Adding security to your WordPress website is essential to protect it from threats and vulnerabilities. Here are some steps and recommendations to strengthen WordPress security on your site:

Keep Everything Updated

Make sure you keep WordPress, your themes and your plugins up to date. Updates often include security patches for known vulnerabilities.

Use Strong Passwords

Avoid simple passwords. Use combinations of letters, numbers and symbols. You can also use a password manager to generate and store secure passwords.

Install Security Plugins

Install reputable security plugins such as Wordfence, Sucuri Security or iThemes Security, among others. These plugins offer a range of features, from security scans to firewalls.

Limit Login Attempts

Use plugins such as “Limit Login Attempts” to restrict the number of login attempts. This helps prevent brute-force attacks.

Enable SSL

SSL/TLS encrypts the information transferred between the server and your visitors’ browsers. Many hosting providers offer free SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt.

Back Up Regularly

Use plugins such as UpdraftPlus or BackWPup to schedule regular backups. Store those copies in a safe place, such as a cloud storage service or an external drive.

Restrict File Permissions

Make sure your file and directory permissions are appropriate. For example, the wp-config.php file should have 600 permissions for added security.

Monitor Your Site

Use tools and plugins to monitor activity on your site, detect file changes and receive alerts about suspicious behavior.

Disable File Editing

In your wp-config.php file, add define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true); to prevent files from being edited from the WordPress dashboard.

Change the Database Prefix

By default, the WordPress table prefix is wp_. Changing it to something unique can make SQL injection attacks harder.

Limit Access to the wp-admin/ Directory

You can restrict access to the wp-admin/ directory to specific IP addresses through your .htaccess file.

Disable Directory Listing

Prevent visitors from browsing the contents of your directories by adding Options -Indexes to your .htaccess file.

Stay Informed

Follow blogs and communities focused on WordPress security to stay on top of the latest vulnerabilities and fixes.

Remember that, while these steps can significantly improve your website’s security, no site is 100% immune to threats. It is crucial to stay vigilant and take a proactive approach to security.

Would you rather have experts review your site? Our cybersecurity team performs audits and penetration tests, and with our IT support and maintenance plans we keep your WordPress site updated and protected.