WordPress website security should be a priority for business owners. All websites are prone to security risks, and the server your site is hosted on may present your most serious security risk. Very few web hosting companies have their own technologies, the resources available to handle the evolution in today’s attacks and are unable to keep up with the various infections affecting website owners like you.
Web servers open a window between your website and the worldwide web. Server maintenance, web application updates, plugin updates and the site coding will define the size of that window. It will limit the type of information that passes through and establishes the degree of security you have for your website.
However, there are precautions you can take to help prevent your website from being hacked.
WordPress Website Security Tips
WordPress website security is taken very seriously, but as with any other system there are potential security issues that may arise if some basic security precautions are not taken.
Update your website with the latest version of WordPress. If you are hosting your own website, make sure you have the latest version of WordPress.
WordPress 4.7.3 is now available. This is a security release for all previous versions and we strongly encourage you to update your site immediately. WordPress versions 4.7.2 and earlier are affected by a cross-site scripting vulnerability that could allow a site to be compromised.
Backup your website. Before you update your site with the newest version of WordPress or a plugin, make sure to backup all your files. Dropbox Backup & Restore Plugin to create Dropbox Full Backup (Files + Database) or Restore, Duplicate, Clone or Migrate of your Website. BackWPup offers an easy way to backup and restore your WordPress based website or blog. Plus, you can schedule complete automatic backups of your WordPress installation. Or you can backup your site on the website server.
Keep your plugins updated. Check the plugins installed on your site to make sure they are up to date. Plugins are constantly being updated. Hackers can access your site through outdated plugins. We recommend checking your site for updates weekly. And make sure to backup your website before you update your plugins.
Add security plugins. Website hackers are always changing tactics and borrowing ideas from each other. One of the challenges of website security is staying on top of those threats as they evolve. You should strongly consider adding a security plugin to your site. We recommend Sucuri Security, iThemes Security and WordFence. You can also add Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall.
Sucuri Inc. is a globally recognized authority in all matters related to website security, with specialization in WordPress Security. Securi offers several products (free and paid versions) including Website Malware Detection and Removal, AntiVirus, Firewall, Backups, and Website Blacklisted.
iThemes Security works to lock down WordPress, fix common holes, stop automated attacks and strengthen user credentials. With advanced features for experienced users, our WordPress security plugin can help harden WordPress.
The Wordfence WordPress security plugin (free and paid version) continuously prevents, patrols and protects your WordPress websites against today’s ultra-advanced cyber attacks, hacks and online security threats. It will scan, detect, protect, block and repair threats.
Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall will run a complete scan to automatically remove known security threats and backdoor scripts.
Install and activate Akismet. Akismet protects your blog from spam. It checks your comments against the Akismet Web service to see if they look like spam or not and lets you review the spam it catches under your blog’s “Comments” admin screen.
Add anti-spam plugins. You can add anti-spam plugins like WP-SpamShield Anti-Spam, Anti-spam or CAPTCHA to your contact forms. WP-SpamShield is an exceptionally powerful and user-friendly WordPress anti-spam plugin that eliminates comment spam, trackback spam, contact form spam and registration spam. Anti-spam plugin blocks spam in comments automatically, invisibly for users and for admins.
Change password frequently. Changing your password monthly or quarterly is good practice. Select something that is unique and can’t be found in the dictionary. Add numbers and non-alphabetic symbols like #@$ or %. Do NOT use “admin” as a password OR a username.
You may have heard the saying, it’s not if your website gets hacked, it’s when your website gets hacked. Hackers are spamming and hacking websites by the minute. WordPress website security should be a top priority for your business in 2017. If you would like to read more about security, cyber attacks, and technology, visit The Hacker News website.