5 Tips to Keep Your WordPress Site Secure
If you have a blog or website, then you are likely familiar with WordPress, which currently powers more than 30 percent of the top 10 million sites on the internet and 30 percent of all the sites on the internet. That is a large reach, but as users have discovered, WordPress comes with its own unique challenges. As cutting-edge technology increases, cybersecurity issues are on the rise and WordPress is not immune.
What are these pain points for WordPress? How can they impact your site? Read on for keys to keeping your small business secure on the internet.
Pain Points on WordPress
For those surveyed about WordPress and its capabilities, performance issues were one of the biggest pain points according to 52% of the respondents. Another 42% saw security as the greatest challenge and issues with updates came in third. Keeping these pain points in mind, let’s discuss five ways to keep your WordPress site secure.
1. Two-Factor Authentication
If you have managed IT services, they would agree that two-factor authentication can effectively protect your WordPress website from brute force attacks. It adds an additional layer of protection during the login process by requiring you to enter a one-time passcode sent to your phone via text message. There are several plugins available to help you implement this option.
2. Strong Password
Along with the two-factor authentication, it is also important to have a strong password. The best passwords are a minimum of 10 characters and should be a combination of lowercase letters, uppercase letters along with numbers and special characters. Make it unique, hard to guess, and then change it often. Using a strong password tool can help determine how secure your password is and if you need to modify it.
3. Limit Logins
For those attempting a cybersecurity break, having limited logins gives them fewer chances to guess your password and gain access to your WordPress site. There are plugins to help you limit the number of logins and block the IP addresses of users that cross that login threshold.
4. Regularly Scheduled Backups
Effective security and crisis management for any business are using a business data backup, but it is also critical for your WordPress site. Having a backup solution is the best method to restore a previous version of your site after it has been hacked or compromised in some way, thus getting you back online quickly with the least interruption for your customers or users. If you are not sure how to set up backups or how frequently to backup your site, consider consulting with data backup services to find the right fit for your needs.
5. Updates are Critical
No matter how often you change your password or even your admin username, without updating your virus software, plugins, and themes, you run the risk of leaving your WordPress site vulnerable. Therefore, keep these items updated on a regular basis. Also, delete plugins that are no longer in use on your site. As part of your updates, be sure that you are always running the latest version of WordPress as this can help to limit the number of vulnerabilities that your site is exposed to as part of your cybersecurity.
As you can see, cybersecurity involves actively managing your WordPress site and keeping it updated to make sure that you are addressing any known vulnerabilities. Using managed IT services, you can have the backup necessary to keep your WordPress security up to date while enjoying the additional services that they offer.
Contact us for a free consultation to access your WordPress site and the options available to increase its security and the security of your data.
Sagacent Technologies offers technology management and support, including proactive/preventative maintenance, onsite and offsite data back-ups, network and security audits, mobility solutions, disaster planning and emergency business resumption services. The company serves clients of 10 to 150 employees within the Silicon Valley region.
