WordPress is among the most popular CMS in the world. A large part of all websites works on it, and there is a huge number of installations. Unfortunately, this prevalence has its drawbacks. WordPress is known to be one of the most hacked CMS. There are also some threats that may violate your website security. However, if you look at several techniques from our guide, you will understand that the protection of WordPress can be easily strengthened by 9 simple ways.
- Maintain the current version of WordPress
It is the most necessary step to improve the security of WordPress. To own a website without malware, you must have the last version of WordPress.
- Use unique login credentials
Do you use ‘admin’ as the administrator name in WordPress? If your answer is yes, then you really simplify the hacking process of your control panel. It is strongly recommended that you change the administrator username to another one.
- Enable two-step verification
Two-step verification gives you one more layer of protection for your authorization page. After confirming the name of the user, it adds one more step, which must be completed for successful authorization. It is likely that you already use in email, online banking and other accounts containing confidential data. You can use it for WordPress as well.
- Do not use nulled templates for WordPress
Throughout the Internet, there are many nulled plug-ins and templates. Users aren’t aware that many of them are infected with malicious programs. Stop using them.
- Back up your data as often as possible
Even if you follow other tips from the article, you still need to back up your website on a regular basis.
There are various ways to back up. You may download site files and export the database as well as use the tools offered by your hosting company.
- Turn off file editing
As you probably already know, WordPress has a built-in editor where you can edit PHP files. If hackers get access to control panel, the first thing they will notice is the File Editor. You can completely turn the feature off it would make sense.
- Remove unused plugins and templates
Clean up your website and remove all unused templates and plug-ins. Hackers often use outdated templates and plug-ins to gain access to your control panel or download malicious content to the server. Remove these templates and plugins to secure your website.
- Use .htaccess to protect WordPress more
.htaccess is the file needed for correct links. Without the correct entries in the .htaccess file, you will get errors as 404. Use the file.
- Change standard WordPress prefixes to avoid the SQL code implementation
The WordPress database contains all the key info necessary for the operation of the website. Eventually, it becomes another target of hackers who take the automated code for implementing SQL code. At the time of the installation of WordPress, many users don’t change the default database prefix wp_. As soon as wp_ is standard, hackers first start with it. Here’s how it is possible to change the wp_ prefix.
With these actions, your WordPress website will be much more secured.