How to Keep Your WordPress Site Secure

Many people fall into the trap of prioritizing costs and convenience over quality and security when it comes to managing their WordPress websites. For example, most web managers choose to use free themes and plugins in order to cut costs while still maintaining a functional, aesthetically pleasing platform. Too few of these individuals realize that defaulting to the bare minimum like this invites cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Below you’ll find a few key ways to keep your WordPress site protected, even with modest budgets and convenience in mind.

Be Mindful When Choosing Your Theme and Supporting Plugins

The WordPress plugins catalog contains thousands of different technologies, all purposed to ease your content creation and management experience. However, not all of these are made equal, and the price tag shouldn’t be the only metric you use to determine this. To determine which supporting technology is reputable and which you should avoid, follow these guidelines when shopping for a new theme or plugin:

• Research the developer and its details. Take note of how often they update the theme or plugin, and how many people currently have it installed on their sites.
• If you have a web developer, run the new theme or plugin by them. If they are familiar with the developer or software, then you can rest assured that it’s safe to use on your site.

Note that the more plugins you choose to add to your site, the greater your vulnerability to hackers. (Each functions as a sort of “door” into your website, which hackers can exploit if the developer overlooks cybersecurity weaknesses in their program.) Once you have your themes and plugins installed, keep them updated to prevent any potential security breaches.

Enable Multifaceted Authentication Measures

Too many people are distracted by the allure of convenience when logging into their administrative WordPress account. Though it is nice to have a simple password for easy access to your site, this could prove to be your site’s undoing in terms of security. Passwords that are too easy to guess are prime targets for hackers, and this weakness is amplified several times over if you have only one layer of site protection.

There are a few things you can do to resolve this issue:

• Limit the logins. Don’t give too many people access to your website. With all the different devices accessing your site information, there are numerous opportunities for malware to find a way past your basic security features. For those that do have access, each should have a unique, secure password. Change passwords regularly to keep the site protected.
• Install a dependable security plugin. Wordfence and Loginizer are two great option for web developers looking to secure their sites against cyberattacks and unauthorized login attempts.
• Set up two-factor authentication. This is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to protect your site’s information. Sure, it’ll add an extra step to the login process, but the increased security is well worth it.

You’ll also need to add a firewall to your website to strengthen your defenses even further. The firewall works as a proactive protector of your site information, preventing bad actors from accessing your platform at all. Though these measures aren’t always the cheapest or most convenient, they are integral to maintaining a secure platform that provides the best experience for both site visitors and those behind the scenes.

To discuss your Website Security Needs, contact Ancell Marketing today at 778-285-2288.