Keeping Your WordPress Website Secure

WordPress Security

As a small business owner, your website is one of your most valuable assets. It’s your digital storefront, a key communication channel, and often the first impression potential customers have of your business. If your website is built on WordPress, you’re in good company—WordPress powers over 40% of all websites on the internet. However, this popularity also makes it a prime target for hackers.

To keep your WordPress website secure, it’s vital to follow best practices that protect your data and ensure your site remains operational.

Keep WordPress Core, Theme and Plugins Updated

One of the most important steps in maintaining the security of your WordPress site is to ensure that the WordPress core, as well as any themes and plugins you use, are always up to date.

WordPress regularly releases updates that patch security vulnerabilities, fix bugs, and introduce new features. When you neglect to update your site, you leave it exposed to known security risks.

There are two trains of thought on this. Here is the first one.

To manage updates efficiently:

Enable automatic updates for minor WordPress core releases.

Regularly check for and install updates for your themes and plugins.

Consider using a managed WordPress hosting service that handles updates for you.

The second train of thought and one we tend to find more practical is:

Do not enable automatic updates for minor WordPress core releases. Manage these yourself as part of a regular and robust backups procedure. Just to ensure if things go wrong you have a safe restore point.

Regularly check for and install updates for your themes and plugins but only do this with a solid backup to restore from and then test features you have updated to ensure they still work as expected.

If you don’t want to or do not feel comfortable doing this, speak to us about our Digital Support offering and WordPress Maintenance. We can manage your site going forward.

Use Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Your WordPress login page is a common target for brute force attacks, where hackers attempt to gain access by trying multiple username and password combinations. To protect your login page:

Change the default login URL from /wp-admin to something unique. This simple step can deter many automated attacks.

Limit login attempts to prevent attackers from trying multiple password combinations. You can use a plugin like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded to enforce this.

Enable CAPTCHA on your login page to block automated bots. Plugins like reCAPTCHA by BestWebSoft can help with this.

Use Secure Hosting and SSL Certificates

Your hosting provider plays a crucial role in your site’s security. Choose a reputable hosting provider that offers robust security features such as firewalls, malware scanning, and regular backups.

Managed WordPress hosting providers like we use provide additional security features and are optimised specifically for WordPress.

An SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate encrypts the data transmitted between your website and your users, making it harder for attackers to intercept sensitive information.

Most respected hosting providers offer SSL certificates as standard and you should ensure your site is always accessible via https://.

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Regularly Backup Your Website

Even with the best security measures in place, there’s always a chance that your website could be compromised. Regular backups ensure that if something goes wrong, you can quickly restore your site to its previous state and then baton down the hatches!

There are many WordPress plugins available that automate the backup process but having a proper backup schedule in place is vital.

Schedule backups to occur at least weekly, and store them off-site (i.e. not on your web server).

This is really the MINIMUM and if your website is important to you, like a highly SEO orientated website or an e-Commerce website, then you will need to likely outsource this to keep you safe and sound.

When you put your website with a provider like us we can amplify the backup procedure to ensure it has layers of protection beyond the standard. Also, that we perform a regular back up and restore test as well as a host of other countermeasures.

Websites backups, especially for WordPress are key components of the platform and when you need a robust solution you will be glad when you get it right.

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Monitor and Scan for Malware

Regularly scanning your website for malware can help you catch potential security issues before they become serious.

WordPress security plugins like Wordfence, Sucuri Security, and iThemes Security offer malware scanning, firewall protection, and other features that help keep your site safe.

Additionally, these plugins can alert you to suspicious activity, such as unauthorised login attempts or changes to your files, so you can take action quickly.

Disable Unused Features and Remove Unnecessary Plugins

Unused or unnecessary features and plugins can create vulnerabilities on your site. Regularly audit your WordPress installation to ensure that only necessary plugins and themes are active. Delete any unused themes and plugins to reduce the potential attack surface.

So to be sure, keeping your WordPress website secure is an ongoing process that requires attention to detail and proactive measures. By following these best practices, you can protect your site from common threats, ensuring that your business remains online and secure. Remember, a secure website not only protects your data but also builds trust with your customers, which is invaluable in today’s digital age.