Do you want to upgrade your WordPress website’s security?
WordPress is among the most popular content management systems today, with over 27 million live websites under its name. People create their websites with WordPress because of the features and templates it has. Their platform also provides near-unlimited customization options with the themes available to choose from.
The only flaw with WordPress is that by default it has poor security measures. This shouldn’t discourage you from using WordPress, though.
Instead of turning away, learn how to harden WordPress websites. This will help you create an amazing website filled with strong security features. Read on to learn how you can keep your WordPress website secure.
1. Keep Your Website Updated
Learning how to harden WordPress websites means that you need to pay attention to the latest updates. This is important because most updates change the different aspects of WordPress. This often affects your security by changing how WordPress interacts with the different installed software.
Older versions of WordPress are also easier to hack. This is because WordPress releases a list of the bug fixes they made in the previous version. There may be exploits that allow hackers to get into your website with ease.
2. Install Security Plugins
Many plugins are available to use for WordPress websites. Among them are security plugins that can help you strengthen your WordPress website’s security. You can do this in different ways with the different plugins that you can get.
Check the features of each plugin and go for the one that gives you what you need. Some plugins can be well-rounded but will interfere with your website’s features. Look for another plugin that provides the specific security feature that doesn’t mess with your website.
You must also consider where you’re getting your plugins from. Downloading from suspicious websites can be a way for your website to get malware. Choose reputable sites instead to ensure a safe download.
3. Enable Firewalls on Your Website
This is the simplest way to protect your WordPress website. Most hackers on the Internet go website hopping to look for sites to hack with ease. Some send bots across the Internet to check the integrity of different websites.
Enabling a firewall on your website is a great way to deter them. They will block them even before they can enter your website.
There are 2 firewall types for you to apply on your website. The first one is a DNS level website firewall that routes traffic to proxy servers. These servers verify which ones are genuine users before they direct them to your website.
Application-level firewalls examine the traffic once they reach your server. The only thing keeping them from affecting your website is the fact that it does this before loading any scripts from your WordPress website.
4. Move Your Website to a More Secure Domain
Most people will notice that the first part of the site’s URL is HTTP. This is your host’s domain name, and it reflects the security of your website. This will tell people that your website is insecure, causing them to avoid it.
Move your website to a more secure domain to make it more appealing. Secure domains provide a significant increase in your security. This is because they check their domain for suspicious activity on the regular.
It can be a hassle to move domains, though. You can enable SSL instead to get the same effect of moving domains.
This will make your domain name HTTPS instead of HTTP. It will let people know that you’re a secure website.
5. Use Two-Factor Authentication on Your Website
Two-factor authentication is a great way to prevent would-be hackers from entering your website. It’s a great way to keep your website secure if you have many registered users.
Most hackers look into the accounts of your regulars. They then access your website through the weaker accounts.
Enabling two-factor authentication will make it harder for them to enter your websites. This will activate when someone logs in an account using an unfamiliar device. It will ask them to verify their identity through pre-set methods.
This system leaves enough time for the original user to know about the login attempt. They can then alert the system about the attempted break-in and will disable the account.
6. Disable File Editing
WordPress boasts amazing customizability for the users of the platform. This is because of the built-in code editor that makes it easier to edit the themes of your website. This is often only accessible for the admin.
Sometimes, someone else can get their hands on this feature. This can spell disaster if they know how to use it to take sensitive information from your website.
What’s great is that you can disable this feature after you’re done editing. Disabling this ensures that no one will tear your website apart.
7. Set Up an Emergency Lockdown Feature
These security measures aren’t 100% effective. Hackers will find new ways to enter secured websites whenever there’s a new security update. This is because they see this as a challenge to their hacking skills.
They will find a way into your website if you give them enough time. When this happens, you want to have a plan to protect your data. A great way to do this is to set up a lockdown feature on your website.
Some plugins allow you to do drastic measures as a lockdown feature. This includes logging out all the online users the moment you start the lockdown.
Addressing this sudden lockdown is important for registered members. They will not quarrel with you if you provide a good explanation.
8. Use a Strong Password
The easiest way to increase your security is to use a strong password. Simple passwords like your birthday are easy to figure out. Using a mix of capitalization, letters, and numbers will make it harder to access your account.
This is for the people who don’t have the time to put the previous security measures in place. If you’re one of these people, then it’s best to leave this to the professionals.
Harden WordPress Websites Today
WordPress can help you make the best-looking website or blog. The only problem is the security the platform lacks. Learn how to harden WordPress websites here and increase your security today!
Want to learn more ways to increase your security? Discover all the tips and tricks you need by reading more of our posts right here on the Frugal Finance Blog! Visit our Tech and SEO blog sections right now.
