Pierluigi Paganini
April 23, 2018
You might have heard that WordPress security is often referred to as “hardening.” While the name might cause a few eyebrows to raise, overall, it makes sense. To clarify, the process of adding security layers is similar to boosting the reinforcements to your home, castle, or fort. In other words, WordPress website security is all about putting locks on doors and windows and having lookouts on each of your “towers.”
While this may be all good, what can you genuinely do to improve your website’s security – at the same time giving your readers and customers the guarantee that their sensitive information won’t fall into the wrong hands?
Although it can seem impossible that something as simple as keeping up with updates would make any difference, in actuality, it does have a considerable impact. This means that whenever you log in and see the “Update Available” notification, you should make time to click. Of course, this is where having regular back-ups will also give your peace of mind that at the end of the process nothing will be broken.
Another excellent way to prevent force attacks on your site is by setting up a much-needed two-step authentication process. If you have it for your Gmail or Yahoo account, then you should definitely have one for a website which could be used by hundreds or more users.
The two-step measure means that you’ll be asked to input a password after a code is sent to your phone or email. Often, the second login code is sent via SMS, but you change that to your preferences.
You also have the option of adding different plug-ins, including Google Authenticator, Clef, or Duo Two-Factor Authentication.
The lockdown feature is commonly enabled when multiple failed login attempts are made, which can help against pesky and persistent brute force attempts. In this case, whenever a hacker tries to input the wrong password multiple times, the website shuts down and displays an “error” message –all while you get notified of this unauthorized activity.
Again, you can use different plug-ins to use, and one of our favorites is the iThemes Security – by using it, you can directly specify a certain number of failed login attempts after which the system bans the attacker’s IP address.
When trying to sign in, you have to choose a username. Our recommendation would be using an email ID instead of a username since the latter is more accessible to predict and hack. Plus, WordPress website accounts require a unique email address, which adds another layer of security.
SSL, otherwise known as a Secure Socket Layer, is a smart way of securing the admin panel by yourself –making sure that the transfer of data between the server and users is safe.
Overall, this measure makes it hard for hackers to breach the connection or spoof your info, and the best part is that getting an SSL certificate for your WordPress website is a piece of cake. While you can separately purchase one from a dedicated company, you can also ask your hosting solution to provide you with one – it may even be an option that comes with their package.
SSL, otherwise known as a Secure Socket Layer, is a smart way of securing the admin panel by yourself –making sure that the transfer of data between the server and users is safe.
Overall, this measure makes it hard for hackers to breach the connection or spoof your info, and the best part is that getting an SSL certificate for your WordPress is a piece of cake. While you can separately purchase one from a dedicated company, you can also ask your hosting solution to provide you with one – it may even be an option that comes with their package.
All SSL certificates have an expiration date, meaning that they’ll need to be reissued. In some cases you’ll need to manually approve or cancel your certificate. Because each email handles things a bit differently, you should go to your hosting provider for more information. Alternatively, go to the site of Bluehost, as there is a whole section on how you can accept the new SSL into your application.
After all, it’s noteworthy to realize that an SSL certificate will also affect how your website ranks on Google because sites which incorporate SSLs are more secure – ultimately leading to more traffic.
We’re briefly mentioned this point before, but just to emphasize the importance, you have to get into the habit of organizing scheduled backups. Why is it important? Well, because, for example, if your site is compromised, you’ll be able to restore a prior version with losing your data. There are multiple automated solutions out there, including BackupBuddy, VaultPress, and many others.
Another great advice is using reliable hosting solutions which can ensure consistent backups of information, helping you achieve greater peace of mind. For example, Bluehost is excellent at protecting your business from involuntary data loss. To learn more and use their coupon to get a discount, go to the site.
Although it may seem hard, you should make the effort of limiting the total number of plugins you install on your site. You need to be picky because it’s not just about security –it’s about overall performance.
To better explain, loading your website with numerous plugins will slow it down significantly. Thus, if you don’t need it, take the minimalist approach and skip it. Also, the fewer plugins you have, the fewer chances you give hackers to access your info. Two birds with one stone.
When you leave the WordPress defaults just as they are, it can be effortless to find the author’s username. Moreover, it’s not uncommon that the primary author on the site is also the administrator, which makes things even easier for hackers. At any point that you’re handing your information up to hackers on a silver plate, you are maximizing the chances that your site will eventually be compromised.
According to experts, including the well-regarded DreamHost, it’s good practice to hide the author’s username. It’s relatively easy to achieve, as you need to add some code to your site. Once that is done and dusted, the code will act as a curtain or veil where the admin’s information won’t be displayed by using an input – instead, they will be sent back to your homepage.
Written by Ali Qamar, Founder/Chief Editor at Cyberogism.com
Author Bio:
Ali Qamar is a privacy and cyber security enthusiast, his work has been featured in many major tech and security blogs including InfosecInstitute, Hackread, ValueWalk, Intego, and SecurityAffairs to name a few. He runs SpyAdvice.com currently. Follow Ali on Twitter @AliQammar57
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(Security Affairs – WordPress website, security)
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