With over 44% of websites being created on it, WordPress has emerged as one of the most widely used content management systems (CMS) worldwide. Security should be your first priority while using any online site. This article will look at security issues with WordPress and offer advice on how to maintain the safety and security of your WordPress website.
Is WordPress Secure?
Generally speaking, yes. WordPress developers put a lot of effort into keeping their platform secure with frequent fixes and upgrades. Nevertheless, because WordPress is based on an open-source architecture, hackers are able to examine its design and often create new exploits to take over WordPress websites. WordPress security is essential as a result. It’s critical to understand the hazards involved with WordPress use in order to improve your understanding of website security.
WordPress Security Concerns
When managing a WordPress website, there are a few possible hazards to be mindful of. Hackers are among the main issues. Because WordPress is so widely used, bad actors are drawn to it and try to take advantage of weaknesses in WordPress, such as out-of-date plugins or core files, to access your website without authorization. They may use techniques including cross-site scripting (XSS), denial of service (DoS) assaults, pharma attacks, backdoors, and brute force attacks.
Serious repercussions may ensue if the issue is not fixed, including malware (malicious code intended to steal visitor information from your website), redirecting your website to an entirely different website, adding content you are unaware of, Google warnings that could lower your website’s ranking in the search engine results, or even worse, not being able to log in to your website.
How to Secure Your WordPress Website
The recommended strategies for enhancing WordPress security to shield your website from potential attacks are covered in the section that follows.
Keep Your WordPress Login Secure
Another easy thing you can do to boost your WordPress security is to lock down your login credentials. This can be done in several ways, including using a plugin to change the login URL from /wp-admin to something of your choosing. You can also add two-factor authentication (2FA) to your login and limit login attempts, which will help repel bots.
Another way to protect your login is by linking it to your Google account using the Google Apps Login for WordPress. Once your login is locked down, you should whitelist your users’ IP addresses. This ensures that only registered users can get in, even if they have managed to figure out your password.
Use a Suite of WordPress Security Plugins
Another very useful thing you can do is to install a good security plugin, such as iThemes Security. It will allow you to add 2FA, limit login attempts, schedule backups, and hide your WordPress login.
In addition to a WordPress security plugin, consider installing a good backup plugin, like UpdraftPlus, if your host doesn’t offer backups. A backup plugin protects you from losing your site’s files, helping you to avoid rebuilding WordPress from scratch. You can easily restore your site with little effort if something goes wrong. Finally, incorporating an activity log plugin like WP Activity Log will allow you to pinpoint what went wrong and when.
Keep PHP Updated
WordPress requires three things to work correctly: PHP, MySQL, and HTTPS support. PHP, or hypertext preprocessor, is a popular open-source scripting language used in web development and is the backbone of WP. Like WordPress, being open source leaves it open for malicious actors looking to take advantage. To avoid these potential issues, it’s best to keep PHP updated. Not only does it help with WordPress security, but it also keeps your site running optimally.
Choose Strong Passwords
One of the most important aspects of WordPress security is choosing strong passwords for login. Weak or easily guessable passwords leave your site vulnerable to unauthorized access and expose your site to botnets. Botnets are a collection of computers that have been infected by malware and come under the control of a hacker. They are the leading cause of DDoS attacks on the internet, but you can prevent your site from falling victim to them by taking the correct precautions.
For example, you can protect your site by ensuring all users adhere to a password policy. One great way to do this is by installing a plugin like Password Policy Maker.
WordPress Security: Keep Software Updated
Another simple step in WordPress security is keeping your WordPress core, plugins, and themes updated. Leaving software out of date can have negative consequences on your website, including security breaches, the WordPress white screen of death, or any number of common errors.
You can either keep up with updates on your own or enable automatic updates. What is right for you depends on several factors, including time, expertise, and the type of software your WordPress install runs. Regardless of whether you handle updates or choose to update automatically, you should always make a backup before performing any updates.
Install SSL Certificate
If you partner with a good hosting provider, one of the benefits that come with it is a free SSL certificate. However, there may be situations where you’ll need to install one yourself. Most providers, like SiteGround, offer a free SSL that installs in a few minutes. As you read this, you might ask , “Why do I need an SSL certificate?”. Let’s explain.
SSL, or secure socket layer, expands the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) to hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS), adding encryption and an extra layer of security. For example, a consumer who makes a purchase over HTTP risks their credit card information being exploited. On the other hand, their information would be protected if they had made the same purchase over HTTPS. Your site and its visitors are exposed and vulnerable without that secure connection. That’s why installing an SSL certificate on any new website is crucial.
Conduct a Security Audit
Once you’ve taken steps to secure your site, it’s important to conduct a WordPress security audit occasionally. Just as technology changes daily, so does a hacker’s arsenal of tools. Malware and other tactics are developed regularly, so securing your WordPress website isn’t a one-and-done deal. Schedule regular security checks, and look for signs that your site may be in trouble. If you notice your site loading slowly, your traffic drops, you discover new links you didn’t add, or you experience excessive login attempts, it may be time to run a security scan to ensure your site remains safe and secure.
What to Do if Your WordPress
Website is Hacked Even if you do everything right, you may find yourself in a situation where your website has been hacked. Thankfully, there are steps you can take, including putting your site into recovery mode, restoring from your most recent backup, or resetting your passwords. If all else fails, your hosting provider may be able to help.