5 Best Ways to Secure WordPress Site
The WordPress CMS is one of the most popular website platforms in the world today. There are more than 200 million websites built on WordPress, and that number continues to grow at a rapid rate.
WordPress makes it easy for anyone to build and manage their website with minimal technical knowledge. However, it’s important to remember that no software is 100% secure. It isn’t difficult for hackers to find ways into any website. You can mitigate these vulnerabilities by installing security plugins or making regular updates, but you should always assume that your site is not secure.
Numerous hackers and bots are looking for unsecured WordPress sites every single day. If you want to avoid becoming a victim, you need to take steps now to keep your site safe.
Here are some helpful tips for keeping your WordPress site secure:
1. Keep WordPress Theme and Plugins Updated
One of the biggest pieces of advice we can offer when it comes to WordPress security is to keep the WordPress theme and all plugins up to date.
WordPress is regularly updating its software and releases patches for any newly discovered vulnerabilities.
WordPress users can easily update the software with a few clicks from the dashboard. Similarly, WordPress plugins should be updated regularly, as well.
Some plugins are more secure than others, but there are a few that are essential to any WordPress website.
2. Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are another essential piece of the WordPress security puzzle. It is important to keep your passwords strong and unique for each website.
You should never use the same password for multiple websites because it makes your account far less secure. If one site is breached, hackers can easily access your account on another site. You should make sure to use a strong password for your WordPress account.
The longer the password, the better. It’s also important to use different passwords for different accounts. If a hacker gets a hold of one of your passwords, they can easily access all of your accounts.
There are many tools you can use to create strong passwords for your account. You can also try using a password app like 1Password. This app creates strong passwords for you and saves them in a secure database so you don’t have to remember them. If you are serious about WordPress security, you should also make sure to change your password regularly.
3. Install a Security Plugin
WordPress provides a strong foundation, but it isn’t impenetrable. There are security plugins that can add extra layers of protection to your site. With these plugins, you can scan your site for vulnerabilities, block outside attacks, and scan outgoing traffic for malicious code.
A good security plugin will also send you alerts whenever there is an issue with your website. Many of these plugins are free to install, while others have a paid upgrade. It’s important to remember that these plugins can’t do everything. They can only go so far as to keep your site secure. The best plugins will let you know when you need to take additional steps to protect your website.
Example: WordFence plugin
WordFence is a WordPress security plugin that can do a lot to protect your website from malicious attacks. It also allows you to add a firewall to your site, which can protect it from outside attacks and other malicious activities.
You can also use this plugin to scan your site for possible malware infections and other code issues.
4. Don’t Forget the Basics: SSL and Firewall
SSL and a firewall are two other essential pieces of WordPress security. If you want your site to be truly secure, it must be SSL-secured. SSL encrypts the information being passed between your visitor and the server. This code is unbreakable, so it is nearly impossible for hackers to steal data from your website.
It is important to note that SSL isn’t 100% foolproof. If a hacker can get inside your server and steal the private key, they can still access the data. Firewalls can be an excellent way to keep hackers out of your system. The firewall acts as a barrier that prevents anyone from accessing the data.
You should also make sure you have a good hosting company. The hosting company should be fully encrypted and have regular security scans. You can also add extra security features to help keep your site secure.
5. Lock Down Admin Rotating Usernames and Passwords
Another good way to keep intruders out of your WordPress site is to lock down your admin area. This means that you should have a rotating username and password combination.
This will make it harder for hackers to break into your website. You can also add a CAPTCHA code to make it even more difficult to access the admin area. Many WordPress security plugins include features that allow you to lock down the admin area. You can also add a code to the login page to make it harder to break into your site. You can also set up logging and monitoring on your site to keep track of users and their activity. This can help you stay on top of any suspicious activity as well as identify other issues with your website or server.
Conclusion
WordPress is a very secure platform, but there are still ways hackers can get into a website. You can mitigate these vulnerabilities by keeping WordPress and plugins up to date, using strong passwords, installing a security plugin, and adding extra security features to your site.
If you follow these tips, you can keep your WordPress site secure from malicious attacks.
