Many website owners overlook the importance of keeping their WordPress sites secure until it’s too late. However, taking a proactive approach to website security is crucial in safeguarding your site from potential cyber threats. By implementing security measures before an attack occurs, you can protect your website and your peace of mind. In this article, we’ll discuss seven effective ways to enhance the security of your WordPress site, including the installation of some of the best security plugins available today.
Just How Secure is WordPress?
WordPress is generally a secure platform. However, it often receives criticism because many site owners fail to follow best security practices.
While WordPress is one of the most popular website building platforms, powering over 30% of the web, it’s also one of the most commonly hacked platforms. This statistic is somewhat skewed because of its widespread use.
Here are some common ways WordPress sites are hacked:
- Failing to regularly update the WordPress core or plugins
- Using nulled plugins or themes (i.e., illegally obtained software). If you use a nulled theme, remember to change permissions on the theme functions file.
- Poor user admin practices
- Using low-quality themes or plugins
Many of these security risks can be mitigated by simply keeping your site and plugins up to date and downloading themes and plugins only from reputable sources.
Despite its popularity, WordPress does have security vulnerabilities due to the vast number of themes and plugins available, making it nearly impossible to test them all.
However, by implementing the WordPress site security tips below, you can significantly enhance your site’s security:
1. Use Strong Passwords
Many websites fall victim to hacking because hackers use password generation tools to launch brute force attacks on the admin area. If you’re using a weak password or reusing passwords from other online accounts, you significantly increase the risk of being targeted by such attacks.
One simple way to prevent this is by using a strong, unique password. When setting up your WordPress site, you’ll need to create passwords for various purposes: admin access, WordPress database creation, and connecting to your website via FTP.
While creating a strong password is important, remembering it can be a challenge.
A great solution is to use a password manager. A password manager is a secure and encrypted tool that stores your website passwords. Whenever you need to input a password for a particular site or application, the password manager automatically fills it in for you.
There are several password managers available, but here are a few worth considering:
- LastPass
- Dashlane
- Keeper Security
2. Keep Your Core, Themes, and Plugins Up to Date
A straightforward way to keep your site secure is by keeping everything up to date, including your WordPress core, theme, and plugins.
WordPress, at its core, is incredibly secure, with a team of expert developers continuously working to patch security holes and improve the platform. Like most software, updates and patches are released as soon as security risks are discovered. Therefore, running an older version of the software leaves your site vulnerable to potential security breaches.
Additionally, installing too many plugins can make your site more vulnerable to hackers. While plugins can add useful functionality and features to your WordPress website, they also come with the risk of potentially installing poorly coded, and therefore vulnerable, plugins.
When installing a plugin, it’s crucial to take the time to vet the quality of the plugin and the team behind it. You should also update plugins whenever an update is released. Since you might not always be aware when an update is released, it’s essential to regularly log in to your dashboard to check for updates.
Similarly, a poorly coded theme can leave your site open to security vulnerabilities. Installing a theme from a reputable source can decrease the chances of your theme being hacked. However, it’s equally important to keep your themes updated and running the latest version.
3. Restrict Site Access and User Roles
WordPress allows you to create multiple user accounts, which can be useful if you have a team managing your site or if you want your writers to upload articles directly into WordPress.
However, having multiple logins and passwords increases the risk of weak passwords or compromised accounts.
When creating new user roles for your WordPress site, it’s important to give them access only to the parts of your website they need to perform their tasks effectively. For example, you could provide a writer access to the posts section but restrict access to the plugins, themes, or site settings areas.
Enabling two-factor authentication across your site is also helpful. This process uses an app or plugin to verify the identity of the user logging into the website, adding an extra layer of security.
4. Enable a Website Firewall
A WordPress firewall essentially creates a force field around your site, acting as a failsafe in case you forget to update your site for several months or if you’re unable to update individual plugins due to specific software configurations.
One common type of firewall is known as a website application firewall. It acts as a filtering mechanism that all your website traffic passes through before reaching your site. This firewall filters out bad traffic and hacking attempts, allowing only legitimate traffic to reach your site. As a bonus, it can also help keep your site online during traffic surges or DDoS attacks.
Here are the key benefits of using a WordPress firewall:
- Hackers and bots are automatically blacklisted, preventing them from reaching your site.
- Malware infections, DDoS attacks, and SQL injections are all prevented.
