This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Hovo
The Day Everything Broke
It started like any other update.
Click “Update Plugin.” Wait a few seconds. Done.
Except this time, our entire site went down.
Not just a white screen of death. Worse.
The update had completely erased our .htaccess file — which meant:
- Our SSL redirect rules were gone
- Custom caching and performance configs vanished
- Security headers we carefully added were wiped out
- Even firewall directives were missing
One plugin update → and our site was suddenly insecure and exposed.
That was the day I learned an important lesson:
👉 WordPress security doesn’t fail because people skip SSL.
It fails because SSL alone isn’t enough.
Why SSL Alone Isn’t Enough
Everyone installs Let’s Encrypt and expects that shiny padlock in Chrome.
But SSL only encrypts the pipe. It doesn’t protect the system.
Here’s what really happens behind the scenes:
- WordPress still stores old
http://links in the database - Images and scripts continue loading insecurely → browsers block them (mixed content)
- Without redirects, both
http://andhttps://versions of your site stay live - Missing headers (HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options…) leave gaps attackers can use
- And without firewall rules, even encrypted traffic can carry brute-force or injection attempts straight into WordPress
In short: you can have SSL and still be wide open.
The Developer’s Dilemma
When this happened, I did what most developers do:
- Rebuilt
.htaccessby hand - Ran search-and-replace in the database for
http://links - Added back security headers line by line
- Reapplied firewall rules manually
It worked — but it took hours.
And I knew that most WordPress site owners wouldn’t even know where to start.
That’s when I realized: we needed something simpler.
Building the Tool I Needed
So I built Volixta SSL & Security Headers — a free WordPress plugin designed not just for SSL, but for the whole chain of security basics:
- 🔒 Enforce HTTPS everywhere in one click
- 🖼️ Scan + fix mixed content safely (without breaking serialized data)
- 📑 Add modern headers (HSTS, CSP, Referrer-Policy, Permissions-Policy, etc.)
- 🖥️ Works with Apache, LiteSpeed, and Nginx (via
.htaccessor ready-to-use snippets)
The key: transparency and control.
No silent overrides. No black-box changes. You see exactly what’s applied, and you choose what to keep.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about padlocks and green bars.
It’s about trust.
When visitors see a broken padlock, missing images, or get redirected between insecure and secure pages, they don’t just lose trust in your site. They lose trust in your business.
Security is invisible when it works.
But it’s instantly obvious when it fails.
Final Thoughts
I didn’t set out to build another WordPress plugin.
I built this one because one bad update taught me how fragile WordPress security can be.
If you’ve ever fought with SSL, mixed content, or broken .htaccess rules, you know the pain.
That’s why I’m sharing Volixta SSL & Security Headers for free.
👉 You can install it from the WordPress plugin directory and let me know your feedback.
Because SSL is just the start. Real security means making sure the whole chain holds.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Hovo
Hovo | Sciencx (2025-10-04T15:16:01+00:00) When a Plugin Update Wiped Out Our Site — and Taught Us a Painful Lesson. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/10/04/when-a-plugin-update-wiped-out-our-site-and-taught-us-a-painful-lesson/
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