7 Ways that you can protect your WordPress website from attack

How to Secure Your Website Against

Hackers

Is this you?

You have a WordPress website You haven’t changed your site since it was built It’s been a while since you logged into your

WordPress dashboard

If the answer is yes, then… Your website is open to security breaches and

hackers

 Some rights reserved by Meneer Zjeroen

Read on to find out how to secure your website against attack…

1. Update WordPress

Updated versions of WordPress are released several times a year

Updates include fixes for security loopholes

Action: Always update to the latest version of WordPress to help you protect your website.

2. Update Plugins

Out of date plugins can affect how your website functions, and leave security loopholes

Action: Check and update your plugins at least once a month

3. Update theme

Out of date themes can: become incompatible with any new features released by

WordPress cause problems with website security result in a poorly functioning website

Action: When researching themes for your website, buy one that is regularly updated

4. Change prefix on database from WP

Protect your database (pages and posts) from hackers 

By default it’s wp_ but you can change it to whatever you want

Action: Change database prefix manually or use a plugin such as Change DB Prefix

5. Don’t have Admin as your username

Hackers can access your website through the login page

Admin is the most popular WP username making it easy for hackers

Action: Delete the old Admin user and replace it with a unique username and password

6. Secure your website

Add additional security to your website using plugins Examples are:

Login Lockdown: locks the WP login page after a certain number of attempts

Secure WordPress: hides the WordPress version and removes error information from login pages

Action: Research and upload a security plugin that suits your needs

7. Back up your website

Back up your site either daily or weekly Back up the theme files AND the database files Get your site back up and running quickly and easily

Action: Research and upload a plugin that automatically backs up all the files on your website either daily or weekly 

Action plan

Check your website now!

Back up your website files and database

Update WordPress and plugin software

Protect database by changing prefix

Remove your admin profile if necessary

Upload a security plugin

Put a date in your diary to check website weekly or monthly

What next?

1. Get more tips on how to use WordPress including the top 25 essential plugins for your website or blog

Download a copy of our free guide “How to Set Up a WordPress Blog”

http://bit.ly/wpblogsetup

2. Check out how we can help you to keep your website up to date so that it attracts more visitors and leads, and improves your ranking on the search engines

http://bit.ly/website-management