As a web design company, who has created hundreds of websites using the WordPress CMS, we know how important it is to keep your WordPress website secure. We have had many companies contact us over the years because their WordPress website was hacked, and they didn’t know how to fix it. The majority of the time their website was hacked because they had outdated plugins that had known security vulnerabilities. Most of these companies had no ideal they were supposed to be keeping their WordPress core software as well as their plugins updated. But just like your Microsoft Windows software or your Apple iPhone iOS software there are always going to be security updates that need to be applied to keep your systems secure.
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in the world, with over 60 million websites using it. However, because of its popularity, it is also a target for hackers. WordPress hack statistics show that many websites are vulnerable to hacking attempts, malware, and other security threats. By understanding these statistics, website owners can take steps to protect their websites and keep them more secure.
One of the most notable WordPress hack statistics is that over 90% of all hacked websites are running vulnerable versions of WordPress. This means that many website owners are not keeping their WordPress and plugins up to date, which leaves their websites open to potential attacks. This is why it is essential to always keep your WordPress and plugins up to date and install updates as soon as they are available.
Another worrying statistic is that the number of brute-force attacks on WordPress websites has increased by over 500% in the past year. Brute-force attacks are when an attacker repeatedly tries different combinations of username and passwords to gain access to a website. This shows that many website owners are not using strong passwords, or are not limiting login attempts, which makes their websites more vulnerable to hacking attempts.
WordPress hack statistics show that many websites are vulnerable to hacking attempts, malware, and other security threats. By understanding these statistics, website owners can take steps to protect their websites and keep them more secure. This includes keeping their WordPress and plugins up to date, using strong passwords, limiting login attempts, and using security plugins. More information and statistics can be found in this article https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2021/01/the-wordfence-2020-wordpress-threat-report/
Creating a secure WordPress website
Creating a secure WordPress website is crucial in order to protect your website from hacking attempts, malware, and other security threats. By taking the necessary steps to secure your website, you can ensure that your website is safe and secure for both you and your visitors. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced website owner, there are several steps you can take to make your WordPress website more secure. This includes keeping your WordPress and plugins up to date, using a strong password, enabling two-factor authentication, using security plugins, and more.
By following these 10 best practices, you can help protect your website and the sensitive information stored on it.
- Keep your WordPress and plugins up to date: Regularly update your WordPress core, themes, and plugins to ensure that any security vulnerabilities are patched.
- Use a strong password: Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters to create a strong and unique password for your WordPress website.
- Use two-factor authentication: Enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to your login process.
- Use a security plugin: Install a security plugin such as Wordfence or iThemes Security to protect your website from hacking attempts and malware.
- Limit login attempts: Limit the number of login attempts to prevent brute force attacks on your website.
- Use an SSL certificate: Install an SSL certificate to encrypt the connection between your website and your visitors’ browsers, making your website more secure.
- Backup your website: Regularly backup your website to ensure that you can restore it in case of a security breach or other issue.
- Monitor your website: Use tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor your website for any suspicious activity.
- Keep your hosting secure: Use a reputable hosting provider that offers security features such as firewalls and malware scanning.
- Be cautious when installing new plugins or themes: Only install plugins and themes from trusted sources and make sure to read reviews and ratings before installing.
1 – Keep your WordPress and plugins up to date
Regularly update your WordPress core, themes, and plugins to ensure that any security vulnerabilities are patched.
Keeping your WordPress and plugins up to date is one of the most important steps you can take to secure your website. When new versions of WordPress and plugins are released, they often include security updates and patches that address known vulnerabilities. By not updating your website, you are leaving it open to potential attacks and making it more vulnerable to hacking attempts.
Another reason to keep your WordPress and plugins up to date is that new versions often include new features and improvements. This can help to improve the performance of your website, as well as make it more user-friendly for your visitors. By ensuring that you have the latest version of WordPress and your plugins, you can ensure that your website is running at its best.
