Website Security Guide: Strengthening WordPress
After 20 years in business, building and hosting websites, I have encountered many challenges. This actionable guide will help you avoid common pitfalls and strengthen your website’s security. I will discuss why sites get hacked, what happens when they do, and how it can be avoided. Plus, I will provide quick steps to get your site back online if hacked.
Is WordPress Secure?
Yes. No. Maybe.
If a fresh installation of WordPress is hosted on a server configured for optimal security, with a well-setup firewall, then it can be trouble-free. Yes.
However, does this make it completely secure and invulnerable? No.
If I keep it patched and avoid adding any plugins, will it work without issues? Maybe.
WordPress is well maintained, and any identified exploits are patched quickly by the WordPress Security Team. However, this only covers the core system. Keeping WordPress up to date is essential and relatively easy, but problems can still arise. Let’s review the common causes.
Common Causes of Security Issues
WordPress Core
- Non-maintained WordPress installations
- Using default admin URLs
Plugins (Third-party software)
- Poorly written plugins
- Non-maintained plugins
- Non-compliant coding practices
Hosting Environment
- Insecure hosting environment
- Insecure or outdated PHP versions
- Insecure database permissions
User Logins and Access Security
- Weak admin passwords
- Default admin username
- Default admin URLs
- Poor user access control
This is not an exhaustive list, but these are among the top causes for a compromised or hacked website.
Common Scenario
Many websites are built by third parties. Often, website owners pay to have their websites built but fail to maintain them. This is a key factor when identifying why problems occur.
It is the responsibility of the website developer/agency to inform the website owner (before launch) about the importance of keeping the website patched and up to date. Ultimately, it is the owner’s responsibility to maintain their site, whether by doing it themselves or by paying someone to handle it.
Customers Who Decline Maintenance Due to Cost
If you declined maintenance due to cost, perhaps its importance wasn’t explained clearly. Hopefully, you are reading this to proactively secure your website before a problem occurs.
You don’t have to pay someone to maintain your website, but you must do it yourself.
Statistically, a regular small business website is attacked 44 times per day.
Did You Know?
In the last 30 days, one security provider logged 3,368,884,212 attempts to breach WordPress websites. That’s just one provider over 30 days. The same provider blocked 209,917 IP addresses and flagged them as dangerous.
Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla are widely used and regularly targeted by hackers. Once an exploit is discovered, it will work on other sites until fixed and patched.
Typical Causes of Website Hacks
- Website updates were not completed
- Exploited login details
- Plugin vulnerabilities
- Unsafe hosting environments
Most website exploits are avoidable with proper security measures.
There Is No Such Thing as Hack-Proof
This guide won’t make your website hack-proof! However, it will make you aware of common pitfalls and encourage you to strengthen security, which will protect your online investment and make it harder for hackers to target your site.
Top Security Tips to Secure Your WordPress Site
The following steps should ideally be implemented from the very beginning of your website’s life. However, they can also be applied retrospectively to an existing site.
Choose a Good Web Host!
Your hosting provider should scan for file changes, malware, and exploits, and report these issues to you. We use Imunify360+ on all business website hosting packages.
Management is more than just updates!
Recognising and Using a Reliable Web Host
With over two decades of industry experience, I know how critical it is to have a reliable host. One key practice everyone should follow is: MAKE SURE YOU TAKE REGULAR BACKUPS!
If you lose your site, you’ll need a backup to get back online quickly. Check with your host to ensure they offer backups, and ensure they actually work.
Backup Tips
- One backup is not enough—keep two, in case one fails.
- Test backups randomly to ensure the archive isn’t corrupt.
- Ensure the archive retention period is long enough—3 days is too short; aim for 3 months!
What Makes a Good Host?
A good host provides a safe, secure, and reliable environment, complete with features like nightly backups, a staging area, and update functionality. We offer Softaculous for ease of updates and management.
Monitor and Update WordPress Regularly
If you don’t keep up to date, your site is at higher risk of being hacked. Keep WordPress and plugins updated. If you don’t have time, we can manage updates for you for as little as £12 per month.
Consider Using a Security Plugin
Plugins like WordFence offer comprehensive protection without affecting site performance. Make sure to use reliable security plugins for monitoring and defense.
Conclusion
Maintaining the security of your WordPress website requires diligence, updates, and regular monitoring. From choosing the right host to staying updated on plugins and using security tools, each measure helps safeguard your site from potential hacks. If you need help securing your website, feel free to contact us for expert support.