WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS), used by over 40% of websites worldwide. However, the popularity of WordPress also attracts hackers and cybercriminals who exploit security vulnerabilities to steal your data, spread spam, or take down websites. It is therefore essential to ensure the security of your WordPress website. There are some tried and tested methods that we would like to explain to you. However, to be truly protected, you should consult a WordPress expert as some of the methods involve direct system files. Below are some of the measures we use in our company to secure your WordPress website and protect it from cyber threats.
1. Update WordPress, themes and plugins
Always keep WordPress, your themes and plugins up to date. Updates often include security patches that fix known vulnerabilities. Make sure you have automatic updates enabled or perform manual updates regularly.
2. Use strong passwords and usernames
Choose strong passwords and unique usernames for your WordPress admin, FTP accounts, and databases. Avoid standard usernames like “admin” and create complex passwords with a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters.
3. Limit login attempts
Install a plugin that limits the number of failed login attempts to prevent brute force attacks. Plugins like “Limit Login Attempts” or “Login LockDown” are good options to protect your login page.
4. Use a firewall and security plugin
A web application firewall (WAF) helps keep malicious traffic away from your website and block known security threats. Additionally, you can install a security plugin like “Wordfence” or “iThemes Security” to provide your WordPress websites with additional protection.
5. Back up your database
Change the WordPress database table prefix from “wp_” to something less predictable. This makes SQL injection attacks more difficult. Also, make sure you regularly backup your database and website content so you can recover in the event of an attack or data loss.
6. Use HTTPS
Secure your website with a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate to encrypt traffic between your server and your website visitors. This protects sensitive data such as login details or payment information and increases visitor trust in your website.
7. Protect the wp-admin and wp-includes folder
Use .htaccess rules to restrict access to the wp-admin and wp-includes folder and only allow certain IP addresses. This prevents unauthorized persons from gaining access to these critical directories.
8. Disable file editing
By default, WordPress allows administrators to edit theme and plugin files directly from the dashboard. Disable this feature in the wp-config.php file by adding the following code:
define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);
This will prevent attackers from inserting malicious code into your files if you log in successfully.
9. Hide your WordPress version
Remove the meta information that reveals your WordPress version from your site's HTML source code. Attackers specifically look for websites with outdated versions that have known security holes. Paste the following code into your theme's functions.php file:
remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_generator');
10. Conduct regular security checks
Use tools like “WPScan” or “Sucuri SiteCheck” to regularly check your website for security holes and malware. This allows you to identify and eliminate potential weak points at an early stage.
Conclusion
The security of your WordPress website is crucial to prevent data loss, downtime, and misuse of your resources. By implementing the above security measures, you will ensure that your website is protected from most common cyber threats. Remember that no solution is 100% secure and it is important to always have a backup of your website available and regularly install the latest security updates.
