Are you aware that more than 100,000 websites are hacked daily? And as per a Q3 study made in 2017, WordPress emerged at the top among websites being infected at 83%. It comes as no big surprise because if you look at WordPress’ market share; it powers over 34% of all websites on the internet. The web host has a plethora of themes and plugins, so even though WordPress maintains a tight security system, vulnerabilities exist.
If you own a WordPress website, no matter what type of content you share, keeping it secure should be your top priority. As per Small Business Trends, website-based attacks rank in the top among attacks experienced by businesses.
Here are some valuable strategies to keep your site protected from hackers. Give your hackers a hard time!
Set Up A Website Lockdown Feature:
A website lockdown feature is of immense help when it comes to website security.
When a hacker is attempting to log in to your site with repetitive wrong passwords, your site will lock out the hacker. Further, you will be notified of this unauthorized activity. You get this feature by installing security plugins.
There are plenty of such plugins, including iThemes Security plugin, Sucuri Security, Wordfence Security, and so on. Install a plugin and specify a certain number of failed logins attempts before the plugin bans the attacker’s IP address.
Avoid Nulled Or Cracked Themes:
If you see nulled or cracked themes, know that they are a hacked version of premium themes. These themes usually contain concealed codes that can destroy your website and database or log your admin credentials.
Go for the latest version of themes.
Use Passwords That Are Hard To Guess:
If you look at the SplashData’s 2018 yearly list of the most popular passwords hacked during the year, you will notice, most of them are easy to guess. Generate complex passwords, or if you are not sure how to do it, you can follow the tips provided by Google on how to choose a strong password.
Make sure to use different passwords if you own more than one website. If you tend to forget them, you can store them in an encrypted database on your PC. Also, change your passwords regularly. opt for long passphrases instead of random numbers and letters as it makes it hard for hackers to predict but easier for you to remember.
Use Email Id Instead of Username To Log Into Your WordPress Site:
Using your email ID to log into your WordPress site instead of your username is more secure. While usernames can be easily predicted, email IDs are more challenging to do so. Since your WordPress user account is created with a unique email address, you can use it validly for logging in.
Disable File Editing Function:
Disable the code editor function in your dashboard, which allows you to edit your theme and plugin once your site is up and running.
You can access the feature by going to Appearance>Editor. You can also find the plugin editor by going under Plugins>Editor.
Disable the edit plugins and the theme file function by pasting the code “define(‘DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT’, true);” in your wp-config.php file.
Backup Your Website Frequently:
How often you perform backup on your site depends on how often you update it, but at least once a week is recommended. Several WordPress plugins can help you to back up your site, including Backup Buddy, Updraft Plus, and so on. In case your site gets hacked, the plugins can help you restore your site.
Leverage The Two-factor Authentication For WordPress Security
Your password might get hacked even though it is complex. Using two-factor authentication can ensure security. It involves a two-step process.
Apart from providing your password to log in, you have to provide details for another component. Depending on the authentication, it could be a text/SMS, phone call, a secret code, or a time-based one-time password (TOTP). It is an effective measure against forced attackers as your attacker will not possibly have both your password and mobile phone.
Install SSL Certificate:
The Secure Socket Layer certificate can help secure the admin panel. Once you install SSL, it will enable secure data transfer between user browsers and the server. It is not easy for hackers to breach the connection or steal your info.
To secure multi-domains and subdomains, you can think of a multidomain SSL certificate that will be a cheap option. Such certificate can be available at cheaper price as there are many SSL providers out there in the market. However, one of the most authenticated provider naming SSL2BUY is where you can find the cheap multi-domain SSL certificate easily.
Obtain DDoS Protection:
DDoS, a type of DOS attack that causes a Denial of Service, can take your site down for a few hours or days. When such attacks occur, apart from losing traffic and resource, your brand’s integrity is tarnished. DDoS attacks are very common.
According to Q3’s report, DDoS attacks increased by 91% in 2017. And as per the Q2 2018 Threat Report, the average DDoS attack grew to over 26Gbps, increasing in size by 500%.
To protect your site from DDOS attacks, using a third-party security service and updating your WordPress version regularly are highly recommended.
Avoid Using “Admin” As Your Username
If you use “admin” as your username, as shown in the image below, hackers can easily get access to your website.
Change your username to protect your website. In case you have already installed your website by choosing “admin” as your username, you can create another admin user.
To do that, register another user and allow permission to that user admin. You can start logging in using that new admin username and delete the old “admin” username.
Wrapping-Up:
Though your WordPress website is vulnerable to attacks, there are lots of ways in which you can protect your site from hackers.
The strategies mentioned above are among the best. Make sure to practice WordPress website’s best security practices and always keep updating your website version.
Getting an SSL certificate is a must as it provides tight security to your site. Also, create a secure login password that hackers will not be able to guess and don’t share your password with anyone. Though securing your site from hackers demands time and resources, it will be worth it in the end. Take a step in the right direction today.