Are you aware of the rel=’noopener’ attribute in WordPress and its significance for your website’s security? If not, you’re in for a treat.
This discussion will shed light on what rel=’noopener’ is and how it operates within the WordPress ecosystem.
This attribute is automatically added when you set a link to open in a new tab on your site, and its main purpose is to safeguard your website from potential security threats. By preventing linked sites from accessing certain JavaScript features, rel=’noopener’ effectively blocks malicious code and eliminates a significant vulnerability.
But that’s not all, there’s more to discover about this critical aspect of website security. So, let’s dive in and uncover the details together.
What Is Rel’noopener’ in WordPress?
Rel=’noopener’ in WordPress is an HTML attribute that enhances website security by preventing malicious code from accessing the referring window when a link is set to open in a new tab. This attribute is automatically added by WordPress to outgoing links that are set to open in a new tab. Its main purpose is to protect websites from security threats by blocking sites with malicious code from gaining access to websites that link to them.
By adding the rel=’noopener’ attribute, WordPress ensures that the linked site can’t control the referring window using JavaScript code. This improves website security by preventing the new tab from manipulating the original page and potentially stealing information. It’s a simple yet effective measure to safeguard your website.
The rel=’noopener’ attribute has no impact on SEO or website performance, making it an excellent choice for enhancing security without any drawbacks. WordPress automatically adds this attribute when a link is set to open in a new tab, so you don’t need to worry about manually adding it.
How to Disable Rel=Noopener in WordPress (Plugin)
To disable the rel=noopener attribute in WordPress, you can utilize a plugin called ‘Remove noreferrer’. This plugin provides an easy solution for removing the attribute from links. Here are the steps to disable rel=noopener using this plugin:
- Install and activate the ‘Remove noreferrer’ plugin from the WordPress plugin repository.
- The plugin has high ratings and over 5,000 active installations, indicating its reliability and popularity.
- Installation and activation of the plugin are straightforward, making it accessible even for beginners.
Once the plugin is activated, it will automatically remove the rel=noopener attribute from all the outgoing links on your WordPress website. This ensures that the noopener attribute is disabled and not added to any new links you create.
It is important to note that disabling the rel=noopener attribute isn’t recommended unless you have a specific reason to do so. The attribute plays a crucial role in enhancing website security by preventing malicious sites from accessing your website’s information. However, if you have a valid reason to disable it, the ‘Remove noreferrer’ plugin offers a convenient solution for achieving that on your WordPress site.
How to Disable Rel=Noopener in WordPress (Code Snippet)
If you prefer to disable the rel=noopener attribute in WordPress using a code snippet, there’s an alternative method available. By adding a simple code snippet to your WordPress theme’s functions.php file, you can effectively disable the rel=noopener attribute for all links on your website.
To do this, you need to access your WordPress theme’s functions.php file. You can do this by going to Appearance > Theme Editor in your WordPress dashboard. Once you have the file open, you can add the following code snippet:
function disable_rel_noopener($input) {
return str_replace(' rel='noopener'', '', $input);
}
add_filter('wp_targeted_link_rel', 'disable_rel_noopener');By adding this code snippet, you’re essentially removing the rel=noopener attribute from all links on your WordPress website. This will disable the security feature that prevents malicious sites from accessing the window.opener JavaScript feature.
Remember to save your changes after adding the code snippet. Now, when you view your website, you’ll no longer see the rel=noopener attribute in the HTML source code for your links.
Please note that disabling the rel=noopener attribute can have security implications, as it removes an important security measure. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider the potential risks before implementing this code snippet.
What Is Rel=Noopener and How Do You Use It With WordPress?
Rel=Noopener is an HTML attribute in WordPress that enhances website security by preventing malicious sites from accessing the window.opener JavaScript feature. To use rel=noopener in WordPress, you don’t need to do anything special. It’s automatically added to outgoing links that are set to open in a new tab.
Here’s how you can use rel=noopener with WordPress:
- Set your link to open in a new tab: When adding a link in WordPress, make sure to select the option to open the link in a new tab. This will automatically add the rel=noopener attribute to the link.
- Check your links: After adding the link, you can check the HTML code of your page to ensure that the rel=noopener attribute has been added. You can do this by inspecting the link element in your browser’s developer tools.
