In this article, we share some useful WordPress security tips you can implement right away to make your WordPress website more secure.
Introduction
WordPress is an open-source platform that was created to make it easy to create your own website or blog. WordPress has over 60 million websites running on its platform. This makes it one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in use today.
However, this popularity also makes WordPress a target for cybercriminals who want to hack into your site and take it over or gain access to other websites with which you’re associated. Keeping your WordPress website secure is essential if you want to protect both yourself and your visitors’ information from hackers.
In this WordPress guide, we share some common things you should keep in mind for better security.
WordPress Security Tips
Remember to keep your WordPress installation updated and make sure your password is unique, not reused, and sufficiently long. If you use plugins, make sure they are reputable and well-reviewed.
Not updating your WordPress
Updates are an important part of keeping your site secure and running smoothly. If you’ve been thinking about updating but haven’t gotten around to it, now’s the time.
Firstly, if you’re using a plugin that requires updates, check to see if the developer has provided an option for automatic updates. If not, try searching for a similar plugin that does support automatic updates.
If possible, choose plugins with auto-update capabilities so you don’t have to worry about manually updating them every time WordPress releases new versions (and then remembering which plugins need updating).
Choosing the wrong hosting provider for your site
Choosing the right hosting provider for your WordPress website is important. Here are some tips for choosing a hosting provider:
- Make sure the service provider offers reliable and secure servers.
- Find out if they have a good reputation among other users, including what features their customers like and don’t like about them.
- Look into their security practices, such as SSL certificates, web application firewalls (WAFs), backups, DDoS protection and so forth. If these are not up-to-date or are missing altogether, then you’re at risk from hackers who could access confidential data on your site or even use it to attack other websites that don’t have proper defenses in place against such attacks.
Also Read: What You Need to Know Before Hiring WordPress Developers
Not backing up your files before updates or making changes to the site
- Backups are important. If you don’t back up your files and WordPress experiences a security breach, you’ll lose all the content and customizations that have been added to your website since it was created.
- There are two types of backups: manual and automated, both of which can be done using plugins or third-party services. A manual backup is simply a copy of all the files on your site. An automated one will also save off any databases that exist along with these files. This makes it much easier for you to restore if something goes wrong later down the line.
- You should make regular backups of your site’s files (at least once per week) so that even if something goes wrong with an update or new plugin installation, nothing important is lost permanently.
- Some plugins will automate this process for you. Others require no extra effort beyond clicking a button within their settings page every few days or weeks.
- You could also choose instead use free services like Dropbox where keeping multiple copies at different locations might help ensure none get lost if someone steals one away accidentally during transit somewhere else around town; however keep in mind though not everyone has access everywhere so this may not always work out either depending upon how strict policies are enforced locally about such things.
Not installing an SSL certificate on the site
You can install an SSL certificate on your site, which is a small file that will help you secure the connection between a visitor’s browser and your site. It makes sure that their information is encrypted between the two parties.
However, not all WordPress sites need an SSL certificate. If you’re running a blog where people put sensitive information, then it’s important to get one installed right away.
Choosing a bad password or reusing passwords on other websites
Use unique, strong passwords for every site and service you use. Your password should be at least 10 characters long and have a mix of letters and numbers. Don’t use any personal information that can easily be guessed or found out (such as names, birthdays, anniversaries). Use a password manager to manage your passwords if you’re worried about forgetting them!
If the password is weak (one dictionary word), it will be easy to hack into.
A great way to keep track of all your different sites’ login credentials is using a password manager like LastPass or Dashlane. By using such tools, you just need to remember one master password to access all your accounts.
Allowing any plugin with known vulnerabilities or poor ratings to run on the site
The first step in protecting your site is to ensure that only plugins with known vulnerabilities or poor ratings are allowed to run on your site. This means doing research and making sure you know what you’re installing. If you are not sure about a plugin, don’t install it. Any unknown plugins can be used by hackers to break into your website or steal data from users who visit the site.
Asking for help if you don’t know what a plugin does is another way of protecting your website from security threats and reducing the chance of being hacked into.
WordPress Security Tips: Conclusion
WordPress is a powerful tool and it’s easy to take advantage of all that it has to offer. However, it’s also important not to forget about security when using WordPress and other CMS platforms. Following these guidelines can help keep your site safe from most common threats. But if you have any doubts or questions about your own site, we recommend reaching out to an expert for more information.
