WordPress has more than 5,000 files within a single installation, without any uploads or the theme and plugins you’ve installed. Each one of those files has a specific file permission with given rights to not just allow them to execute code, but also to be secure. In this article you’ll learn some basics on WordPress file permissions.
What are File Permissions?
File permissions are a set of access rights assigned to files and directories on a server. They dictate who can read, write, and execute files or directories. In the context of web hosting, file permissions apply to all the files and folders that constitute your website, including HTML files, images, scripts, and configuration files.
File permissions are typically represented using a three-digit numerical code or symbolic notation. Each permission is assigned a numeric value: read (4), write (2), and execute (1). The sum of these values defines the file permission settings. For instance, a file with read and write permissions but no execution permission would have a permission code of 6 (4 for read + 2 for write + 0 for execute).
Why do you Need to be Concerned About WordPress File Permissions?
Being concerned about WordPress file permissions is super important for several reasons, as they directly impact the security and integrity of your website. Ignoring or mismanaging file permissions can lead to severe security vulnerabilities and potential risks for your site and its users. Here's why someone needs to be concerned about WordPress file permissions:
Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Data
Protection Against Website Defacement
Prevention of Malware Injection
Control Over Website Resources
Prevention of Privilege Escalation
Compliance with Data Protection Laws
Securing Uploads and User Content
Protection Against Code Injection
Safeguarding Server Resources
Maintaining Website Performance
Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Data
Insufficient file permissions, like configuration files, databases and user data, can let unauthorized users access confidential files and directories. This capability may be exploited by hackers and criminal operators to obtain important information, affect the security of your web server or possibly gain access to confidential data.
Protection Against Website Defacement
If you do not properly manage file permissions, your website may be defaced by an attacker who modifies its content, replaces it with malicious versions or displays offensive messages. This can have a huge impact on your brand's reputation and could negatively affect user trust.
Prevention of Malware Injection
If the file permissions are not correct, hackers can spread malware or malicious scripts to your website's files. Malware may harm visitors, exploit their devices, or steal their data. It can be time consuming and costly to detect and remove these infections.
Control Over Website Resources
Proper permissions for files will ensure that critical web resources such as key files, themes and plugins can only be changed by authorized users. Unauthorized changes can disturb the functionality of your site, which could lead to unexpected errors.
Prevention of Privilege Escalation
If attackers who have limited access to your site are attempting to increase their privileges so that they can gain administrative control, setting appropriate file permissions is useful in preventing privilege escalation. The impact of these attacks can be minimized by having appropriate permissions.
Compliance with Data Protection Laws
Data protection legislation requires website owners to protect user data and maintain strict access controls in a number of regions across the globe. To comply with those regulations, for example the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ensuring that appropriate file permissions are in place is of utmost importance.
Securing Uploads and User Content
By managing file permissions properly, you can secure user-uploaded content, preventing malicious files or scripts from being uploaded and executed on your server.
Protection Against Code Injection
Proper file permissions can help stop code injection attacks from occurring, where attackers attempt to insert malicious code into your site's files, thus compromising its functionality and security.
Safeguarding Server Resources
Limiting execute level permissions prevents unauthorized users from gaining access and performing tasks that could exploit the server.
Maintaining Website Performance
In making sure that only necessary permissions are granted, you can greatly reduce the risk of performance issues and potential conflicts between users and scripts running on your server.
WordPress File Permissions 101
Basic WordPress file permissions refer to the standard set of permissions that are commonly applied to files and directories in a WordPress installation. These permissions control who can read, write, and execute the files, ensuring the security and functionality of your website.
In a typical WordPress installation, the basic file permissions are usually set as follows:
Directories: 755 (rwxr-xr-x)
Files: 644 (rw-r--r--)
To make WordPress work correctly and safely, these settings provide the necessary permissions. The owner (usually the web server) has full read, write, and execute permissions, while the group and others have read and execute permissions. On the other hand, files can be set to allow reading and writing access for an owner as well as read only access for groups and others.
It's essential to keep these basic file permissions intact, as they provide a balance between functionality and security. Always apply the principle of least privilege, granting only the necessary permissions to keep your WordPress site secure.
WordPress File Permissions: Best Practices
To be proactive about WordPress file permissions, follow these best practices:
Assign the minimum necessary permissions to files and directories.
Regularly review file permissions for any vulnerabilities and unauthorized changes.
Don’t use the permission codes 777 or, as it provides full access to everyone on the server and poses a significant security risk.
Set proper permissions for uploaded files and user-generated content.
Keep your WordPress installation, themes, and plugins updated to benefit from the latest security improvements and patches.
It’s important to note that if you are using other file permissions, to test your website. While you should be conscious of security, you shouldn’t change the file permissions to be too strict. In doing so, it could slow down the site, or cause some of it not to work properly.
