudflare’s global network before it ever reaches the web server. This allows it to:
Cloudflare’s threat intelligence is powered by the sheer scale of its network. It sits in front of a substantial share of global web traffic, giving it visibility into emerging attack patterns that feed directly into its managed rulesets, typically within hours of a new threat being identified.
While Cloudflare provides excellent perimeter defence, Patchstack offers the best in WordPress security intelligence. Patchstack kicks ass with its detailed vulnerability database specific to WordPress plugins and themes – and spoiler, if you want to check manually if a plugin or theme has a vulnerability, you can do it free.
Patchstack’s virtual patching capabilities include:
When we identify a vulnerability affecting a client’s website, our virtual patching process follows these steps:
Immediate Response: Within hours of vulnerability disclosure, virtual patches are deployed through our security stack. This provides instant protection while we assess the situation.
Assessment And Planning: Our security team evaluates the vulnerability’s impact, affected components, and available remediation options. We consider factors like plugin criticality, available alternatives, and potential compatibility issues.
Client Communication: We notify affected clients about the vulnerability, explain the virtual patching measures in place, and outline our recommended remediation strategy.
Controlled Remediation: When official patches become available, we implement them in a controlled staging environment, ensuring compatibility and functionality before deploying to live, customer facing production sites.
Monitoring And Validation: Post-deployment monitoring ensures the vulnerability is properly addressed and no new issues have been introduced.
Virtual patches can be deployed within minutes of a threat being identified, providing instant protection against active exploits. This speed is crucial when vulnerabilities are being actively exploited in the wild.
Unlike traditional patching, virtual patches require no website downtime or maintenance windows. Protection is applied transparently, without affecting site functionality or user experience.
Virtual patching allows time for thorough compatibility testing of official patches, or replacement plugins where the vulnerable plugin is no longer supported. This is particularly important for complex WordPress websites with extensive customisations or plugin dependencies.
The period between vulnerability disclosure and patch deployment, often called the “vulnerability window”, is effectively eliminated with virtual patching.
For sites subject to compliance requirements, virtual patching helps maintain security standards, while providing time for proper change management procedures.
While virtual patching is highly effective, it’s important to understand its limitations:
Bypass Potential: Sophisticated attackers may find ways to bypass virtual patches through novel attack vectors or edge cases not covered by the patch rules.
Performance Impact: Additional security layers can introduce minimal latency, though modern solutions are highly optimised.
Temporary Solution: Virtual patches are interim measures. Proper code remediation remains essential for long-term security.
False Positives: Overly aggressive virtual patching rules may occasionally block legitimate traffic, requiring fine-tuning.
Based on our experience protecting hundreds of WordPress sites, these practices ensure virtual patching effectiveness:
Security threat landscapes evolve rapidly. Ensure your virtual patching solutions receive regular rule updates and threat intelligence feeds.
Implement detailed logging and monitoring to track blocked attacks and identify potential bypass attempts.
Regularly test virtual patch effectiveness using security scanning tools and penetration testing.
Maintain detailed records of deployed virtual patches, including affected vulnerabilities, implementation dates, and remediation timelines.
Ensure your team understands virtual patching capabilities and limitations to make informed security decisions.
Virtual patching represents just one component of modern WordPress security strategies. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, we’re seeing increased adoption of:
Virtual security patching has transformed how we protect WordPress websites, providing immediate defence against emerging threats while maintaining site stability and performance. But we are always looking to stay one step ahead and are always investing in greater protection.
Combining Cloudflare’s comprehensive web application firewall with Patchstack’s WordPress-specific intelligence, we deliver robust protection that adapts to the evolving threat landscape.
For WordPress site owners, virtual patching offers peace of mind knowing that your site is protected against the latest vulnerabilities, even when immediate code updates aren’t possible. It’s not just about reactive security, it’s about proactive defence that keeps your business running smoothly while maintaining the highest security standards.
Don’t leave implementing robust security for your website until after you are hacked. Protect your business and your customers preemptively, as data breaches can be disastrous. Security isn’t just about protecting code; it’s about protecting businesses, reputations, and customer trust.
Virtual patching is a proactive security measure that provides immediate protection against known vulnerabilities, without the need for immediate code changes to your website. It works at the application layer to detect and block exploit attempts in real-time.
A plugin vulnerability is a security flaw or weakness in a WordPress plugin that can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorised access, inject malicious code, or compromise a website’s functionality or data.
These vulnerabilities can arise from poor or outdated code practices, malicious plugins, unsupported plugins, or outdated plugins.
Keeping plugins up to date and only using well-supported, reputable plugins is key to minimising risk.
A Website Application Firewall (WAF) screens traffic trying to reach your website, to filter out potentially malicious traffic. It acts as a gatekeeper for your website to protect it from DDoS attacks, malware, intrusions, and brute force attacks.
Ready to enhance your WordPress site’s security with virtual patching?
Drop us an email or give James a call to learn how our comprehensive security solutions can protect your website from emerging threats while maintaining optimal performance and reliability.
