Several malicious bots and hackers often target WordPress sites because most owners are usually slack when it comes to security. Although WordPress is secure, it can still be compromised. Most business owners don’t realize the importance of security until it’s too late.
Being prepared can reduce the possibility of your website getting hacked and keeps your website secure. It doesn’t matter if you are in the welded mesh manufacturers industry or the Civil Works one, being the target of a potential hack is not limited to your field of work.
Have a Strong Username & Password
“Admin” is the most commonly tried password in hack attempts. Make sure not to use any common username to stay ahead of any hackers or else, they will be able to successfully compromise your website. To change your “admin” username all you need to do is: go to Users –> Add New User.
Fill out all the information, and use a more complicated username and a strong password that includes lower-case letters, upper-case letters, numbers, and characters. Change the new user’s role to Administrator.
Once you’re done, logout of your website then log back in using your new username and password. Go back to Users –> All Users, then delete your old user with the admin username by ticking the checkbox next to it and select delete from the drop-down menu. Click on Apply then click on ‘Confirm Deletion’ on the next screen after ensuring that all the content to your new user has been attributed.
Opt for Managed Hosting
Managed Hosting is very helpful in ensuring the security of your site since it offers more than regular hosting. It also takes care of the automatic updates as well as backups and protects your website against the latest security vulnerabilities and malicious scripts. Consequently, it is more expensive than a regular shared hosting plan.
Opting for a managed hosting is a very good investment and adds peace of mind. It wont matter if you are in the welded mesh suppliers business or operating a café website, having a managed hosted website will endure that you are being taken care of even when you are into attending to the e-mail every day.
Continued use of basic shared hosting plans in the hopes of saving your funds will put your site as well as your contacts at risk. It is not also ideal to use especially when your blog grows in size as well as in audience numbers. Your website could become a target because of its popularity.
Use Akismet to Reduce Spam
Spam is another potential risk that your website could suffer from. Hackers can also use it to leave comments and links to suspicious sites around the web. One way to reduce this is to you use a plugin like Akismet. It can reduce the amount of spam comments on your blog. It can also filter suspicious comments and keep your blog safe from linking to threatening or blacklisted websites which can damage your blog rankings.
Secure Your Forms
Improper configuration of your forms could hurt your website and allow hackers to upload malicious files to your website. It is essential to secure your forms especially if you use a multi-part form on your website that allows for file uploads.
Applying a CAPTCHA verification ensures that bots won’t b able to submit a form. Security risks can also be reduced if you utilize a SSL certificate which will ensure the contents of the form get submitted over an encrypted connection. This investment is really worth the cost.
Keep Everything Up to Date
Updates are regularly released by WordPress to eliminate various bugs and introduce new features. These updates also patch security issues and risks. Maintaining the old version of the software poses a potential hazard to your site since hackers can use this opportunity to compromise your website.
It is essential to ensure that the WordPress version of your website is regularly updated especially if you have multiple themes installed otherwise; you need to delete unused themes.
This also applies to plugins. Hackers can take advantage of the plugin and use those files to introduce malicious code, redirect your site to point to websites with less than stellar reputation, or spam your site with unwanted ads. Keeping up to date is like having drain inspection cameras to monitor and inform you when you need to attend to a matter in the drain or prior to completing work to inspect the area. By making sure everything is up to date, the drains are maintained in good condition.
Back Up Everything Regularly
It is SOP to create a backup of your WordPress website but not many admins take time to do this. Even if all security precautions have been taken, it is still important to have a backup. In case something happens to the site, then you will still have a chance to recover your data.
To ensure that all your website files as well as the database are safely backed up, use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or VaultPress . These plugins will also allow you to easily restore your site. This is a one-time set up and the entire back up process will automatically do its job. All you need to do is install the plugin.
Secure Your Website Today
You may feel overwhelmed with the security procedures needed, but it becomes easy once you know what to do. To recap:
- Avoid using common names like admin for your username and make sure to use a complex password that consists of both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
- Let’s recap these quick and easy WordPress security tips. Upgrading your hosting plan to a managed hosting is not only a good investment but also a smart move as it will help keep your website secure from hackers and all other technical maintenance of website will be taken care of for you.
- Reducing the spam on your site and protecting forms as well as keeping your website updated and backed up on a regular basis are essential parts of the security process.
Executing the outlined tips only take minutes but they will save you significant trouble down the road. This list is far from the in-depth advanced security methods which will further secure your WordPress website like straight-up blocking persistent bots in your .htaccess file and hiding your login pages. Nevertheless, they are a great way to start with your WordPress security which will help keep your blog safe.
