SOLUTION
The solution involves disabling or optimizing wp-cron.php while ensuring scheduled tasks continue to run properly. Follow these steps:
1. Disable the Default wp-cron.php Behaviour:
Replace WordPress’s built-in cron system with a server-level cron job. This approach ensures that scheduled tasks are handled predictably without being tied to web traffic.
Steps to Disable wp-cron.php:
Edit the wp-config.php file in your WordPress installation.
Add the following line to disable the default behavior:
define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);
Save the changes.
2. Disable the Default wp-cron.php Behavior:
On your hosting control panel or server, configure a cron job to execute wp-cron.php at regular intervals (e.g., every 15 minutes).
Example Command:
*/15 * * * * wget -q -O - https://yourwebsite.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null 2>&1
This setup reduces the frequency of executions, making it harder for attackers to exploit.
3. Implement Rate Limiting:
Use a security plugin or configure your web server to limit the number of requests to wp-cron.php.
For Nginx:
Add the following rate-limiting directive:
location = /wp-cron.php {
limit_req zone=one burst=10 nodelay;
include fastcgi_params;
}
For Apache:
Use the mod_reqtimeout or mod_security modules to control request behavior.
4. Restrict Access to wp-cron.php:
If certain IPs or users should not access this file, you can use server configurations to block them.
For Nginx:
location = /wp-cron.php {
deny all;
allow 127.0.0.1; # Allow localhost
}
For Apache:
Require ip 127.0.0.1
5. Use Security Plugins:
Security plugins like Wordfence, iThemes Security or Sucuri can monitor and block malicious attempts to exploit wp-cron.php.
6. Monitor Your Server Logs:
Regularly check server logs for unusual activity related to wp-cron.php. This can help you identify and mitigate threats early.