Finally, keeping your WordPress and plugins up to date can also help to improve your website’s SEO. Search engines such as Google favor websites that are up to date, fast, and secure. By ensuring that your website is up to date, you can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results, which can lead to more traffic and ultimately more business. So, keeping your WordPress and plugins up to date is an important step in maintaining the security, performance, and SEO of your website.
2 – Use a strong password
Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters to create a strong and unique password for your WordPress website.
Using a strong password is one of the most basic yet effective ways to secure your WordPress website. A strong password is one that is difficult for others to guess or crack, and typically contains a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. A weak password, on the other hand, is easy to guess or crack and typically contains simple words or numbers.
When creating a password for your WordPress website, it’s important to avoid using personal information such as your name or birthdate, as well as common words or phrases that can be easily guessed. Instead, use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters to create a unique and strong password. Also, it is better to use a passphrase instead of a simple password, it is more complex and secure.
It is also important to change your password regularly to ensure that your website remains secure. This will help to prevent potential attackers from guessing or cracking your password, even if they have access to your personal information. Additionally, you should also avoid reusing the same password across multiple accounts, as this can increase the risk of your password being compromised.
By using a strong password, you can help to protect your WordPress website from hacking attempts and other security threats. It is a simple but essential step in securing your website and safeguarding your personal and business information.
3 – Use two-factor authentication
Enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to your login process.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an added layer of security that requires users to provide two forms of identification when logging into a website. This helps to prevent unauthorized access to your WordPress website, even if someone else has your password. By enabling 2FA, you can ensure that only authorized users can access your website, making it more secure for both you and your visitors.
One of the most common forms of 2FA is the use of a one-time code sent to your mobile device via text message or through an authentication app. This code is required in addition to your password when logging into your website. This makes it much harder for anyone to gain unauthorized access to your website, even if they have your password.
Another benefit of using two-factor authentication is that it can help to protect your website from phishing attacks. Phishing attacks are a common tactic used by hackers to trick users into giving away their personal information, such as passwords. With 2FA enabled, even if someone does manage to get your password, they will still be unable to access your website without the additional security code.
Using two-factor authentication is a simple but effective way to secure your WordPress website. It adds an extra layer of security to your login process and helps to prevent unauthorized access to your website, even if someone else has your password. It also helps to protect your website from phishing attacks, making it more secure for both you and your visitors.
4 – Use a security plugin
Install a security plugin such as Wordfence or iThemes Security to protect your website from hacking attempts and malware.
Using a security plugin is one of the most effective ways to protect your WordPress website from hacking attempts, malware, and other security threats. A security plugin can provide a range of features that can help to secure your website, such as firewalls, malware scanning, and intrusion detection. By using a security plugin, you can help to protect your website from potential security vulnerabilities, making it more secure for both you and your visitors.
One of the most important features of a security plugin is its firewall. A firewall helps to block unwanted traffic and prevent hacking attempts. It can also protect your website from common attacks such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). Additionally, security plugins also include malware scanners that can detect and remove any malware that may have been installed on your website.
Another important feature of security plugins is intrusion detection. This feature helps to identify any suspicious activity on your website, such as login attempts from unfamiliar IP addresses, and alerts you to potential security threats. This allows you to take action quickly and prevent any damage to your website.
Using a security plugin is a vital step in securing your WordPress website. It provides a range of features that can help to protect your website from hacking attempts, malware, and other security threats. It also provides intrusion detection to alert you of any suspicious activity on your website. It is essential to keep your security plugin up to date and make sure that it’s providing the best possible protection to your website.
5 – Limit login attempts
Limit the number of login attempts to prevent brute force attacks on your website.
Limiting login attempts is a security measure that helps to prevent brute force attacks on your WordPress website. A brute force attack is when an attacker repeatedly tries different combinations of username and passwords to gain access to your website. By limiting the number of login attempts, you can help to prevent these types of attacks and keep your website more secure.
One way to limit login attempts is to use a plugin that provides this feature. For example, the Login Lockdown plugin allows you to set a maximum number of login attempts, after which the IP address of the user will be blocked for a certain period of time. Another plugin called Login Lockdown Plus also allows you to set the limit of login attempts, and also provides additional features like email notifications and IP blocking.
