WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems on the internet, powering over 40% of all websites. However, with great popularity comes a greater risk of cyber-attacks. Hackers are constantly searching for vulnerabilities to exploit and gain unauthorized access to websites. To protect your WordPress site and the sensitive data it contains, you need to take the necessary steps to ensure its security. In this guide, we’ll walk you through eight easy steps to keep your website safe from potential cyber threats. Follow these WordPress security tips to fortify your site and protect it from the ever-present danger of online hackers.
Security threats are an ever-present danger to all online platforms, whether private or open source. However, the WordPress community offers various solutions to counteract these threats. To protect your WordPress site from potential security vulnerabilities, there are eight fundamental actions you should consider. These best practices will help fortify your site against hackers that are constantly probing websites for vulnerabilities.
8 key steps to protect your WordPress site
- Use HTTPS to encrypt data in transit.
- Avoid using the default “admin” username.
- Enforce strong password policies for all user accounts.
- Keep plugins and themes up to date to avoid known vulnerabilities.
- Have a website backup plan in place.
- Minimize the use of plugins to reduce the attack surface.
- Enable two-factor authentication for additional security.
- Install a WordPress firewall and vulnerability scanner for real-time monitoring and protection.
1- Include HTTPS/SSL
Most websites today use HTTPS to encrypt data in transit, but if your site is not yet using it, you should consider adding a free SSL certificate. This can easily be done by setting the WordPress address and site address using “https://” in the General Settings tab.
If your site is transitioning from an insecure to a secure state, you might find the Really Simple SSL plugin useful. This plugin simplifies the conversion process by handling redirects and related tasks. It also helps to mitigate security threats, such as clickjacking and cross-site-forgery attacks, by providing an option to add security headers.
Fortunately, adding an SSL certificate has become a straightforward process, with many web hosts offering free certificates. Additionally, it’s a known ranking factor at Google, so it can also help boost your website’s SEO.
After converting to HTTPS, it’s important to ensure that no pages request HTTP links or content, as this can create mixed content. Mixed content refers to insecure website assets (such as scripts, images, videos, etc.) being linked to from HTTPS pages. To identify and fix instances of mixed content, you can use tools like Missing Padlock to crawl your site quickly and find errors, then update links to HTTPS assets.
2 – Use a Secure Admin Username
The use of the default admin username poses a significant security risk to WordPress sites. Most security attacks against the WordPress login screen involve the use of the username “Admin.”
Hackers employ two main types of attacks to crack login passwords: brute force and dictionary attacks. In a brute force attack, automated hacking software tries to guess the admin password using different combinations of words, letters, and numbers. In contrast, a dictionary attack involves using common passwords to guess the admin login details.
To enhance your WordPress site’s security, it’s recommended that you avoid using “Admin” as your admin username. This is a simple step that can make a significant difference in securing your site.
To take it a step further, you can use the Wordfence security plugin to create a firewall rule that automatically blocks any user or bot that attempts to log in with the username “Admin.” This further enhances the security of your site by reducing the likelihood of successful attacks targeting your site’s login screen.
3- Make Strong Passwords Required
Enforcing strong passwords is crucial in securing WordPress sites. All users, especially those with admin-level privileges, should be required to create strong passwords. Even users with lower website privileges can become a potential attack vector, making it essential to enforce strong passwords for everyone who logs into the WordPress site.
The iThemes Security WordPress plugin, which boasts over 1 million users, provides login password strength enforcement and two-factor authentication.
Additionally, the Wordfence WordPress security plugin enables the implementation of a password security policy that enforces strong passwords. By doing so, you can significantly enhance your WordPress site security and reduce the risk of password-related attacks.
4- Update Themes And Plugins
Regularly updating plugins, themes, and the core WordPress installation is crucial for maintaining a secure website. Updates are often released to patch vulnerabilities, and failing to update leaves the site vulnerable to attacks.
While most updates run smoothly, sometimes they can conflict with other plugins or themes, causing the site to crash. In such cases, it’s essential to have a backup of the site that can be restored to a previous state.
To update plugins and themes, it’s recommended to stage the site and test it before making the changes live. Alternatively, backing up the site and updating it can also work.
An easy way to stay on top of updates is to set all plugins to auto-update. If something goes wrong, roll back to the previous state with the backup.
5 – Make a WordPress website backup
Backing up your WordPress website regularly is essential to prevent data loss in case of any unforeseen events or malicious activities. UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin is a popular backup solution trusted by over 3 million users. This plugin can restore your website to a previous version easily and quickly, making it an ideal choice for those who want to keep their website secure. Another great backup solution is WP Rollback, which has over 200,000 installations and is widely used by expert WordPress developers. WP Rollback works well with themes and plugins downloaded from WordPress.org. It is recommended to backup your website daily to avoid losing any critical data.
6 – Use plugins as little as possible
Using too many plugins can not only impact site performance but also increase the risk of a vulnerability being exposed on the site. Therefore, it’s important to plan ahead and carefully consider which plugins you really need.
