Sometimes your WordPress site isn’t secured well at all. However, there are many essential steps you can take to fortify the defenses of your site. Below are 10 effective ways to secure your WordPress site and reduce security breaches.
Encrypt your dang login!
When you log in to your site, your password isn’t encrypted. This means if you are on a public WI-FI spot, information sent from your computer could easily be picked up by a hacker that only wants to do harm.
To prevent potential breaches, I recommend using the ChapSecure Login plug-in. This free open-source messaging app adds a random hash to the end of your password to protect your login
Keep track of your authors’ privileges
As we all know, people sometimes gain our trust and then completely break it. Therefore, as you work with people –developers, authors, editors, and marketers –on your site, take this risk into consideration.
Ensure privileges are well-defined and limitations are implemented effectively to reduce vulnerability. For instance, define what authors can and can’t do. Doing this will save you from having to deal with a mistake in the future.
One best practice is to install a role manager plugin, such as WPFront User Role Editor. This valuable resource allows you to easily manage users’ roles on your WordPress site. It enables you to create, delete, or edit roles.
Remove your version info!
For the sake of tracking your activities, WordPress often leaves a footprint on your site. While this happens by default, it can result in a security leak. The risk is even greater if your site is running on an outdated WordPress version.
Just by looking at the source code of your site, attackers could get a hold of version information. With this data, they can create a version-specific attack on your site.
Thus, regularly checking and removing your version information is one of the top ways to secure your WordPress site.
To remove this info, go to your WordPress theme editor then locate and remove the following code:
<meta name=”generator” content=”WordPress <?php bloginfo(‘version’); ?>” />
However, while this method is useful, there are better approaches to removing your version info. You can find further guidance from this article.
Back up your database!
Your WordPress website might be super secure, but what if a bug deletes essential files you don’t want going? If it happens, it may put an end to your website. All the resources you’ve invested.
So, how do you ensure the hard work you’ve put into growing your website doesn’t go to waste?
It’s simple: backup your database. Countless free plugins are available to back up your database. UpdraftPlus is my favorite, but of course, you’ve several other options.
Whichever method or plugin use choose to use, just make sure your back up your site regularly so you don’t have to lose everything in the event the worst happens.
Do regular vulnerability scanning
Just as your computer needs to be scanned, so does your WordPress site!
Why don’t you use this plug-in to check for up-to-date loopholes that attackers may exploit?
Change your login name
It isn’t that hard for a hacker to crack the login when the default it usually “admin”. Don’t fall for this tomfoolery. Change it to something unique to you, but which you would remember of course. Here are a few ways to secure your WordPress site by correctly managing the user name.
Go to Users and set up a new user account. Give this new user administrator role. Log out and log in again with the new user account.
Go to Users again. Check admin. Delete it. When it asks you to confirm, select “attribute all posts and links to:” and select your new user. Bam, confirm and you’re done.
Track failed logins
Sometimes hackers use something called brute force. This means they use a program to try every combination possible. Install Login-Lockdown.
This plugin will record the IP of each failed login attempt. After a select number of tries, it will disable login in that location.
However, take be careful when using Login-Lockdown. Make sure you don’t forget your own password! This plug-in would not be helpful in that case.
Upgrade, update!
Upgrade all of your plugins when they come out with updates. Also, avoid using outdated versions of WordPress and plugins.
Always, update! Many fixes for bugs and vulnerabilities are almost always in the latest updates.
Use alpha-numeric passwords!
I’ve shown you a plugin to secure your password further with the hash at the end. Nevertheless, there are still more ways to secure your WordPress site by using better passwords.
Make sure you have letters and numbers in your password! This makes it harder for someone to figure it out!
Use a trusted WP theme
There are so many themes outside there. Some estimates suggest WordPress has over 31,000 free and premium theme options.
However, not all themes are secure. Use the right theme.
