WordPress Security Guide: 8 Tips To Secure WordPress Website In 2020

Are you looking for the WordPress security tips that enable you to protect your WordPress website design

WordPress security is one of the most discussed topics that is troubling almost every WordPress website owner. If you are working with WordPress then you should always care about your website security.

No matter how effective and persuasive your WordPress website design and the product is for the customer. Without proper security, you can be on the verge of risking not only your website data but also your customer’s data. 

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Compared to other platforms WordPress is considered the most secure platform but with the increase in the number of the users, plugins, and third-party add-ons chances of unwanted vulnerabilities increases. 

Don’t worry in this article, we will help you to ideally why you need to secure a WordPress website and different tips and techniques for WordPress security. Not only that but this article will also give you insight about the common mistakes that give rouse to WordPress vulnerabilities. 

If you are looking to creating a fully responsive and conversion-centric WordPress website design for your business then check out the guide on WordPress Website Design Guide: Things To Know Before Creating WordPress Websites

Before moving ahead with how to secure your WordPress website lets identify why is WordPress website security important?

Why WordPress website security matter? 

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With the increase in the number of WordPress websites, most websites are focused on improving their traffic and revenue. Yes, your WordPress website organic traffic, and sales play a curial role for your business but apart from that your WordPress website security also plays an important role in protecting your business revenue and reputation. 

Once your website gets hacked by an intruder or hacker then it can do serious harm to your website traffic, revenue, and reputation. With the increase in the number of WordPress vulnerabilities its time to consider protecting your WordPress website by taking all the necessary security measures.

Once your website gets hacked then you may lose your data as well your customer’s data can also be on risk.  Today there are various malicious activities happing around like sealing user’s payment details, information, installing malicious software in the WordPress website, and many more.

According to the recent report by Google, more than 50 million users were warned about the presence of malicious activities like malware, seating information, and more on the website they are visiting.

If your website is not secured then there are chances thet google will start displaying the same message to the users there are visiting your website. Offering the right security to your WordPress website can help you to avoid unwanted vulnerabilities. 

Below we are listing some important WordPress security tips that can assist you in securing your WordPress website.  

How to secure a WordPress website? 

1. Avoid using “Admin” as you username

One of the basic but most important tips to secure your WordPress website is by using a custom and unique name for your WordPress username. Earlier most of the new beginners used to keep the WordPress admin username as “admin”.  

Since the user name was easy to guess, it became easy for hackers to brute-force their way into the WordPress dashboard by using admin as the username and selecting a random password.  That’s why it’s recommended not to use admin as your username.

Today with the increase in the WordPress vulnerabilities, most of the WordPress website owners have started to use the custom name.  Not only that but WordPress also asks you to select a custom username when installing WordPress. 

If you already have a website that has admin as the user name then it’s time to shift your content to new hosting and transfer your current website content to a WordPress username having custom and unique users name. 

(Note-: WordPress doesn’t allow you to change the current username of  a WordPress website) 

If your WordPress website is having a username as admin then you can either shift your whole website to a new username and delete the older one. Or you can make use of WordPress username changer to create a new username for your WordPress website. 

There is another way to change your user name using phpMyAdmin but is recommended to take the help of an expert. A small mistake in Phpmyadmin can lead to major problems in your WordPress website.

If you are facing difficulties while running your current website or your WordPress website is not giving you desired results then you can always reach out to our WordPress website design professional having 8+ years of experience in creating and producing more than 500+ fully responsive and conversion-centric websites for all types of businesses.   

2. Include two-factor authentication 

With the increase in the unwanted WordPress vulnerabilities, two-factor authentication is grabbing many site owners’ attention. Yes, it takes little time to access the WordPress dashboard but helps you to secure your WordPress website from hackers and intruders. 

Brute force attacks can still be a problem for WordPress websites that are not using admin as their username and have a strong password. Including two-factor authentication can surely help you to secure your website.   

Many top websites like Gmail, Facebook, and others allow you to add two-factor authentication first using the email id and password, second using OTP, or using other devices/apps. Same thing you can use for your WordPress website. 

You can do it by installing and activating a two-factor authentication plugin in your WordPress dashboard. After installing that you can download an authenticator app like Authy, Lastpass authenticator, and more on your phone.

Once you open the app you will find the “+” symbol, click on it then you will be asked whether you want to scan the barcode or enter the key. Upon selecting the bard code, you can scan the barcode that you will get from the plugin setting. 

All the above processes will help you to include two-way authentication. After performing all the above steps authentication app will save the details. So that next time when you log in to your WordPress dashboard, you will be asked to enter the two-factor authentication code. Implementing these types of WordPress security tips will help you to secure your WordPress website. 

