6 Proven Tips to Secure WordPress Blogs

Offering boundless possibilities, WordPress powers over 70 million websites and is one of the most resourceful CMS that you can get for free! It even offers over 44,743 plugins and tools that can be used to expand its functionality, making it an even more amazing tool. However, the plugins that make WordPress so amazing, makes it vulnerable too. Even though WordPress core is a really secure platform, the plugins can make it vulnerable to security hacks.  Over 2407 security vulnerabilities have been reported for WordPress so far (source: WPScan Vulnerability database). But, that shouldn’t deter you from using WordPress as you can make a WordPress site secure just by changing a few core WordPress settings and by implementing strict security tips. Usually, the attacks to WordPress site are done by SQL injection (SQL injection is a code injection technique used to insert malicious SQL statements into an entry field for execution). Check out the best tips to secure WordPress blogs.

Backup your WordPress site regularly

This might sound simple but keeping a backup can immensely benefit your website in case of any hacking event. By keeping backups of WordPress Database and WordPress files, you will always have a copy of your site in case something goes wrong and you can restore your site anytime. When a malicious user gets access to your site, you can easily restore your website to its previous version and don’t lose any data as you have a backup. UpdraftPlus Backup and restoration, CodeGuard, BackWPup and backup buddy are some of the WordPress plugins to back up your site.

Keep WordPress updated

Updating WordPress to the latest versions can protect your site against any known security bugs. When you login to the dashboard and if you see “Update available”, click on it and update your site. And always take a backup before updating. Whenever the new WordPress versions are released the previous versions are available to the public making it more vulnerable. So it’s really good to keep your site up to date.

Keep plugins and themes up-to-date

Like WordPress core, you should regularly update WordPress plugins and themes. Usually, most updates are for code fixes and security patches. Updating plugins regularly will secure you from the loopholes of previous versions. Not updating WordPress installations regularly is like inviting a hacking attempt. Always download and update plugins and themes to latest available from trusted and well-known sources. Along with this, you can uninstall plugins which you don’t require anymore as it reduces the risk of security holes in your site.

Use strong passwords

Never use an easily guessable password and also don’t use “admin” as your username, use a difficult-to-guess username. A difficult to guess username is the first step to security. Don’t use your real name and any name you are using online for other sites as your username. A strong password helps to enhance security to your WordPress site. Try to change your WordPress password at least once in 5 to 6 months. Make your password complex by including special characters and numbers so it is hard to crack.

Limit login attempts

A WordPress plugin called as Login Lockdown when installing records all the IP’s and failed login attempts. And it will blacklist any IP, if any continuous login failed attempts are tried from it.

Use Two Factor Authentication

In two-factor authentication, when you log in to your site using your username and password, you are also required to give additional information to confirm that you are the actual owner of the account. Today, it has become easier for anyone to trace what you are doing in your browser. A two-factor authentication password generated on your mobile expires once it is used and it cannot be used again. Google Authenticator is one such WordPress plugin. It generates a 6 digit code from the Google Authenticator app on a smartphone.

If you are looking for a managed WordPress hosting provider, Interserver is a great option. With a mere $7.99/month, you can benefit from unlimited storage, unlimited transfer and unlimited email with a daily backup of accounts for added security. You also benefit from the most advanced web-based firewallAtomic mod_security ruleset for increased site protection from hackers. For added security, Interserver’s managed WordPress hosting isolates each account from one another, permitting one WordPress install per account.