Another way to limit login attempts is to use a built-in feature of your hosting provider. Many hosting providers offer a feature that allows you to limit the number of login attempts, and also provide IP blocking. This feature is known as mod_security and it can help to prevent brute force attacks by blocking IP addresses that repeatedly fail login attempts.
Llimiting login attempts is an important security measure that helps to prevent brute force attacks on your WordPress website. By using a plugin or a built-in feature of your hosting provider, you can set a maximum number of login attempts and block IP addresses that repeatedly fail login attempts. This helps to keep your website more secure and prevent unauthorized access to your website.
6 – Use an SSL certificate
Install an SSL certificate to encrypt the connection between your website and your visitors’ browsers, making your website more secure.
Using an SSL certificate is a crucial step in securing your WordPress website. An SSL certificate encrypts the connection between your website and your visitors’ browsers, making it more difficult for others to intercept and read any sensitive information that is transmitted. This includes personal information such as login credentials, as well as any sensitive information that is stored on your website, such as credit card numbers.
One of the main benefits of using an SSL certificate is that it helps to protect your website from man-in-the-middle attacks. This is when a third party intercepts the communication between your website and your visitors, and attempts to steal sensitive information. By encrypting the connection, an SSL certificate makes it much more difficult for anyone to intercept the communication and steal sensitive information.
Another benefit of using an SSL certificate is that it can help to improve your website’s SEO. Many search engines, such as Google, favor websites that are secure and use SSL certificates. By using an SSL certificate, you can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results, which can lead to more traffic and ultimately more business.
Using an SSL certificate is an important step in securing your WordPress website. It encrypts the connection between your website and your visitors’ browsers, making it more difficult for others to intercept and read any sensitive information that is transmitted. It also helps to protect your website from man-in-the-middle attacks and improve your website’s SEO. With so many benefits, it is highly recommended to use an SSL certificate to secure your website.
7 – Backup your website
Regularly backup your website to ensure that you can restore it in case of a security breach or other issue.
Backing up your website is an essential step in protecting your website from potential security breaches, hacking attempts, and other issues. A website backup is a copy of all the files, databases, and settings that make up your website. By regularly backing up your website, you can ensure that you can restore it in case of a security breach or other issue.
One of the most important benefits of backing up your website is that it allows you to quickly restore your website in case of a security breach or other issue. This can help to minimize the amount of downtime and the potential loss of data. Additionally, having a backup can also help to prevent data loss in case of a hardware failure or other issues with your hosting provider.
Another benefit of backing up your website is that it allows you to experiment with changes to your website without risking losing any data. For example, if you want to try out a new theme or plugin, you can do so safely, knowing that you can restore your website to its previous state if something goes wrong.
Backing up your website is an essential step in protecting your website from potential security breaches, hacking attempts, and other issues. It allows you to quickly restore your website in case of a security breach or other issue, and also allows you to experiment with changes to your website without risking losing any data. It is highly recommended to regularly backup your website to ensure that you can restore it in case of any unexpected situation
8 – Monitor your website
Use tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor your website for any suspicious activity.
Monitoring your website is an important step in identifying and addressing any potential security threats or issues. By regularly monitoring your website, you can ensure that it is running smoothly and identify any potential problems before they become bigger issues. This can help to prevent downtime, data loss, and other issues that can harm your website and business.
One of the best ways to monitor your website is by using tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console. These tools can help you to track your website’s performance, including the number of visitors, bounce rate, and other important metrics. They can also help you to identify any potential security issues, such as hacking attempts, and take action accordingly.
Another way to monitor your website is by using a website monitoring service. These services can help you to identify any potential issues with your website, such as downtime or slow performance, and alert you to take action. Some website monitoring services also include features such as malware scanning and intrusion detection, which can help to keep your website more secure.
