WordPress sites have
several reasons for getting hacked - and you can strengthen them too. Listed
below is The
Ultimate WordPress Security Guide for vulnerabilities that every agency,
developer, and freelancer should know about.
Keep WordPress up-to-date
You should update your
website as soon as WordPress releases a new version. Usually, WordPress
versions come with security patches to resolve problems. You could leave your site
vulnerable if you don't update.
Keeping WordPress updated will close security gaps that hackers may exploit. Set up automatic updates so you don't have to do them manually. Keep a backup of your site every time you update it. A quality host will update your WordPress site automatically so you don't have to worry about it.
Maintain Strong Passwords
If you don't use a secure WordPress admin panel, hackers have an easier time accessing your website and can do just about anything. Using automated tools, hackers run through numerous possible passwords until they find the one that works. They can then access your WordPress admin account and take full control. The biggest weakness is weak passwords, but you can fix them easily. Admin accounts for WordPress, FTP, and hosts should have secure passwords that are changed regularly.
Tips
for setting strong passwords:
- Using a version of your name,
username, brand name, or website name is not a good idea.
- Use a real word, not a dictionary
word.
- Whenever possible, create long
passwords - a minimum of eight characters.
- Ideally, your password should
include letters, numbers, and symbols.
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WordPress plugins like Word fence require strong passwords with some hosting plans. Two-factor authentication will also make it much harder for hackers to hack your website. In addition, set a schedule for updating your password once every 30, 60, or 90 days, if you haven't already.
Limit the number of login attempts
A user can log in as often as they like with Word Press’s default settings. Your site is vulnerable to hackers if they try multiple combinations of your password. Your web application firewall may also support restricting login attempts.
You should limit access to your website
If your team is large,
limiting access becomes more difficult. However, adding fewer people reduces
the possibility of security breaches. In the Dashboard sidebar, click Users to
see which admin accounts no longer need access to WordPress or should have less
access. Make note of any unfamiliar users.
You should check with account holders to see if they updated their account details – a user could be an actual admin, but they made a change you didn't realize. Remove users who are no longer part of your website and/or should not have access to your user list at this point. Change the Bulk Actions dropdown to Delete next to any user you wish to remove. Under a user's username, click the Delete link to remove that user.
Set a timer for idle users to log out
Use a plugin that automatically logs people out when they are idle. A user can change their WordPress account if they walk away from their computer while logged in. Plugins, such as the free Inactive Logout, allow you to set the duration for when users are auto-logged out if they're inactive. If the user is still in front of their computer when it pops up, they can choose to stay logged in if they see the message.
Protect your site from the server side
A server-side firewall will make it even harder for hackers to break into your site. WP-admin protects your login screen, WordPress administration area, and files if you add an extra layer of security. You can defend your WordPress admin from hackers by using HTTPS SSL, which is an encrypted connection. Find out if your host offers this level of secure WordPress site.
Firewall your web applications
The best way to protect
your site is to use a web application firewall (WAF). In essence, a WAF will
prevent malicious traffic from entering your site. Two options are available:
- DNS-level firewall: It
sends traffic through its cloud proxy servers. Only quality, non-malicious
traffic will reach your site.
- Application-level firewall: A
plugin can act as a WAF by checking the traffic before it reaches your
server.
The safer option is a DNS-level firewall over an application-level one. Secure hosts like Conversion and popular plugins such as word fence offer this.
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Install only up-to-date,
reliable plugins and themes
You are vulnerable to
hackers if you have out-of-date or nulled plugins or themes. “Download Nulled”
themes and plugins if you want to save money. Elements such as these collect
information or even harm your site.
Never use a plugin or theme from an unreliable source. Read plenty of reviews before choosing an external source. WordPress-compatible plugins are also crucial to choose from. Updating plugins and themes is necessary because they contain security features. The latest version contains the latest security measures. Using the latest plugins and themes will keep you up-to-date. A good hosting provider will handle these updates for you.
Getting rid of unused installations
Deactivate any plugins and themes that you won't need and delete them. Remove unnecessary files, WordPress installations, and databases as well. When you have a lot of data in WordPress, your site becomes more vulnerable, especially due to old WordPress installations.
Remove unwanted files
Identify and remove any files that don't belong there. Plugins like the ones below may help you achieve this. Word fence (again), Defender, and Malwares are popular options. Plugins like these can scan your site for any unwelcome content.
Conclusions
The security of
WordPress websites has become a burning issue. You can, however, secure the WordPress website from hackers by yourself. There are two
categories of steps you can take below to achieve this. You can apply one-time
measures right now to increase the security level of your WordPress website in
the first category. Having a WordPress website requires constant attention.