How to Secure WordPress Website: A Guide to Website Security

One of the main arguments they bring against WordPress is its lack of security. WordPress security issues have always been a hot topic.  There are a lot of reasons for it. WordPress is an open-source platform, so it is assumed that it is also pretty vulnerable to all sorts of attacks. Plus, WordPress also relies on plugin and theme customization that anyone can do.

Most of the plugins and themes are designed by random developers, and there is not much control going on. Add to this the fact that WordPress is one of the most popular CMS platforms, and you will understand why it can turn into the number one goal of hackers. 

However, this does not mean that you should consider changing your CMS. Vice versa, WordPress became so famous for nothing. In fact, it is easy to use, flexible, SEO friendly, and has a bunch of other advantages for your websites. So what should you do? 

Well, you should take care of your website security instead. Don’t worry though, we have it all covered in this article. So: 

How to secure a WordPress site? 

After all of this, you might wonder: “How to make WordPress sites secure?” Well, we got you all covered! There are multiple tips you can use to improve your website security. From choosing the right hosting provider to updating your themes and plugins: we will mention all the steps you need to take for a more secure website. 

6 tips for improving your website security on WordPress 

Hosting is everything 

No really. If you are using shared hosting for your WordPress website, you will have to deal with WordPress security issues. The problem is that the shared hosting is using the same server and resources for multiple users. 

This is very risky as it means that if one of the users gets cyber attacked, it will automatically impact your website too, and it will be easier to hack you. Shared hosting usually has thousands of users on the same server, so it will cause many WordPress security issues. 

To avoid that, do not go for cheap hosting, but better for a reliable one. Try the managed hosting, which is way more secure for your website, as you do not share your server with hundreds of others. 

Moreover, managed hosting providers usually take care of the technical aspects of your hosting. This allows you to focus more on your business. So if you want to make your website secure, consider getting a reliable hosting provider that will do the hard work and protect your websites from hackers. 

Say no to the cracked themes 

We have all been there. Why give a lot of money for a premium theme if you can get a cracked one for free? This is a tempting offer, which most of the website owners might not be able to defeat. It seems like getting a nulled theme is a win-win as you get the functionality and look of the premium theme but do not pay money for it. However, you might end up paying much more. 

Some of the nulled themes that you installed from those shady websites might contain malicious hidden codes. These can destroy your website or remember your login credentials. So it is better to pay a little extra and legally get the premium theme you want than to put your website at risk. 

Plus, even if you have the legal themes, do not forget to update them. With every update, your themes and plugins become more secure. If you miss those updates, you will automatically increase the vulnerability of your website. In fact, many hackers use old plugins and themes to get easy access to your website. So make sure you don’t give them that chance. 

Update your WordPress 

Talking about updates, not only should you update your themes and plugins, but also your WordPress version overall. Every time WordPress introduces its new version, it also reveals the vulnerabilities of the previous version. 

So if you ignore the update and continue with the older version, you will be an easy target for hackers. That is why it is better to always use the most updated version of WordPress. 

Get an SSL Certificate 

The SSL (Single Sockets Layer) certificate was initially required only for ensuring security for specific activities, such as process payments. Nowadays, SSL certificates not only add a layer to your website security but also make it more SEO-friendly. The reason is that Google has recognized its importance and has moved the websites with SSL upper in the SERPs. 

In, In other words, today, it is pretty much mandatory to have an SSL certificate. It is especially crucial if your website deals with sensitive information (credit card numbers, passwords, personal details, etc.)

 If your website does not have an SSL, the data transmission from your user’s web browser to your server in plain text. It means that hackers can easily read it and hence easily take advantage of it. However, with the SSL, this information is encrypted. Thus, it makes it more difficult for hackers to read and so improves security. 

Think twice about your login credentials 

Let’s start with the WP-login URL. If you leave it by default, the address for logging in to your WordPress will be “yoursite.com/wp-admin.” However, if you do not change it you might be a target for brute force attacks. 

These types of attacks are used to get your username or password combination by continuously attempting logins. Even if they do not get your login credentials, too many failed attempts will temporarily close your access to WordPress, which certainly is not good news. To prevent this from happening, change your admin login URL or add a security question to the registration page. 

Also, make sure you use a strong password for your account. Now, it might seem an obvious step, but most of the owners would skip it by choosing a pretty simple password that they would not forget. It is useless to mention how insecure these types of passwords make your website. 

In fact, not only should you come up with a sophisticated password, but you should also, add a 2FA (two-factor authentication) to your website. This way, even if someone guesses your password, they will not be able to get into your WP account unless they have access to the 2FA you use. 

Consider installing a WP security plugin 

Finally, one of the easiest ways to get rid of the headache of WordPress security is to install a plugin that will take care of it all. In fact, without a plugin, it will take you a lot of time to regularly check your website for malware. You should also have a decent knowledge of coding to actually spot malware when you see it. Instead of all of it, you can simply install a plugin. 

WordPress security plugins help you take care of your website security by scanning for malware, sending you vulnerability reports, and regularly checking what is happening on your site. In short, it monitors your website 24/7. 

If you are wondering which plugin to use, you can try MalCare or Jetpack, both of which will keep your website safe.  

So, now you know how to secure your WordPress site: all you have to do is follow our six tips! Eventually, you will get a secure website and be able to enjoy your work peacefully.