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10 WordPress security recommendations to keep your site safe
Why are WordPress security tips the topic? Because all sites are at risk.
No matter how much effort you put into launching your site, it can always end up in danger, even if you did nothing wrong. This is how the internet works and how random attacks take place.
However, most threats can be avoided by spending a few minutes implementing these ten simple WordPress security tips:
When performing a routine check, there are a few things you should consider. These steps should be reviewed once a month or so to keep you safe.
We’ll concentrate on a few key areas of the site. A website is analogous to the human body in some ways. When a component fails, the entire system suffers.
Here’s what you should do:
1. Keep WordPress up to date.
WordPress is improved and its security is improved with each new release. Every time a new version is released, many bugs and vulnerabilities are fixed. Furthermore, if a particularly malicious bug is discovered, the WordPress core team will address it immediately and force a new safe version. You will be at risk if you do not update.
To update WordPress, first navigate to your dashboard. Every time a new version is released, an announcement will appear at the top of the page. Click to update, then the blue “Update Now” button. It only takes a couple of seconds.
2. Keep your themes and plugins up to date.
The same is true of plugins and themes. You should update your current theme as well as the plugins on your site. This assists you in avoiding vulnerabilities, bugs, and potential security breaches.
Certain plugins, like most software products, may be breached or have security holes discovered in them from time to time. Plugins such as Ninja Forms and WooCommerce, for example, have previously encountered serious issues.
So, how do you keep your themes and plugins up to date?
Let us begin with the plugins. Go to Plugins / Installed Plugins to see a list of all your plugins. WordPress will notify you if a particular plugin is not up to date.
For example, I have two old plugin versions; all I have to do is click “update now” under each one, and they’ll be ready in a few seconds.
To update your theme, navigate to Appearance / Themes, where you’ll find a list of all your installed themes. The outdated ones will be marked in the same way that plugins were. Simply select “Update now.”
Apart from updating every plugin and theme, remember to delete any plugins and themes that you are no longer using. Those are just extra pounds. Consider this an added bonus to the list of WordPress security tips.
3. Make regular backups of your website.
Backing up your site entails making a copy of all the data on the site and storing it somewhere secure. That way, if something goes wrong, you can restore the site from the backup copy.
A plugin is required to backup your website. There are numerous good backup solutions available. For example, Jetpack now includes backup features and is priced at an affordable $3.50 per month. You get daily backups, one-click restores, spam filtering, and a 30-day backup archive in exchange.
UpdraftPlus, a free alternative, is also available.
Here’s some more information and instructions on backing up your WordPress site.
4. Limit your login attempts and change your password frequently.
Allowing unlimited username and password attempts on your login form is exactly what helps a hacker succeed. If you allow them to try an infinite number of times, they will eventually figure out your login information. The first thing you should do to avoid this is to limit your available attempts.
Furthermore, changing your passwords frequently reduces the chances of a hacker breaking into your site. But by “often,” I don’t mean every day… Once every 2-3 months would suffice. For those trying to break in, diversity kills the fun.
LastPass is a useful tool for securely storing your password data and generating strong passwords so you don’t have to invent them yourself.
5. Set up a firewall
Another of our WordPress security tips is about firewalls.
Using your computer
Firewalls are typically used to protect your computer from various online threats. This way, any strange thing that tries to connect with you will be questioned and, if suspicious, will be kept away.
This has nothing to do with your WordPress site, at least not directly, but installing a firewall on your computer is still worthwhile for one important reason:
You connect to the admin area of your website using your computer. As a result, if your computer has been compromised, your connection to the website may also be jeopardized.
Norton Internet Security, Comodo, and ZoneAlarm are a few options for this purpose. The latter is completely free.
On your WordPress blog
You can install security tools on your WordPress website in addition to installing a firewall on your computer. This type of firewall safeguards your website against viruses, malware, and hacker attacks, among other things.
Sucuri does an excellent job in this regard, and it is one of the best WordPress security services available. It does a little bit of everything.
6. Restrict user access to your website.
If you are not the only user who has access to your site, exercise caution when creating new user accounts. You should keep everything under control and try to limit any type of access to users who do not require it.
If you have a large number of users, you can restrict their functions and permissions. They should only have access to the features that are required to do their job.
Force Strong Passwords can also assist you with this problem. WordPress recommends a strong password by default, but it will not force you to change it if you choose a weak one. This plugin will not allow you to proceed unless your password is sufficiently strong. This could be a good solution for everyone who comes into your admin. Essentially, it’s your only way of ensuring that they, too, use strong passwords.
7. Change the name of your login URL.
By default, the URL you use to log into your dashboard is either wp-login.php or wp-admin, which is added after the main URL of your site. For example, YOURSITE.COM/wp-login.php.
And, guess what, those two URLs are also the most frequently visited by hackers attempting to gain access to your database. If you change that URL, you reduce your chances of getting into trouble. Hackers have a much more difficult time guessing a custom login URL.
This is accomplished by the iThemes Security plugin. For example, your login URL could become YOURSITE.com/I love my site. This is one of those very simple WordPress security tips.
8. Make security scans available.
Security scans are performed by specialized software/plugins that search your entire website for anything suspicious. If something is discovered, it is immediately removed. These scanners function similarly to anti-virus software.
You can use the aforementioned Jetpack plugin for a quick and low-cost solution. Aside from backup features, it also has daily malware and threat scans with manual resolution (this plan costs $9 per month). You can also use CodeGuard or Sucuri SiteCheck as alternatives.
9. Make use of SSL.
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is an excellent method for encrypting administrative data. SSL secures data transfer between the user’s browser and the server. An SSL certificate can be obtained in two ways:
a) Purchase one from a third-party vendor such as RapidSSL.
b) Request one from your hosting provider. This is sometimes included as a feature in some hosting plans. It’s possible that you can get one for free, depending on your host.
Pagely hosting, for example, includes free SSL on all plans.
Bonus: If you use SSL encryption, you will not only secure your website, but you will also rank higher in Google searches. SSL-enabled websites are preferred by Google. So you now have two reasons to implement this WordPress security tip.
10. Keep your wp-config.php file safe.
The wp-config.php file is one of your site’s most important, and thus most vulnerable, files. It stores important information and data about your entire WordPress installation. It is the technical heart of your WordPress site. You won’t be able to use your blog normally if something bad happens to it.
One simple thing you can do is move the wp-config.php file one level above your WordPress root directory. This change has no effect on your WordPress site, but hackers will no longer be able to find it.
That concludes the list! Is your website sufficiently secure? Do you require any assistance with these WordPress security tips?
About the author
PAUL SMITH - For over 20 years I have worked with businesses, enterprises and brands in Australia, NZ, UK and US to drive digital marketing growth using organic and paid traffic strategies. No fluff or BS, just straight-forward return on investment.
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