Having a secure website is crucial these days. With WordPress powering over 40% of all websites, it’s also one of the biggest targets for hackers. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key steps to lock down your WordPress site.
What are the Biggest Security Threats for WordPress Sites?
WordPress sites face a range of potential security threats. Here are some of the most common ones to watch out for:
- Brute force attacks: Hackers try to guess weak login credentials using automated tools.
- Vulnerable plugins and themes: Outdated plugins/themes contain exploits that can be used to gain access.
- Cross-site scripting (XSS): Hackers inject malicious code onto your site to steal data or perform other actions.
- SQL injection: Entering malicious SQL code that allows access to your database.
- Phishing and spam: Masquerading as a trusted entity to trick users into sharing info.
- Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS): Flooding sites with traffic to take them offline.
The key is keeping WordPress and all plugins/themes updated, using strong passwords, and limiting access.
What are the Best Practices for Securing your WordPress Site?
Here are some essential tips for locking down WordPress:
- Use strong passwords: Complex passwords with letters, numbers and symbols are much harder to crack.
- Limit login attempts: Plugins like Login LockDown can temporarily block IPs after too many failed logins.
- Update WordPress, plugins and themes: Running the latest versions closes security holes.
- Backup your site: Backups let you restore your site if it’s compromised.
- Use security plugins: Plugins like Wordfence offer firewall protection, malware scans and more.
- Disable file editing: Disable the file editor in WordPress to prevent hackers from modifying files.
- Limit user roles: Give users the minimum permissions they need to do their work.
- Use SSL certificate: Forces connections via https and protects transmitted data.
What are the Must-Have WordPress Security Plugins?
Security plugins provide easy ways to add layers of protection. Here are some of the top options:
- Wordfence: Gives you a firewall, login security, and malware scans.
- iThemes Security: Blocks bad bots, strengthens passwords and improves permissions.
- Sucuri: Scans for malware, monitors files for changes and offers DDoS mitigation.
- All in One WP Security: Firewall, login limits, and auto backups for comprehensive security.
What Security Features Can You Enable Without Plugins?
You can take some key steps to secure WordPress even without installing plugins:
- Use strong passwords as mentioned earlier.
- Enable two-factor authentication for all users.
- Limit login attempts via wp-config.php file.
- Enable automatic WordPress updates for core, plugins and themes.
- Disable the file editor as noted above.
- Use SFTP instead of FTP for file transfers.
How Can You Check for Existing Vulnerabilities?
It’s a good idea to periodically scan your site for any weaknesses. Here are some options:
- WordPress security scanner: Checks core, plugins, themes, web server config and more.
- Sucuri SiteCheck: Free malware and security scan for WordPress.
- WebARX: Scans for malware, blacklisting, errors and other issues.
- Quttera: Free site scanner that checks for malware and detects compromised sites.
By taking the right steps to lock down your site, updating frequently, limiting access and monitoring for threats, you can keep your WordPress site safe from the majority of attacks. Security requires ongoing vigilance, but the effort is well worth it.
