I took a package to UPS this morning + the store manager told me it would likely arrive on Friday, but that wasn’t a guarantee. I thought to myself, of course not, lots can happen between Minnesota + the West Coast. But I also imagine that needs to be said for many of their shipping services.
Not too different from shipping a gift is keeping your site secure. I’ve been talking about WordPress security for literal decades, yet I still meet new clients when a site is hacked + they are desperate to get their business back online.
These 5 tips will protect you, but are ultimately not a guarantee that you’ll avoid a crappy circumstance. The good news is that all of these are pretty simple. And some are even one + done type tasks.
Limit Login Attempts
Starting with the easiest one, either use a limit login attempts plugin OR use hosting that automatically provides this service. Shockingly enough, GoDaddy offers it with their WordPress specific hosting. This free plugin is my favorite — install it + activate it. That’s it.
Regularly Update WordPress, Themes + Plugins
You know how every quarter I remind you to update your site? Keeping your themes, plugins + even WordPress up to date is crucial for security. Developers frequently release updates that patch vulnerabilities (known issues) + improve security. Set a schedule to check for updates monthly.
Regularly Backup Your Site
Part of your site update process includes backing things up, right? By backing up your entire site on a regular basis, you can quickly restore your site to a recent version in the crummy case of a security breach. Again, great hosting will do this for you, but there are plugins like UpdraftPlus or Solid WP that make it easy to run a full backup, download the files + save them to Dropbox, Drive or your computer.
Use Strong Passwords + Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Use strong, unique passwords for all WordPress accounts. Better yet, encourage your team to do the same. Consider using a password vault like 1Password to generate + store complex passwords.
If you want to take it a step further, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security. This requires users to verify their identity through a secondary method, such as a mobile app or email code.
Install a Reliable Security Plugin
Utilize a reputable security plugin to help safeguard your site. Plugins like Wordfence + Sucuri Security provide features such as malware scanning, firewall protection + login attempt monitoring. These tools can detect + prevent malicious activities before they cause harm.
By implementing any or all of these tips, you can significantly enhance the security of your WordPress sites. While it’s not a guarantee, you’re spending minimal time + almost no money to protect your valuable data + maintain the trust of your customers.
If you’d like more tips on site security, hop on over here for my free e-course!