Security is nothing to take lightly, especially if you have a WordPress website. According to a recent study, 90 percent of websites hacked in 2018 were hosted on WordPress. With the threats showing no signs of slowing down, the importance of having a website security plan in place can’t be overstated.
Creating a comprehensive security plan can help safeguard your site from hackers. Although no website is ever 100 percent free from risk, a security plan lets you focus on the most critical aspects in order to minimize threats.
In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of securing your WordPress site. Then we’ll walk you through how to put a clear security plan in place. Let’s get started!
The Importance of Having a Clear WordPress Security Plan
A security plan refers to the methods you take to protect your WordPress site from hackers and data loss. Having a clear plan in place minimizes your risk of attack, and helps to protect sensitive data.
Failing to implement a security plan puts your business at risk. If your site is hacked, it can:
- Expose and/or damage sensitive data and client information
- Cause unnecessary site downtime
- Blacklist your site from search engines
- Lead to loss of revenue
- Damage your reputation and credibility
Aside from preventing attacks, security plans also help you prepare for swift response and recovery. In the event that your site is compromised or attacked, having an established security plan makes the recovery process easier and faster than it otherwise would be.
How to Create a Foolproof Security Plan for Your WordPress Site (4 Key Tips)
From WordPress maintenance to employee training, there are many areas to cover with your security plan. It may feel overwhelming not knowing where to start. However, it’s important that you take the time needed to prepare ahead of time.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at four key tips you can follow to create a foolproof security plan for your WordPress site.
1. Conduct a Security Risk Assessment
The first step in protecting your site from potential threats, both internal and external, is understanding what they are. You can do this by conducting a security risk assessment.
Risk assessments help you identify potential threats, as well as assess your site’s vulnerabilities. By gaining insight into your site’s strengths and weaknesses, you can determine the level of security needed to keep its data safe.
When conducting a risk assessment, you’ll want to focus on a few important questions, such as:
- What are your site’s most valuable assets (client and payment information, sensitive data, etc.)?
- What are the potential threats to those assets?
- What is the risk level, likelihood, and potential consequences of each threat?
Understanding this information helps narrow the focus of your security plan. You may also consider running a security audit on your WordPress site, in order to uncover potential vulnerabilities.
2. Train Employees on Security Risks and Prevention
Some security attacks, such as phishing and malware, most often occur due to human error. Someone may open or download an infected link, for example, not realizing that it’s a scam. This is one of the reasons employee training should be a part of your security plan.
Anyone who accesses your WordPress site or data can put both at risk. Therefore, it’s important that each member understands not only what the potential security threats are, but how to prevent them as well.
There are a variety of security topics you can cover in the course of employee training, including:
- Safe password security practices
- Proper email vetting
- Social media policies
- Sensitive data protection
It’s also critical to make sure that anyone accessing your site is doing so from a safe, secure network. An effective way to do that is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), to prevent hackers from infiltrating your WordPress site through compromised public WiFi.
3. Keep Your Site Updated and Password Protected
Outdated systems are more vulnerable to hacks. Therefore, it’s important that your site is always running on the latest version of WordPress, as well as any plugins and themes you’re using.
It’s crucial that you keep your site password-protected, including any sensitive files and data. You may also want to consider securing your login page by using a tool such as WPS Hide Login:
This can help prevent brute force attacks, which is when hackers attempt to gain access to your site by guessing usernames and passwords. With this plugin, you can create a custom login URL and block traffic to your default admin and login pages.
You can add another layer of protection by limiting login attempts on your site. There are a handful of effective WordPress plugins you can use for this, such as Login LockDown. This tool tracks and disables failed login attempts from suspicious IP addresses:
Finally, it’s important for your site to have automated backups and updates. Routine updates minimize risk, and backups ensure that you can safely recover your data and files if they do become compromised.
4. Choose a Safe Hosting and Maintenance Plan
The hosting provider you choose for your WordPress site can play a pivotal role in its security. Many hosting providers, such as 24×7 WP Support, include WordPress maintenance service in their plans:
This can help with some of the tasks mentioned above, such as automated backups and updates, as well as daily monitoring, support, and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certification.
There are a lot of WordPress maintenance tasks to handle. Trying to effectively manage them all by yourself can be time-consuming. Automating and outsourcing maintenance tasks can improve your site’s security, and free you up to focus on other areas of your business.
Conclusion
If you have a website, it’s at risk. That may sound blunt, but it’s the harsh reality of today’s online environment. Hackers are constantly developing new methods of infiltration, so it’s important to take a proactive and adaptive approach to security.
As we discussed in this article, there are four tips you can follow to create a foolproof security plan for your WordPress site:
- Conducting a security risk assessment, in order to understand and prioritize the biggest threats.
- Training employees on cybersecurity best practices.
- Keeping systems updated and password-protected.
- Choosing a safe hosting plan that includes WordPress maintenance service and support.
Do you have any questions about creating a security plan for your website? Let us know in the comments section below!