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Some people think they don’t have to worry much about the security of their WordPress website. Unfortunately, most people only realize the importance of security when their website or blog is hacked. WordPress is in the list of the most user-friendly and popular content management systems you can find these days. At the same time, this platform is a common target for spammers and hackers.
According to a recent report, 9 out of 10 sites that get hacked are powered by WordPress. However, it is important to keep in mind that WordPress is one of the more secure platforms. Likewise, if your website is properly maintained and secured, it won’t be easier for hackers to attack it.
In fact, most hackers don’t attack unpopular platforms. Therefore, they attack WordPress websites because 61% of today’s websites are based on WordPress.
Now, you may be wondering why your website is at risk despite having very low traffic. Actually most hackers hack a small and unpopular website so as not to delete important files or steal data. Their goal is to use your web server to send spam emails. Actually, after hacking your website, they will install a special software program which will send lots of spam emails. And you won’t realize that someone is taking advantage of your server without your permission.
You do not have to be afraid. We will share with you some important tips that will help you secure your WordPress website.
1. Do not choose premium plugins that are offered for free
If you’re running your online business on a budget, you’re looking for ways to save money. This is completely understandable. However, it is not a good idea to download the premium plug-ins you want from any website where they are sold. What you have to do is visit the official website of the plugin whenever you need to reinstall that plugin.
What happens is that free plugins contain malicious software like Malware. Therefore, you may want to purchase the plug-in you need from the service provider’s official website.
2. Use.htaccess to protect your important files
If you have been a WordPress power user, you may have logged in and used the .htaccess file. Once you edit this file, know that it will have a big impact on the security of your website.
If you have never worked with .htaccess before, you need to know it first. Basically, this file is responsible for configuring your web server. It also contains specific rules that your web server follows to handle your website files.
Mainly, this file is used to create user friendly URLs for each web page. Aside from that, it is also used to make necessary security related changes to your website.
Below are a few things the file will allow you to do on your WordPress website in regards to security:
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Block suspicious IP addresses
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Turn off directory browsing
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Allow selected IP addresses to access wp-admin
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Block bad bots
3. Hide your author usernames
It’s not a good idea to use the default WordPress settings. The reason is that almost all WordPress users know the default username that WordPress uses for each website. Often, the default username of a WordPress website author is admin. Therefore, you have to change it. If you don’t change it, it will be easier for hackers to access your website and use its content and other features.
If your website has more than one author and none of them are the admin, you’re good to go. However, if you have a small website and you are the sole admin and Arthur, you may want to create a separate user for your post. Don’t forget to assign the author role to the user. This is important because you cannot allow that user to have all the rights to make the necessary changes to your website. In other words, the user should have limited access.
4. Hide your site’s login page
If your security strategy involves hiding access pages and files, that won’t be enough. After all, all of these elements of your WordPress website won’t stop hackers from gaining access to it. But at least it will make it harder for them to hack your website. Hiding your site’s longin page won’t take more than a few seconds if you choose the right method, like a plugin.
If you move or rename your WordPress login page, it will be much more difficult for a hacker to gain unauthorized access. In reality, most types of attacks are programmed. Therefore, if you have a different login page, they will have to invest a lot more effort to attack your website.
You can choose from many plugins that can make this job easier for you. For example, you can try WPS Hide Login for this purpose.
5. Go with a reliable hosting company
According to statistics, 4 out of 10 websites are hacked just because they were more vulnerable. This vulnerability is due to the hosting platform. Therefore, it’s a good idea to choose a host with a high level of security. Here are some characteristics of a good hosting service:
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Malware scan and suspicious file detection
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Automatic theme updates
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Firewall protection
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Optimized for Word WordPress
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Support for the latest version of mySQL and PHP
These are just a few important things that can help you choose the right hosting company. Choosing the most popular and reliable provider is a great idea if you want to be on the safe side.
In short, if you are looking for tips to secure your WordPress website, we suggest you follow the tips provided in this article. It’s not a good idea to ignore the security aspect of your website if you’re serious about what you’re doing. Remember that the security of your website is of paramount importance.