Looking to create a WordPress website that attracts visitor’s attention and persuades them to take action on the desired CTAs? If yes then it is recommended to partner with an experienced WordPress website design company that can offer you a fully responsive and conversion-centric WordPress website design depending on your industry. 

3. Disable Theme Editor (file editor) & Protect wp-config-PHP 

WordPress allows you to give dashboard access to multiple users depending on the role. If you are giving access to multiple users then you should know that WordPress comes with the built-in-code editor that allows you to edit your WordPress website theme and plugin form the dashboard. 

Giving access in the wrong hands can lead to major WordPress security issues that’s why it is recommended to disable file editing options before giving access to any user. Disabling the file editing option will not allow any user to make changes in the code of your files, even if an intruder or hacker accesses your admin they will not be able to access your field editing option.  

You can disable the file editing option from the wp-config.php file by pasting the below code:  

  1. // Disallow file edit
  2. define( ‘DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT’, true );

Another WordPress security tip to secure a WordPress website is by protecting your wp-config.php file. It is considered as one of the important files in your WordPress websites root directory that allows you to access and make changes in your WordPress blogs. Securing these websites will enable you to protect your WordPress blogs. 

Once you secure your wp-config.php file that it will automatically reduce the chances of unwanted vulnerabilities. You can protect your wp-config.php file by moving it from the root directory to a higher level. 

A user-focused website requires a lot of backend research and effort. If you are looking to create a website that immediately grabs the user’s attention and persuades them to take the desired action. then it is recommended to hire WordPress website design professionals that can offer you an attractive and research-based website.  

4. Hide .htaccess file 

Same as wp-config.php. .htaccess files are also considered as the critical files when it comes to WordPress security. Giving access to .htaccess files exposes your site information, structure, and configurations. If these files access lands in hacker’s hands then you are likely to face major problems.

To secure your WordPress website it is recommended to hide these files ensuring they expect you no other person access them. You can easily hide these file  by using below codes (make sure you have the updated backup of your current files in your local computer)

[ <Files .htaccess>

order allow, deny 

deny from all

</Files> ] 

If you don’t want to land yourself in these steps then you can always research an experienced WordPress website design expert that can help you to create an attractive and secured website. So that your business and website don’t come across unwanted vulnerabilities.   

5. Limit Login Attempts

Another effective WordPress security tips you can consider to secure your dashboard is to limit the login attempt per user. Most of the time WordPress unlimited login attempt makes the website vulnerable to brute force attacks. Limiting the login attempts can help you to solve the problems like brute force attempts and more.  

Using plugins like iThemes Security, Login lockdown and more you can set a limit for WordPress dashboard login. Many times avoiding these small WordPress security tips invites hackers and intruders and makes it easy for them to crack down passwords by trying different combinations.  

Remember if you are using a web application firewall for your WordPress website then you can limit the logging attempts through firewall setup or you can make use of WordPress plugins to secure your website by limiting login attempts.  

If your WordPress website is not giving you desired results then you can always reach out to our WordPress website design professional having 8+ years of experience in creating and producing more than 500+ fully responsive and conversion-centric websites for all types of businesses.  

6. Change the WordPress database prefix 

While installing WordPress you might have come across wp- table prefix, it is considered as the default database table prefix that contains all your login details. An easy guessing WordPress database prefix or default prefix gives rise to unwanted vulnerabilities. Not only that but it also makes it easy for hackers and intruders to get access to your SQL.

If you don’t want your WordPress website to come across such attacks then it is recommended to change the wp- and use some other terms instead of the default prefix. Instead of using wp- you can use mywp- or wpnew-.

If you have already installed your WordPress website with default prefix then don’t worry, you can still change the default prefix using plugins like WP-DBmanager, iThemes security, and more.  Within a few clicks, you can install the plugin and change your data prefix but make sure you have an updated backup of your website. 

7. Rename Login URL 

One of the best and most effective ways to secure your WordPress dashboard is by changing or renaming the login URL. By default WordPress allows users to assess the access to the WordPress dashboard login page by entering /wp-admin after URL. 

Using these type of login attempts make it easy for th hackers access your login page and brute force their way in. After they land on your login page using millions of combinations and GWDb (Guess Work Database) they can easily access your WordPress dashboard.  

To avoid that we recommend you secure your WordPress website by renaming the login URL. Once you change or rename the login URL, you are automatically saving your WordPress website form a direct brute force attack. 

There are various plugins available in WordPress like WPS Hide Login which you can install and activate to rename your login URL. After installing the plugin you just have to input your new login URL and save the change to shift your login URL i.e wp-admin to new /wp-XYZ.

8. Make use of email to log in to WordPress dashboard

WordPress allows the site owner to select the username of their own throgh which they can access the WordPress dashboard. To save your WordPress dashboard form getting onto the wrong hands we recommend you to use email id instead of a username. 

