How to Ensure You Have a Secure WordPress Website

secure website

Do you have a secure website free from online threats? Probably not.

Google saw a 32% increase in site hacking between 2015 and 2016. WordPress, being the most popular blogging platform, instantly makes you a target.

What can you do? Read on and find out.

How to Make a Secure Website when using a WordPress Installation

Part of the allure of WordPress is its ease of use. WordPress is a safe platform for blogging and site-building due to its security.

However… Users are often the fault of the attacks.

An active participation in best practices is the best way to make a secure website.

Ensure you’re doing the following:

Updating WordPress Plugins

Outdated or spoofed plugins are the usual culprits with site hacks. Vulnerabilities in the code and implementation let hackers gain access to the site. The easiest solution to prevent this is by regularly updating plugins.

We also recommend following a plugin maintenance plan. This routine will limit potential dangers when using plugins on your site.

Afraid a plugin update will break the website? Consider integrating the feature so there’s less reliance on third-party developers.

Lock It Down

There are simple ways to protect your account:

  • Not using the default “admin”
  • Creating a strong password
  • Installing WP security plugins

Then, medium to difficult measures:

  • Blocking access after too many login attempts
  • Using two-factor authentication to log in
  • Encrypting data using an SSL certificate

Some managed WordPress hosting provide security features as part of their bundled package. These included features add automatic best practices to your setup and on-going usage.

Do Regular Backups

Regular backups will allow your site to survive brutal hacks. Hacks could wipe your WordPress database or corrupt file installations. Other hacks could wipe blog posts and pages.

There are a few ways to do backups:

  • Connect via FTP and manually copying files to a local and external drive
  • Use WP backup plugins to schedule and automatically create backups
  • Use backup features included in your WordPress hosting

You should also backup your computer while at it. Your computer may have been compromised after connecting to the afflicted site.

Be More Hands Off

WordPress WSYWIG features let any site owner make changes. Yet, these changes aren’t always best done by an inexperienced individual. User error is often the cause of an otherwise secure website becoming vulnerable.

Resist the temptation to install a “neat looking” plugin or change unfamiliar code. Instead, pass this work to an experienced third-party or developer.

How to Manage a Secure Website on AutoPilot

You started a website to share content or make sales. Managing the day-to-day operations (security) wasn’t high on your “fun things to do with the site” list.

Enter: EnsureWP.

We take the burden out of managing a secure website.

Our expert team provides real-time monitoring and edits so you can focus on what matters. Been hacked? We’ll fix that, too. Then, provide regular reports throughout the service.

Sound like a good deal? Have a look at our WordPress maintenance plans and get in touch today.

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