- Brute force attacks become a thing of the past.
- Your site could run faster and perform better.
- You’ll have peace of mind knowing your website is protected 24/7.
Below, we’ll highlight some great WordPress plugins that include built-in firewall protection.
Additionally, configuring your site to work with a CDN like Cloudflare can help protect your site from DDoS attacks by routing your website’s traffic through their network of servers instead of directly to your website.
If you’re hosting your site with HostGator, you can integrate your site with Cloudflare directly from your website control panel.
5. Have a System for Site Backups
Website backups won’t prevent your site from being hacked, but they can be a lifesaver if your website does get taken offline during an attack. With a backup system in place, you can ensure that you always have an operational site that you can restore from.
Having a backup is invaluable when you’re experiencing any issues with your site. Whether you’ve been hacked or your site is malfunctioning for some reason, you can always restore your site to a previous version.
While some hosts include bundled backups with your hosting plan, there are also several WordPress backup plugins available to help you with backups. It’s also a good practice to create multiple website backups and store them in different locations.
Here are some popular backup plugins worth exploring:
- UpdraftPlus
- BlogVault
- BackupBuddy
A WordPress backup plugin can save you from losing all of your hard work. Plus, you’ll always have a backup plan if your site ever experiences a hack.
6. Limit Login Attempts
The WordPress login screen is particularly vulnerable to attacks. While having a strong password can significantly reduce the risk of a hacker gaining access to your site via a brute force attempt, there are additional measures you can take to further enhance security.
One effective strategy is to limit the number of times a user can attempt to input their password before being locked out. For instance, you can set a limit of 4 login attempts. After the fourth attempt, you’ll receive a notification containing the user’s information and their IP address. If necessary, you can even ban specific IP addresses to prevent further attempts.
One of the best plugins for implementing this security measure is aptly named Limit Login Attempts Reloaded.
This plugin is entirely free and is currently trusted by over one million other WordPress sites. Simply install the plugin, configure the settings according to your preferences, and your WordPress login screen will be much more secure.
7. Install a WordPress Security Plugin
Many WordPress security plugins offer the features highlighted above, making them an excellent choice for securing your site with minimal effort. With these plugins, you simply need to install and configure them, and your site will be protected from most online risks.
Common features of WordPress security plugins include:
- Malware scanning
- Built-in firewall protection
- Login screen protection
- Notification of outdated plugins and themes
- DDoS protection and defense against other online attacks
- Anti-spam protection for a clean comments section
Here are a few WordPress security plugins worth installing:
- Wordfence
- MalCare
- iThemes Security Pro
- VaultPress
- BulletProof Security
While most of these security plugins offer free versions, upgrading to the premium version is a worthwhile investment if you’re serious about securing your site. You can start with the free version of the plugin and upgrade to premium once you’ve explored all the features and seen how effectively it protects your site.
The Importance of a Secure Host
In addition to securing your WordPress site, it’s crucial to host it with a secure hosting provider. Your hosting provider should prioritize security and ensure that your site is hosted on a server that meets the latest security standards.
Here are some solid features to look for in a secure hosting company:
- Multiple security measures to keep your server secure, including redundant backups, on-site security, and backup generators
- Servers running the latest server hardware and software
- Certifications indicating that the facility has been vetted by third-party security providers
Whether you choose shared hosting, VPS, cloud hosting, or a dedicated server, the security standards should remain the same. It’s essential to choose a hosting provider that values security to ensure the protection of your WordPress site.
Conclusion: Keeping Your WordPress Site Secure
In closing, I hope you now have a better understanding of the steps you can take to elevate the security of your WordPress site and make it hacker-proof.
It’s crucial to implement the security tips mentioned above sooner rather than later. Attacks can happen at any time, and being protected and prepared is essential.
The easiest way to enhance your WordPress site’s security is by installing one of the WordPress security plugins mentioned earlier in this post. Think of it as your one-stop-shop for WordPress security. These plugins add a firewall to your site, secure your login screen, include regular malware scanning, protect you from malware and DDoS attacks, and much more.
Lastly, all the security measures discussed in this post will be ineffective if you don’t have a secure hosting environment. Your hosting provider serves as the foundation for your website’s security. Therefore, it’s crucial to invest in a hosting company that prioritizes the security of your hosting environment and website.
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