Compared to email id, usernames are easy to predict which makes it easy for a hacker or an intruder to guess your WordPress dashboard username. Email-id is a more secure approach compared to a username.  

Undoubtedly WordPress user account is created using email id so we recommend using the same email id as your login username. If you have given access to different users depending on their role then you can make use of WordPress plugin that makes it compulsory for other users to use their email id as login username. 

9. Scan your website manually 

Undoubtedly there are effective and impactful security plugins available in WordPress that make it easy for the site owner to avoid unwanted vulnerabilities. Security plugins regularly scan your website automatically to detect malware and other signs of unwanted vulnerabilities. 

But if you see a sudden fall in your website ranking or organic traffic then we recommend you manually run a scan to check the of any malware or security breach. You can do it by using popular security plugins or you can also make use of security scanners for detecting malware and other security breaches.  

These online scanners are easy to access and very user friendly. you just have to paste your website links. All the popular security scanner have authentic crawlers that crawl through every aspect of your website to identify unwanted malware and vulnerabilities. 

10. Remove the malware and vulnerabilities

In the above step, we mentioned how you can run a manual scan on your WordPress website to identify the presence of malware and vulnerabilities. But what if you find your WordPress website site hacked by an intruder or a hacker.  Read the below paragraph to identify how you can fix a hacked website. 

Most of us don’t understand the importance of WordPress website backup and security until your website gets hacked. One of the best solutions is to use the updated backup of your website to fix your WordPress website hack. 

Removing or cleaning up your WordPress website can be a time consuming and difficult job for a person not familiar with the backend of the WordPress. We recommend you to hire a WordPress website design professional to do the job for you. 

Generally, hackers or intruders install backdoors on a hacked website if not removed there are chances of getting your website hacked again. Hiring a WordPress design professional will help you to get rid of all the issues related to a website hack. 

Conclusion

By now you might be having a clear idea about how you can secure your WordPress website to get rid of unwanted malware and vulnerabilities. Using and implementing the above WordPress security tips will enable you to offer the right security to save your data as well as your customer’s data.

No matter how effective results your WordPress website is offering to your business, avoiding routine checkup of your WordPress website scrutiny can directly affect you website traffic, sales adn revenue. Always remember your backup is the key or we can say a solution for every WordPress related vulnerability. 

Keep an updated backup of your website so that even if your WordPress website gets hacked or come across any vulnerabilities you are ready with an updated backup to get things back on track. 

You can also hire a WordPress website design company not only to build an attractive website for your business but also to maintain every small aspect of your website.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Does WordPress have security issues? 

Compared to other platforms WordPress offers a more secure environment to its users. But due to the increase in the number of users and third-party add-ons, WordPress website becomes more vulnerable. Even if you have outdated themes and plugins then you are indirectly inviting malware and other vulnerabilities. Yes if your WordPress website is not secured then it will surely come across securities issues. 

If you are looking to build a fully secured WordPress website for your business then its time to hire the leading WordPress website design company that can offer you a fully functioning and conversion-centric website with less to non-vulnerabilities. 

2. What are the best WordPress security plugins?

Below we are listing some important WordPress security plugins that you can consider to offer the best security to your WordPress website. 

  • ITheme Security 
  • Sucuri Security 
  • Wordfence Security 
  • MalCare Security 
  • ValutPress
  • WPSecurity Audit Log 
  • All in one WP Security & Firewall 
  • Defender 

If you are looking to build a custom WordPress website design for your website then it is recommended to hire a WordPress website design exerts thet can help you in creating a website thet relates to your user and encourages them to take action on your website. 

3. Can WordPress be hacked? 

Yes with the increase in the number of third party add ons getting a website hacked is not a new thing.  But there are different WordPress website security measures that can help you to protect your website from unwanted vulnerabilities. Most of the WordPress website owners think that a website can get hacked only by exploiting code but there re other ways through which WordPress website can be hacked. Keep the updated version of your WordPress website and make use of security plugins to avoid inviting hackers and intruders on your WordPress. 

Looking to build a WordPress website thet relates to your target audience expectation and encourages them to take action on your website. If yes, then it is recommended to hire a WordPress website design company that offers website design based on in-depth market research of your niche. 

4. Why is my WordPress website not secure? 

If you are finding a “Not secure” warning in your web page URL then it indicates that you have not installed an SSL certificate in your WordPress website. HTTP indicates thet your website is not secured. On the other hand, installing the SSL certificate will allow you to secure your website data and your customer’s data as well. Once you install an SSL certificate then instead of HTTP your website will start indicating HTTPS. Once your website becomes secured then it will invite more users on your website.