How to secure WordPress? 12+ essential things to do

Reading Time: 4 minutes

No website is 100% secure, but there are a number of things you can do to secure your WordPress site. One of the most important things you can do to secure your WP installation is to keep it up to date. A good hosting provider will have security measures in place to help protect your site from attacks. Installing a security plugin is a great way to add an extra layer of protection to your site as well as limit the number of login attempts that are allowed. Adding two-factor authentication to your site is another great way to secure it. Let’s go through essential things to do to make your website or blog more secure.

By following these 12 steps, you can make it more secure and less likely to be hacked.

1. Keep WordPress up to date
2. Use strong passwords
3. Don’t use “admin” as your username
4. Use a secure hosting provider
5. Use a WordPress security plugin
6. Limit login attempts
7. Two-factor authentication
8. Protect wp-config.php
9. Hide the WordPress version number
10. Disable file editing in WordPress
11. Implement SSL/TLS certificate
12. Manage user roles and permissions carefully

See also  WordPress admin dashboard not loading correctly

1. Keep WordPress up to date

One of the most important things you can do to secure your WordPress site is to keep it up to date. Each new WordPress release includes security fixes for vulnerabilities that have been discovered. By keeping your site up to date, you’ll make it more difficult for attackers to exploit any known weaknesses.

2. Use strong passwords

Using strong passwords is one of the easiest ways to improve your WordPress security. A strong password is at least 8 characters long and contains a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using dictionary words or easily guessed phrases like “password” or “123456”.

3. Don’t use “admin” as your username

Another WordPress security tip is to avoid using the username “admin” when you create your WordPress account. Using “admin” as your username makes it easier for attackers to guessed your login credentials. If you already have an account with the username “admin”, consider creating a new account with a different username and then deleting the old “admin” account.

4. Use a secure hosting provider

When choosing a WordPress hosting provider, be sure to select a company that takes security seriously. A good hosting provider will have security measures in place to help protect your site from attacks. Look for features like firewalls, malware scanning, and DDoS protection.

5. Use a WordPress security plugin

Installing a WordPress security plugin is a great way to add an extra layer of protection to your site. There are many different plugins available, so be sure to do your research to find one that best suits your needs. Some popular WordPress security plugins include Wordfence and Sucuri Security.

See also  How to fix the ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH

6. Limit login attempts

One way to secure WordPress is to limit the number of login attempts that are allowed. By default, WordPress allows unlimited login attempts, which gives attackers ample opportunity to guess your password. Limiting login attempts can help thwart brute force attacks by making it more difficult for hackers to guess your credentials.

7. Two-factor authentication

Adding two-factor authentication to your WordPress site is another great way to secure it. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to enter a code from their phone in addition to their username and password. This makes it much harder for attackers to gain access to your site, even if they know your login credentials.

8. Protect wp-config.php

The wp-config.php file contains sensitive information about your WordPress installation, including your database details. It’s important to protect this file from being accessed by unauthorized users. One way to do this is by adding the following line of code to your .htaccess file:

<Files wp-config.php>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</Files>

9. Hide the WordPress version number

One of the first things an attacker will do when trying to compromise a WordPress site is check the version number. If they know which version you’re running, they can then look for known vulnerabilities and try to exploit them. That’s why it’s important to hide your WordPress version number. You can do this by adding the following line of code to your wp-config.php file:

define( 'WP_HIDE_VERSION', true );

10. Disable file editing in WordPress

By default, WordPress allows users to edit theme and plugin files directly from the admin interface. This is convenient for making changes, but it also poses a security risk. If an attacker is able to gain access to your WordPress admin panel, they can easily make changes to your site’s files. To disable file editing, you can add the following line of code to your wp-config.php file:

define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true );

11. Keep regular backups

Backing up your WordPress site on a regular basis is one of the best ways to secure it. If your site is ever hacked or corrupted, you’ll be able to restore it from a backup and minimize the amount of damage that’s done. There are many different WordPress backup plugins available, so be sure to find one that best suits your needs.

See also  What is Cloudflare and how it protects website?

12. Stay up to date

One of the most important things you can do to secure WordPress is to keep it up to date. WordPress releases new versions on a regular basis, and each new release includes security fixes and enhancements. By running the latest version of WordPress, you’ll help ensure that your site is as secure as possible.

It is important to secure your WordPress website in order to protect your content, prevent hacking, and deter malicious activity. There are a few key ways to do this, including installing security plugins and taking other measures to secure your site. By taking these steps, you can help ensure that your WordPress site is safe and secure.

4.7/5 - (3 votes)

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.