Monitoring your website is an important step in identifying and addressing any potential security threats or issues. By using tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console, or website monitoring service you can track your website’s performance, identify any potential security issues and take action accordingly. This can help to prevent downtime, data loss, and other issues that can harm your website and business.
9 – Keep your hosting secure
Use a reputable hosting provider that offers security features such as firewalls and malware scanning.
Keeping your hosting secure is an important step in protecting your WordPress website from potential security threats. By using a reputable hosting provider that offers security features such as firewalls and malware scanning, you can ensure that your website is running on a secure and reliable platform.
One of the most important features to look for when choosing a hosting provider is a firewall. A firewall helps to block unwanted traffic and prevent hacking attempts. It can also protect your website from common attacks such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). Additionally, many hosting providers also offer malware scanning and removal services that can detect and remove any malware that may have been installed on your website.
Another important feature to look for is intrusion detection. Intrusion detection can help to identify any suspicious activity on your website, such as login attempts from unfamiliar IP addresses, and alerts you to potential security threats. This allows you to take action quickly and prevent any damage to your website.
Keeping your hosting secure is an important step in protecting your WordPress website from potential security threats. By using a reputable hosting provider that offers security features such as firewalls and malware scanning, you can ensure that your website is running on a secure and reliable platform. Additionally, it’s always important to choose a hosting provider that offers intrusion detection and other security features that can help to keep your website more secure.
10 – Be cautious when installing new plugins or themes
Only install plugins and themes from trusted sources and make sure to read reviews and ratings before installing.
Being cautious when installing new plugins or themes on your WordPress website is an important step in protecting your website from potential security threats. Plugins and themes can be powerful tools that can help to improve your website’s functionality and design, but they can also introduce security vulnerabilities if they are not properly maintained or developed.
One of the most important things to consider when installing new plugins or themes is their source. It’s best to only install plugins and themes from trusted sources such as the official WordPress plugin and theme repositories. This can help to ensure that they are properly maintained and updated, and that they have been tested for security vulnerabilities. Additionally, you should also read reviews and ratings before installing any new plugin or theme to ensure that it’s legitimate and safe to use.
Another important thing to consider is the plugin or theme’s permissions. Some plugins or themes may require access to sensitive information or have the ability to make changes to your website. Before installing any new plugin or theme, make sure to review the permissions it requires and ensure that they are appropriate for your website.
Being cautious when installing new plugins or themes on your WordPress website is an important step in protecting your website from potential security threats. By only installing plugins and themes from trusted sources, reading reviews and ratings and reviewing permissions, you can ensure that they are properly maintained and secure, and that they are appropriate for your website. This will help to keep your website safe and protect sensitive information.
In Conclusion
Creating a secure WordPress website is crucial to protect your website from hacking attempts, malware, and other security threats. By taking the necessary steps to secure your website, you can ensure that your website is safe and secure for both you and your visitors. These steps include keeping your WordPress and plugins up to date, using a strong password, enabling two-factor authentication, using security plugins, limiting login attempts, using an SSL certificate, backing up your website, monitoring your website, and keeping your hosting secure. Additionally, being cautious when installing new plugins or themes is also important to keep your website safe. By following these best practices, you can help protect your website and the sensitive information stored on it and ensure that your website is running smoothly and securely.
WordPress Security Maintenance Service
If you need help securing your WordPress website design or maintaining the WordPress plugin updates our Dallas Web Design Agency offers WordPress security maintenance services to secure your website. Contact us at 214-432-1608 or toll free at 888-636-1344. Or you can complete our Free Online Request Form
We offer all of the following as part of our WordPress Security Maintenance service.
- Manual Plugin Updates and WordPress Core updates
- We manually update the plugins and test the site to make sure there are no issues
- Plugins are updated on a monthly basis unless it is a security related update and we update those when the update is released
- Daily offsite backups with 60 day archives
- Daily Security scans for malware
- Vulnerability Database Scans
- If your website has been compromised, we’ll fully clean out any malicious activity on your site
- Website Firewall with IP address blocking, Geo / Country Blocking, Brute Force Prevention
- Uptime Monitoring