WordPress security is an important part of keeping your website safe, as WordPress sites make up 30% of the entire internet, and they’re frequently targeted by hackers. While there are many different types of security threats that could affect your WordPress site, there are steps you can take to protect it from common attacks. The following 5 tips can help you make sure your WordPress site stays secure from hackers and malware. Read on to learn more about them!
#1) Scan For Vulnerabilities Regularly
WordPress security is a big deal for website owners, and for good reason. According to WP White Security, there are more than 58 million WordPress websites online today. That’s a lot of potential security holes! Fortunately, you can help yourself avoid problems by scanning for vulnerabilities regularly—and if you do find one, fix it as soon as possible. The longer a vulnerability goes undetected on your site, after all, the more likely it is that someone will exploit it.
#2) Keep WordPress Updated
As a rule of thumb, always make sure you’re running on a regularly updated version of WordPress. Most updates are minor and hardly noticeable, but it’s important that you run on an up-to-date copy because they fix critical security bugs that attackers are always looking for. Unfortunately, many website owners fail to update their sites because they fear it will cause problems; however, it’s far safer (and easier) than you might think.
#3) Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to an account. When logging in, you’ll need two things: something you know, like a password; and something you have, like a cell phone. This means that even if someone manages to steal or guess your password, they still won’t be able to access your account without also having physical access to whatever device is acting as your second factor.
#4) Use Strong Passwords
Passwords, key loggers, phishing scams—there are countless ways a hacker can break into a WordPress site. But there are also plenty of ways you can prevent them from doing so. The first step is to use strong passwords, which are harder for criminals to guess and less likely to be hacked or stolen.
This means using long words with multiple capital letters, numbers, and symbols (also known as passphrases), rather than short words that include only letters or common number combinations (such as password1).
For added security, make sure you change your passwords frequently and avoid storing them on devices where they could be intercepted. Instead, store them on an encrypted USB drive that requires both an account name and password to access it. Or try a password manager like LastPass to keep track of everything for you.
#5) Back Up Your Site Regularly
Although WordPress sites are generally secure, they’re not immune to hacking. Backing up your site regularly can help you repair any damage that’s been done by a malicious hacker. Fortunately, there are several excellent plugins that can automatically back up your WordPress installation and allow you to restore it in case of an emergency.
For example, UpdraftPlus backs up everything on a scheduled basis and allows you to roll back changes whenever needed.
Conclusion
WordPress is a great tool for creating a professional-looking website and blogs. In order to keep it safe, there are certain precautions that should be taken by every user, from setting up passwords and upgrading plugins to creating backup copies of files. The security measures I’ve outlined here are a good place to start. You can always do more!
Hopefully, these recommendations can help you get your WordPress up and running without much hassle at all. If you are looking for a secure hosting service, check out our services here. If you have any questions about keeping WordPress secure, leave them in the comments section below. Happy blogging!
