WordPress is the most popular CMS in 2019. They are leading 34% of the website on the internet. Due to its popularity, hackers target WordPress website. So, WordPress security is the most important topics.
If you want to protect your website from a hacker, you should pay attention to your website security. In this article, I will share how to secure your WordPress website.
Although, WordPress core is a very secure software and hundreds of developer audit regularly. That is why most of the time we got hacked for our mistake. I found lots of clients, who attacked by malware or a hacker. I tried to investigate the actual causes and found some hidden truth.
So, In this guide, I will share all the top WordPress security tips from my real experience to help you protect your website against hackers and malware.
Best way Secure your WordPress Website
1. Keep WordPress Up to Date!
WordPress is an open-source software which is regularly updated and maintained. By default, WordPress automatically installs minor updates but all the major update, you need to update it manually.
Beside the WordPress core, your site is using themes and some plugins, they also need to keep up to date. This update will be a big protection of your website.
2. Choose Good Quality Hosting
Choosing a good quality web hosting is mandatory. A good quality hosting like Hostgator and Bluehost, prevent maximum security attack. Also, they take regular automatic backup and keep all of your files in a safe place.
List of the following security provide a good web hosting company bellow-
- They have a system to prevent DDOS attack.
- Regular monitor all type of suspicious activity.
- Take regular backup of your website.
- They keep the server hardware and software up to date.
Also, Hostgator provide some extra features like Daily automatic backup, daily website scan can protect virus, hacker, and malware, etc.
3. Strong Passwords
The common way to hack a WordPress website is stollen and pattern username and password. Lot’s of user keep default username as admin and use a very common password pattern. This is not only for the WordPress admin, but it is also related to others eg. FTP access, Database, and also hosting access.
If you use a strong password pattern, it can easily prevent hacker to guess a password. If you think using a strong password is hard to remember. Then you can use a password manager. There is a lot of free password manager. It will generate a strong password for the website and remember it for you. You do not need to take panic.
4. Review your Theme and plugins
A WordPress theme is very essential for your WordPress site because the theme gives your site a professional look and also using a plugin, you are getting new features and customize your site very easy and fast.
If your theme and plugin provider does not maintain their code and update regularly, then it can generate a problem for your site also if you use a premium theme or plugins without purchase, I mean if it is null or pirated it is also dangerous for your site. Sometimes null/pirated theme or plugin contain malicious code because you are not downloading that files from the original author, it is from 3rd party who can change or modify the code with malicious code. It can hack your website or affected by malware or virus. So you should always avoid using null and pirated theme/plugins.
You should choose a theme/plugin which updates and maintain regularly. Also, never use unnecessary plugins and remove unused themes/plugins.
5. Change your login URL
By default WordPress admin login URL is yourdomain.com/wp-admin or yourdomain.com/wp-login.php, it is known to all, so, some unexpected login activity can happen. That is why you should change the default login URL to a custom URL, you can use a plugin to do this. If you search, you will find a lot of plugin like this. Just install someone popular and reputed.
6. Install Security Plugin
A security plugin is essential for your WordPress security. Though without a plugin you also can configure server rules and secure your site. But if you use a security plugin, it will help you a lot to secure your site just a few clicks and also they will recommend what security you need to improve your site security. That is why you should use a security plugin. I recommend WordFence or iThemes Security. They provide lots of extra features you can use. I will share a tutorial, how to configure iThemes Security and WordFence in one of my article.
7. Auto schedule backup
Though a good hosting company takes a regular backup, if you can keep backup your self that will make your site more secure and risk-free, if in case the site goes down or got hacked, you will be able to restore the site yourself easily. You can easily take full backup using some plugin, also, some security plugin do it automatically if you configure the plugin correctly.
8. Add SSL
SSL means Secure Sockets Layer, whois is a networking protocol designed for securing connections between web clients and web servers over an insecure network, such as the internet. So, if you install SSL for your website, it will look your site is secure and also the user can trust your website. If you haven’t enough budget, you can use free SSL for the site. Lets Encrypt and Cloudflare provide free SSL for your website.
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