Best Practices of WordPress Security

Best Practices of WordPress Security

You can never know when a hacker is planning to launch an attack on your website.

Unfortunately, for most business owners, WordPress security is still a matter of secondary concern.

This carelessness is one of the reasons why data breaches are increasing every day.

Hackers are resorting to DDoS, MITM and, phishing attacks to hijack databases and websites.

A business person who wants to operate safely in such an environment must have a clear plan for repelling cyberattacks.

Here are seven reasons tips to protect your WordPress website from hackers:

1.   Keep it updated

WordPress employs some of the best developers to take care of their platform. These experts keep a constant watch on cybersecurity trends and potential areas of improvement.

They constantly fix bugs and security patches, giving no chance to hackers.

Unfortunately, many people take such updates for granted and do not bother to update their WordPress sites.

Hackers take advantage of those unpatched vulnerabilities and make their way into the website.

You cannot even imagine how many data attacks fail because hackers fail to breach updated CMS software.

So, never miss out on an update.

2.   Get an SSL

According to Google, you can’t rank in the top-ranking search results if you do not have an SSL or Secure Socket Layer certificate installed

As businesses, we all want to get on top of the SERP, but search engines marginalize non-SSL sites as unsecured sites.

Wondering what an SSL is?

An SSL certificate is a security technology used to encrypt a website’s connection so that data can be passed over it securely.

Without an SSL, any hacker can see and steal your sensitive information. So, for those people who think an SSL is Google’s favorite, they are wrong.

Now, you must be wondering which SSL is best for me?

Well, SSL certs can be available for single-domain and multi-domain certs. Single domain certs can protect a single domain or subdomain at a given time, while multi-domain can protect up to 250 multiple FQDNs.

So, suppose you have a single domain to protect. In that case, even a single domain cert is enough but, if you have multiple domains and subdomains of different levels registered, you need to buy a Cheap UCC SSL certificate or a multi-domain SSL cert.

So, buy the right kind of SSL today to protect your customer information and website from hackers.

3.   Create backups

In today’s world, you cannot rely on your primary database or a hosting provider to store data for you.

Creating data backups is imperative. Just in case hackers successfully breach your website and erase all the data, backups will be of great help.

Without them, you will be left stranded with the fate of your business sealed in the hacker’s hands.

There are many online cloud-based software and plug-ins that keep your data secure at a nominal price.

So, backup your data, if you haven’t already, and give your business the much-needed cushion.

4.   Watch out for login attempts and passwords.

If a hacker is allowed to log in multiple times, sooner or later, they will crack the real password.

Hackers try different combinations of passwords to log in to your website’s admin panel.

The best way to deal with that is by restricting their login attempts to 3. After that, block all the login attempts from the user.

Also, keep strict password hygiene. For example, keep changing the passwords every 3 months and ensure that they are at least 12 characters long.

The robust your login page is, the better chance you will stand against hackers.

5.   Install a firewall

A firewall is yet another security protocol, but it is applicable on your computer.

It protects your computer from all types of attacks and quarantines any suspicious third-party that tries to connect with it.

A firewall may not directly impact your website, but it can indirectly help you repel many attacks.

If malware is injected into your computer, it can also affect the sites you visit and connect to.

Thus, your device can become the reason for a data breach on your website; that is why it is important to keep it safe.

6.   Change the admin username.

Wp-admin is one of the most searched usernames by hackers. Yet, it is a default username for a WordPress site.

Unfortunately, business owners don’t give it due attention making their sites easily accessible to hackers.

Once a hacker successfully figures out the username, half of their job is done. Now, they only have to breach your password to get inside your website.

So, change your username by visiting “YOURSITE.com/wp-login.php” and protect your website against cyberattacks.

7.   Use two-factor authentication

Though you have ensured strict password hygiene, a two-factor authentication is a must-have for every website in today’s world.

A two-factor authentication system does not allow users to log in until they enter the 4- or 6-digit code sent on the registered mobile number.

Only those users who are registered with you will be allowed to access your website.

To Conclude

Though WordPress is one of the safest CMS platforms out there, you still have to ensure that you are taking security precautions.

SSL certificates, firewalls, 2-factor authentication, backups, and regular updates can all play a massive role in keeping your WordPress website safe.

So, follow these 7 tips mentioned above to safeguard your site.