Using fewer plugins will help to reduce the chance of conflicts between plugins and improve site performance. Additionally, consider using plugins that can accomplish multiple tasks, rather than installing multiple standalone plugins for each individual task. This will help to keep the number of plugins to a minimum and reduce the risk of vulnerabilities being exposed.
7 – Consolidate Two-Factor Authentication
To enhance the security of a WordPress site, it is recommended to activate Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). This process requires two different types of identification before granting access to the website. The first identification is the usual username and password, and the second one is a unique authentication code generated by an app, such as Google Authenticator or Authy, installed on the user’s smartphone. Even if the login credentials are stolen by a hacker, they still can’t log in without the second authentication code.
There are several WordPress plugins that can be used to activate 2FA, such as WP 2FA, which is a widely used plugin supporting various 2FA methods like Google Authenticator, Authy, email link, email OTP, and push notification. The Pro version offers additional methods like voice and WhatsApp authentication. Another reliable option is the Wordfence Login Security plugin, which supports Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, and FreeOTP. It is also possible to enable 2FA using security plugins like Wordfence and iThemes Security.
8 – Put in a security plugin for WordPress
To enhance the security of a WordPress site, it is recommended to install a security plugin to close any security loopholes and prevent hackers from exploiting vulnerabilities. There are two types of security plugins: those that focus on security hardening and scanning, and those that act as a firewall. Here are some recommended tools:
Sucuri Security, owned by GoDaddy, is a popular choice for scanning a site for malware and hardening it against exploits. It complements a firewall plugin like Wordfence, and the paid version includes a firewall.
Jetpack Protect, created by Automattic, performs a daily malware scan of the WordPress core, plugins, and themes, and is relatively new but free.
Wordfence Security, with over 4 million active installations, acts as a firewall and can immediately block hackers using rules. It also helps to harden a site against hacking by providing two-factor authentication and disabling PHP execution in folders where PHP should not run. The paid version receives firewall rules to protect against the newest exploits.
iThemes Security, with over a million active installations, is an all-in-one plugin that scans, hardens, and blocks bad bots as a firewall.
In addition to installing a security plugin, it’s important to check the PHP version to ensure it’s not outdated and to scan for online vulnerabilities using tools like Sucuri Malware and Security Checker, Google Safe Browsing Site Status, and JavaScript Vulnerability Scanner.
By taking these additional security measures, a WordPress site can have a stronger security posture and be better protected against potential attacks.
The Security Of WordPress In The Future
All websites are under assault, regardless of the content management system (CMS) being utilized.
As WordPress is the most widely used CMS on the planet, hackers frequently attack it.
WordPress, unlike other platforms, has a sizable community trying to make it safe, which is a benefit.
Anyone who owns a WordPress website should think about taking the time to check that safeguards are in place to keep their WordPress sites completely secure.
8 Essential Steps to Secure Your WordPress Website: A Beginner Guide (FAQ)
What is HTTPS/SSL and why is it important for WordPress security?
HTTPS/SSL is a way to encrypt data in transit between a user’s browser and a website. It’s essential for WordPress security because it helps protect user data from being intercepted by hackers. HTTPS is also a known ranking factor at Google, so it can help boost a website’s SEO.
How can I use a secure admin username to enhance my WordPress site’s security?
Using the default admin username is a significant security risk for WordPress sites. Hackers often target this username in their attacks. To enhance your WordPress site’s security, it’s recommended that you avoid using “Admin” as your admin username. Additionally, you can use a security plugin like Wordfence to create a firewall rule that blocks any user or bot that attempts to log in with the username “Admin.”
What is password strength enforcement, and why is it important for WordPress security?
Password strength enforcement is the process of requiring users to create strong passwords. It’s crucial for WordPress security because weak passwords are easy for hackers to guess, and can lead to unauthorized access to a website. Password strength enforcement can be implemented using WordPress plugins like iThemes Security and Wordfence.
Why is it important to update WordPress themes and plugins regularly?
Regularly updating plugins, themes, and the core WordPress installation is crucial for maintaining a secure website. Updates are often released to patch vulnerabilities, and failing to update leaves the site vulnerable to attacks.
How can I back up my WordPress website to prevent data loss?
Backing up your WordPress website regularly is essential to prevent data loss in case of any unforeseen events or malicious activities. UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin and WP Rollback are popular backup solutions. It’s recommended to backup your website daily to avoid losing any critical data.
Why is it important to use plugins as little as possible?
Using too many plugins can impact site performance and increase the risk of a vulnerability being exposed on the site. Therefore, it’s important to plan ahead and carefully consider which plugins you really need. Using fewer plugins will help to reduce the chance of conflicts between plugins and improve site performance.
What is Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), and how can I use it to enhance my WordPress site’s security?
Two-Factor Authentication is a security process that requires two different types of identification before granting access to a website. The first identification is the usual username and password, and the second one is a unique authentication code generated by an app, such as Google Authenticator or Authy. To activate 2FA on your WordPress site, you can use plugins like WP 2FA or Wordfence Login Security.
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