Is My WordPress Site Secure? 9 Tips for Better WordPress Security

Over 400 million websites of the world are hosted by WordPress. That means everyone in three websites is on the WordPress platform. Rapid technological evolution has also led to advanced cyber intruders. Rising concerns of data security have made it even more crucial for WordPress website owners to ensure bulletproof security measures in place.

WordPress website owners are often concerned about the security of their website. As per Internet Live Stats, over 7,00,00 websites get hacked daily. A hacked website could allow hackers to gain access to user data or even send malware to website users.

So, if you are scared about the security of your website, then you need to follow security tips strictly to keep your website away from hackers.

Here, we will talk about 9 tips that you can start implementing immediately to make your WordPress website more secure.

#1 Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Implementing a two-factor authentication module on the login page is an efficient security barrier. In this module, the user is required to facilitate the login credentials of two different components. The WordPress website owner gets the flexibility to decide those two components.

It could be a regular password followed by a secret code, a secret question, or a set of characters. Users can also leverage the Google Authenticator app to send a secret code to your smartphone via text message. This ensures that only the person with your smartphone can log in to the website.

#2 Rename Login URL

Hackers who have information about the direct login URL are more likely to intrude by inserting several combinations of usernames and passwords. Changing the login URL can substantially decrease the influx of hackers to your website.

WordPress website owners can easily change the login URL to enhance security. You can access the WordPress login page easily through via wp-admin or wp-login.php added to the website’s main URL. This ensures that people with the exact URL can access the login page of your website.

For example:

Change wp-login.php to something unique; e.g. my_great_login

Change /wp-admin/ to something unique; e.g. my_best_admin

#3 Change Passwords

Changing passwords regularly can whisk away a lot of cybersecurity threats. Keep highly secure passwords and change them after short random periods. It is recommended to have a password with a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters along with special characters and numbers.

You can also go for long passphrases and they are almost impossible to guess for hackers. Passphrases are also easier to remember in comparison to memorizing a complex combination of random letters, numbers, and special characters.

You must be wondering whether you have this much time to manage all this stuff or not. If you are short of time, then it is better to use a credible password manager. There are many tools out there that can help you generate safe passwords and store them securely in a vault — saving you from the hassles of remembering multiple complex passwords.

#4 Log Out Idle Users Automatically

We often leave the screen with our logged-in accounts. It could pose a serious threat as any passerby can gain access to your account, change information, or create more users without your permission. In the worst case, they might even break your website.

The only way to avoid this such treacherous situation is to enable automatic log out of ideal accounts after a certain period. There are several WordPress plugins through which website owners can enable this functionality.

#5 USE SSL

SSL has become the hallmark of any secure website. Implementation of an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is an efficient way to make the admin panel bulletproof. SSL enables secure data transfer between the server and the user browser. This process makes it very difficult for hackers to compromise the connection.

Here’s a simple breakdown that shows why SSL is essential: 

SSL certificate can be simply purchased from a third-party vendor or from a hosting company. If you are looking for Cheap Multi Domain SSL Certificates for multiple domains’ security, then you can go for reputed SSL providers like Cheapsslshop.com. 

#6 Change Admin Username

While installing WordPress, it is advisable not to choose ‘admin’ as the username of the main administrator account. Because ‘admin’ is one of the most common usernames that can be easily guessed by hackers. 

And once they got the username right, guessing the right password becomes even a more manageable task.

#7 Change WordPress Database Table Prefix

The table prefix is leveraged by the WordPress database. While installation, it is recommended to change the default prefix to safeguard your website from SQL injection attacks. You can change the default wp- to mywp- or wpnew-.

And if you have already installed the WordPress website with the default prefix, then there is no need to worry. You can easily change the wp- prefix by installing a few plugins.

#8 Make Regular Backups

No matter how diligent and prepared you are, there is always a security risk. In case of data theft or total loss of the website happens, a backup would come in handy.

Having an off-site backup is the best alternative to any security threat. A backup can restore your website at a point in time to a fully functional state. You use WordPress plugins that can take backups at regular intervals automatically. For instance, through VaultPress by Automatic, you can take backups automatically at regular intervals.

#9 Protect the wp-config.php File

The wp-config.php file holds highly sensitive information about your WordPress installation and website. Hence, it is one of the most important files of the root directory that is responsible for securing the base of your WordPress website.

Hence, securing the wp-config.php file makes it extremely difficult for hackers to penetrate through the security layer of your website. You can easily apply a protection layer by simply moving the wp-config.php file to a higher level than the root directory.

Winding-Up

Website security has become a critical issue for every owner. If you run an online business, then it is essential to provide a safe and secure platform where users can share their personal data without any hassles.

Make sure you take note of the precautions mentioned above to make your WordPress website more secure for your users.