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Cybercrime has been a persistent issue, but the recent attention to GDPR has brought website security to the forefront. Although website security may not always be at the top of one’s mind, ensuring continuous monitoring and protection is crucial.
To safeguard your WordPress website from malicious activities such as bots, exploits, malware, and viruses, it is highly recommended that you utilize a reliable .htaccess firewall. While various firewall plugins are available, a code-based firewall is considered preferable for enhanced security.
Hold up, what’s a firewall?
For over 25 years, firewalls have been one of the first lines of defense in network security. A network security device decides whether to allow or block specific traffic based on a defined set of rules.
They establish a barrier between trusted and untrusted outside networks to protect your WordPress site from possible harm.
Why does my WordPress site need a firewall?
Firewalls enhance website security. They’re called firewalls because they are essentially a wall of code that protects your site.
WordPress is a popular platform that has experienced several security issues. Unfortunately, it’s a popular target for hackers. However, most WordPress websites are attacked due to personal negligence and failure to implement basic security measures.
Using common sense, changing passwords regularly, and downloading a firewall can make it harder for your site to be hacked. This is the bare minimum you should do to keep your data and reputation safe.
What type of firewall do I need?
You can choose between a firewall plugin and a code-based firewall. A code-based firewall protects the site at the server level, which means your web server processes it before any other code on your site. This type of firewall eliminates the need to load PHP, site assets, or the database, keeping your website’s speed faster than a plugin solution would.
For optimum security and performance, a server-level firewall is the best choice.
What does a server-level firewall do?
A server-level firewall does many things to keep your WordPress website secure and working to the best of its capabilities. It will take care of the following:
- Forbid proxy comment posting
- Block access to debug log file
- Disable trace and track
- Deny evil or malicious query strings
- Protect against Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
- Block fake Googlebots from crawling your site
- Prevent image hotlinking
- Add custom rules to block access to various resources on your site
Here at WP Tech Support, we can handle all aspects of your WordPress site’s security and maintenance to ensure your protection—including installing a firewall, monitoring for malware 24/7, and backing up your website to our secure cloud server.
Our excellent value WordPress maintenance plans start at just $55 per month—a small price to pay to ensure your website is healthy, optimized, and secure.