Protect your WordPress site from hackers with these 5 tips
There is no denying that WordPress is the most popular and widely used Content Management System (CMS) in the world, but do you know that hackers target WordPress websites more than any other websites? Security firm, Sucuri found that around 78% of the total number of hacked websites it investigated were WordPress websites. This is because WordPress is incredibly popular. However, there are a few preventive measures that can help you reduce the risk of getting your website hacked.
Don’t forget to keep your WordPress core, themes and plugins updated
Updating WordPress on a regular basis is highly important if you want to minimize the risks of getting hacked. Not keeping up with the latest version means keeping door wide open for hackers.
The team of WordPress is constantly working hard to create patches to help fix the vulnerabilities in their software. So take benefit from their hard work. Keep your WordPress core, themes as well as plugins updated all the time.
Use long & strong passwords
It is always better not to use short and simple password as they can be easily guessed by cyber criminals. The longer and complicated your password is, the more difficult it is for hackers to crack it . Try using 9-10 characters at a minimum. Also your password should contain characters from at least 2 of the following four categories: lower case letters, upper case letters, number & symbol. Apart from these, remember not to include personal information in your password.
Make sure you delete your unused plugins & even unused images
Deleting unused plugins as well as unused images is very important because they not only waste space on your servers but also pose a security risk.
There are many people who keep plugins on their system that they never use, & a hacker relies on this. A hacker can gain access to your site via a hole they create or find in your unused plugin and there is a bigger chance that you will not notice the breach as you rarely or never use the plugin. Therefore, it is always better to delete plugins & images that you don’t need anymore.
Don’t forget to change the default ‘admin’ username
Hackers generally try to focus on the default WordPress login, which is ‘admin’, while attempting to guess your password. Hence, changing the default admin username is highly important. If you don’t change the default admin username, you will make the hacker’s job extremely easy as now they will only have to crack your password.
Back up your site
If someone is determined to get into your website, that person will do it somehow. Hence, don’t forget to back up your site, so that you can wipe your slate clean, restart your security, change your access passwords, as well as re-upload your website data in case you are hacked. You just need the last 2 versions of your site. Don’t keep all your backup copies because they will take up space on your servers.
Website hacks is undoubtedly one of the worst things that can happen to your business in this highly competitive business environment. In an age, where all important data are being shared as well as stored online, a cyber-attack that results in data theft can cost your business a lot of money as well as ruin your reputation considerably. However, you can reduce the risk of getting your WordPress website hacked by following the above mentioned tips.
