Over 40% of all websites use WordPress, making it the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world. That being said, hackers, malware, and other online threats love it because it’s so popular. Making sure your WordPress site is secure is important to keep your data, visitors, and image safe.
In this detailed guide, we’ll look at the best ways to keep your WordPress site safe from hackers and other cybersecurity risks.
1. Never stop updating WordPress
WordPress usually puts out updates that fix bugs and add security patches. To keep your WordPress core, themes, and plugins safe, you must keep them all up to date.
Update WordPress: How to Do It?
To see what changes are out there, go to Dashboard > changes.
As soon as changes come out, you should update WordPress, its core, its themes, and its plugins.
To keep your site safe, set it to automatically update for small releases.
2. Use strong passwords to log in.
Brute-force attacks are easy to do on your site if you use weak passwords and usernames.
Best Practices for Protecting Your Login:
Don’t use “admin” as your nickname.
Letters, numbers, and special characters should all be used in your password to make it strong.
Make and store complicated passwords with a password generator.
For extra protection, use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
3. Add a security add-on
A good security plugin can help find and stop threats that are meant to do harm.
The best WordPress security add-ons are:
Wordfence Security has a firewall, a malware scanner, and security for your logins.
Sucuri Security – Keeps an eye on websites, gets rid of malware, and protects you with a firewall.
iThemes Security: Upgrades the security of logins and checks for holes.
4. Turn on the Web Application Firewall (WAF).
A Web Application Firewall (WAF) filters and stops bad data from getting to your website.
The best WordPress WAF solutions are:
Cloudflare has a free plan that protects your site with a firewall.
Sucuri Firewall: Offers advanced DDoS defense and virus screening.
Wordfence WAF has a built-in firewall that stops hackers and brute-force attacks.
5. Keep your WordPress admin panel safe
By limiting who can access your WordPress admin area, you can stop brute-force tries and unauthorized logins.
How to Keep the WP-Admin Panel Safe:
You can change the usual login URL to a different one, like yoursite.com/wp-admin.
Limit admin access based on IP address.
Add a CAPTCHA to the page where you log in.
Utilize a security plugin to restrict login tries.
6. Make sure you have an SSL certificate
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protects the information that is sent between your website and its viewers.
How do I get SSL to work on WordPress?
You can get a free SSL certificate from your server company or Let’s Encrypt.
To use HTTPS, install and turn on the Really Simple SSL plugin.
To keep full encryption, check for mixed material problems on a regular basis.
7. Back up your files regularly
If your website gets hacked or data gets lost, you can recover it from a backup.
Backup plugins for WordPress that we recommend:
UpdraftPlus lets you back up your files automatically to the cloud.
BackupBuddy backs up and recovers whole websites.
VaultPress (Jetpack Backup): Backups in real time and storage in the cloud.
8. Keep malware and security holes at bay
Malware attacks can damage your site’s data and image.
How to Keep WordPress Safe from Malware?
Use security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri to scan for malware on a daily basis.
Do not use stolen or “nulled” themes and plugins.
Getting rid of themes and plugins that aren’t being used will cut down on attack routes.
9. Turn off XML-RPC to stop DoS attacks
XML-RPC is used by WordPress for remote posting, but it can also be used for brute-force attacks.
How to Turn Off XML-RPC?
In your.htaccess file, add this code:
The Disable XML-RPC tool can be used to turn off XML-RPC.
10. Make it harder to open files
Hackers may be able to change your website’s files if the file rights are set wrong.
Recommended Permissions for WordPress Files:
Change the rights in wp-config.php to 400 or 440.
Change the number 755 or 775 in wp-content/uploads/.
For all other files, use permissions 644.
11. Use a hosting service that is safe.
Your WordPress site will be safe if you put it with a company that offers server-level security.
The safest WordPress hosting companies are:
Kinsta: Managed WordPress hosting that keeps an eye on security.
WP Engine – Backs up your site every day and provides enterprise-level protection.
SiteGround: Comes with free SSL, daily backups, and automatic changes.
12. Turn off browsing directories
Hackers can get to your website’s files and folders by browsing through directories.
How to Stop Browsing Directories?
In your.htaccess file, add this line:
Options -Indexes
13. Put the Content Security Policy into action
Cross-site scripting (XSS) threats can be stopped with a Content Security Policy (CSP).
How do I hook up CSP to WordPress?
In your.htaccess file, add this code:
Header set Content-Security-Policy “default-src ‘self’; script-src ‘self’ https://trustedsource.com”
14. Keep an eye on what’s happening on the website
You can catch fishy behavior before it gets worse by keeping an eye on what users are doing.
The best activity log plugins for WordPress are:
WP Security Audit Log: Detailed records of what users do.
Simple History: Shows failed logins and changes to files.
15. Regularly check for security holes
You can find weak spots in your WordPress site with the help of a vulnerability checker.
Best Vulnerability Scanners for WordPress:
WPScan – Looks for security holes in plugins and themes.
Sucuri SiteCheck is an online security and malware checker.
Netsparker is a tool for advanced security checking of WordPress sites.
In conclusion
You need to be careful about protecting your WordPress site. You can make your site much less vulnerable to hacking by using strong passwords, firewalls, security plugins, and keeping it up to date. Making regular backups, checking for malware, and keeping an eye on your site are also very important for keeping it safe.
By following these best practices, you can protect your WordPress site from possible threats and make sure that your users feel safe while they browse.