Using rel=noopener in WordPress is a simple and effective way to enhance website security. By preventing malicious sites from accessing the window.opener JavaScript feature, you can protect your website from potential security threats.
What About Noreferrer?
Noreferrer is another attribute in WordPress that can be used to enhance website security. Similar to rel=’noopener’, the noreferrer attribute is automatically added to outgoing links that open in a new tab. Its purpose is to hide the referrer information when the new tab is opened.
By doing so, it prevents the linked site from knowing the URL of the referring site, thus protecting the privacy of your website.
Adding the noreferrer attribute to your links is as simple as adding rel=’noreferrer’ to the HTML code. WordPress takes care of this automatically for links set to open in a new tab.
It’s important to note that the noreferrer attribute doesn’t have any impact on SEO rankings or website performance. Its sole purpose is to enhance security by preventing the leakage of referrer information.
How Is a Noopener Link Related to Dofollow and Nofollow Links?
Noopener links have a different focus than dofollow and nofollow links, as they prioritize website security instead of page rank and SEO. While dofollow and nofollow links are primarily concerned with SEO and determining how search engines should treat the link, noopener links are all about protecting your website from potential security threats.
Here’s how a noopener link is related to dofollow and nofollow links:
- Noopener enhances website security: By adding the rel=noopener attribute to your links in WordPress, you prevent the linked site from accessing the window.opener JavaScript feature. This helps to block sites with malicious code from gaining partial access to your website. In contrast, dofollow and nofollow links don’t have this security focus.
- Dofollow and nofollow focus on SEO: Dofollow links allow search engines to follow the link and pass SEO value to the linked page, while nofollow links instruct search engines not to follow the link and transfer SEO value. Noopener links, on the other hand, have no impact on SEO rankings or overall performance.
Does a Noopener Link Affect Seo?
When considering the impact of a noopener link on SEO, it’s important to note that its primary focus is on enhancing website security rather than influencing search engine rankings. The rel=noopener attribute in WordPress is added to outgoing links that open in a new tab, protecting websites from potential security threats. By preventing the linked site from accessing the window.opener JavaScript feature, this attribute blocks sites with malicious code from gaining partial access to the websites that link to them.
However, it’s crucial to understand that rel=noopener has minimal effect on SEO results.
The rel=noopener attribute doesn’t directly affect search engine rankings or overall SEO performance in WordPress. Its purpose is to improve website security by mitigating the risk of unauthorized access through JavaScript code in new tabs. While SEO is influenced by various factors, such as content quality and backlinks, the presence or absence of rel=noopener doesn’t play a significant role.
Therefore, it’s recommended to keep the rel=noopener attribute enabled in WordPress for better website security without worrying about its impact on SEO. By prioritizing security measures, you can ensure that your website remains protected from potential security vulnerabilities while maintaining good SEO practices.
When Is It a Good Idea to Use the Rel=Noopener Attribute?
To enhance the security of your website and protect against potential security threats, it’s advisable to use the rel=noopener attribute on all outgoing links. This attribute plays a crucial role in preventing cross-site hacking and tabnabbing attacks.
But when is it a good idea to use the rel=noopener attribute? Here are a few scenarios where using rel=noopener in WordPress is highly recommended:
- Affiliate links: If your website includes affiliate links, it’s important to use the rel=noopener attribute. This helps prevent data theft and ensures that your users’ information remains secure.
- External websites: When linking to external websites, it’s always a good idea to use rel=noopener. This attribute prevents the linked site from accessing the window.opener JavaScript feature, effectively blocking any potential security vulnerabilities.
Incorporating the rel=noopener attribute in WordPress is easy. The platform automatically adds this attribute to links that are set to open in a new tab, making it a seamless process. By using rel=noopener, you can improve the security of your website without any negative impact on SEO.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the rel=’noopener’ attribute in WordPress is a critical aspect of website security. It helps protect your website from potential security threats by preventing linked sites from accessing certain JavaScript features.
This attribute has minimal impact on SEO results, and WordPress allows you to customize or deactivate it easily.
By implementing rel=’noopener’, you can ensure the safety of your website and protect it from malicious code.
