Because WordPress is the world's most popular content management system, it is unfortunately also the number one target for cyber attackers. But with a few strategic moves you can turn your site into a fortress.
Here is a step-by-step guide to securing your site:
1. Basic Hygiene and Updates
The first rule of security is not to leave the doors open.
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WordPress Core, Themes and Plugins: They must always be up to date. Old versions contain known security holes.
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Delete What You Don't Use: Every inactive plugin and theme is a potential entry point to your site. Just "deactivating" is not enough; you should delete them completely.
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PHP Version: Make sure you always use the latest supported PHP version in your hosting panel.
2. Tighten Login Security
Most attacks target the login page with the "brute force" method.
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Change the Login URL: You can confuse attackers by changing the default
wp-adminorwp-login.phpaddresses with a plugin such as WPS Hide Login. -
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Even if your password is stolen, nobody can log in without the code sent to your phone.
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Limit Login Attempts: Temporarily block IP addresses that make a certain number of failed logins.
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Change the Admin User Name: Your user name should never be "admin". That makes the attacker's job 50% easier.
3. File and Database Protection
Hiding the settings behind the scenes of your site is vital.
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Protect the wp-config.php File: This file contains your database passwords. You can block access to it via
.htaccess. -
Disable File Editing: You can disable file editing in the WP panel (Theme Editor) by adding this code to the
wp-config.phpfile:define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true ); -
Database Prefix: You can reduce the risk of SQL injection by changing the default
wp_prefix to something else during or after installation (e.g.site72_).
4. Hosting and SSL
Security starts at home.
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SSL Certificate (HTTPS): It ensures data is transmitted encrypted. It is now a must for Google too.
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Quality Hosting: Instead of "cheap" hosting, choose companies that offer a server-level firewall (WAF) and isolated resources.
Plugins I Recommend for Security
Doing everything manually is hard. Installing one of these plugins (just one!) will be enough:
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Wordfence Security: The most comprehensive firewall and malware scanner.
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iThemes Security (Solid Security): Offers user-friendly and powerful hardening options.
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Sucuri Security: Great for cloud-based protection and monitoring.
Important Note: No security measure is as much of a lifesaver as backups. You should set up a system that automatically takes weekly or daily backups of your site to a separate cloud storage (Drive, Dropbox, etc.) (e.g. UpdraftPlus).
