Do you cringe thinking about your precious WordPress site being hacked? Me too!
With web threats growing exponentially, WordPress sites both large and small suffer 20,000+ hacks daily. And over 35% of the web runs on WordPress, so the stakes are rising.
I‘ll let you in on a secret though…most hacks could easily have been prevented through basic security precautions.
Stick with me as we walk through the methodical steps to lock down WordPress security on your site including both preventative measures and disaster preparedness.
I‘ve distilled over a decade working in cybersecurity into an easy-to-follow website security game plan crafted specifically for non-technical WordPress users.
These essential techniques help you balance usability with vigilant protection tailored to the unique risks facing CMS sites built on PHP / MySQL platforms.
Let‘s dig in!
Why WordPress Security Matters
With great power comes great responsibility.
As an open source CMS powering over 413 million websites globally, WordPress offers unparalleled flexibility and ease of use to create diverse sites across every industry imaginable.
However, hackers relentlessly target WordPress specifically because of its vast reach and market share for their malicious campaigns.
In fact, Sucuri‘s 2022 Website Threat Report revealed that:
- 78% of all infected sites target WordPress
- 20,000+ WordPress sites get hacked daily on average
- 70% of WordPress sites have a critical vulnerability
Left unaddressed, these threats leave site owners vulnerable to attacks including:
✅ Website defacements
✅ Spam and malware distribution
✅ Blackhat SEO and phishing scams
✅ Data theft and financial fraud
✅ Ransomware locking sites hostage
The stakes run even higher for ecommerce stores facing dire impacts like customer password leaks, stolen payment information, and loss of hard-earned revenue overnight.
That‘s precisely why a proactive security strategy must be part of your game plan from day one before disaster strikes.
Think of it as preventing a costly medical issue through healthy living rather than scrambling to fund treatment after the fact. Disciplined prevention wins every time!
Overview of 13 Essential WordPress Security Best Practices
WordPress security need not be complicated with the proper precautions embedded firmly within your workflow.
Below we walk through exactly what measures to take at a high level. Then we‘ll dive into specifics on truly locking down protection throughout subsequent sections:
1. Use Strong Passwords
The keys to the kingdom. Enough said.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Adds extra "something you have" protection when logging in.
3. Change Default Admin URL
Obscurity shields against brute force.
4. Limit Login Attempts
Prevents credential stuffing brute force attacks.
5. Update Software Regularly
No excuses! Apply security patches ASAP.
6. Change Database Prefix from Default
Thwart SQL injection schema guesses.
7. Disable File Editing & Error Reporting
Close vulnerabilities providing system insight.
8. Perform Regular Backups
Disaster recovery for when (not if) threats strike.
9. Add a Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Extra layer actively blocks known attack patterns.
10. Use Trusted Hosting & SSL Certificate
Hardened infrastructure and encryption baseline.
11. Monitor Activity
Early detection provides critical response lead time.
12. Limit Plugins & Monitor Access
Minimize exposure while increasing visibility.
13. Expand WordPress Security Knowledge
Education fuels ongoing improved decision making.
Let‘s explore specifics on locking down this security framework…
1. Use Strong Passwords
If your passwords look like "12345" or "password", you might as well roll out the red carpet for hackers right now.
Because despite their simplicity, weak passwords persist as the downfall of countless sites annually.
Here are the hallmarks of dynamical, hacker-proof passwords:
✅ Avoid dictionary words and personal info
✅ Mix upper and lower case letters
✅ Incorporate numbers and symbols
✅ Minimum 12 characters
✅ Unique for each account
To generate strong passwords with ease, use a password manager like LastPass or 1Password which creates complex options and stores them securely encrypted behind a master password.
Bonus pro tip…require password changes every 60-90 days on critical accounts to limit impact if compromised.
Following these leading practice password guidelines paves the first line of defense.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
While strong passwords provide the first barrier against unauthorized access, two factor authentication (2FA) delivers an added layer of account protection.
With 2FA enabled, logging in requires providing both your password (something you know) AND a rotating secondary one-time code (something you have).
So even with the password, a login isn‘t possible without also possessing the unique code from the authenticator app connected to the account.
Popular WordPress plugins like Google Authenticator and Authy make the implementation process simple by allowing use of mainstream authenticator apps for secondary verification codes.
For maximum security, enforce 2FA on all WordPress administrator and editor level accounts. Don‘t stop there either…expand across email, infrastructure access, payment systems and beyond.
Two factors buys time to address compromised passwords before disaster strikes by keeping the keys to your online kingdom secured.
3. Change Default Admin URL
Out of the box, WordPress utilizes predictable admin URL paths like /wp-login and /wp-admin.
This predictability allows hackers to launch precisely targeted brute force attacks since viable endpoints are already known.
Obscurity shields against these common login-based exploits by changing admin URLs to random strings like /k93f-secure-portal and /md84-access.
Plugins such as WPS Hide Login and iThemes Security automate obscuring default admin paths and updating references throughout your site‘s backend.
Just be sure to document custom URLs somewhere safe in case you need to access later!
4. Limit Login Attempts
Now that obscurity hides your admin login, we need to directly combat brute force password guessing attacks.
The simplest form tries random password combinations manually via continual login attempts…but now leveraging automation, thousands of guesses happen per hour.
By using plugins like Limit Login Attempts and Login LockDown, you can implement escalating restrictions after a small number of failed tries before temporarily banning the originating IP altogether.
This strategy specifically counters both manual and automated credential stuffing brute force attacks rendering them ineffective.
Most bots move onto easier targets once throttled since risk of detection rises while reward drops.
5. Update Software Regularly
Here‘s an uncomfortable truth: Every version of WordPress along with popular plugins and themes harbors some form of vulnerability.
That‘s precisely why software creators continually push updates – to patch identified security gaps with new protections.
So manually keeping WordPress, plugins, and themes updated could easily grow into a full time job!
The solution lies in update management automation through plugins such as Wordfence and iThemes Security which maintain environments hands-free.
They streamline the process by:
✅ Scheduling automatic background updates
✅ Retesting compatability with other software
✅ Reverting failed updates if something breaks
This hands-off convenience even checks plugins you may have forgotten about entirely while increasing protection. Set it…then forget it!
6. Change Database Prefix from Default
WordPress stores all site data like posts, users, settings and more in MySQL database tables using by default the prefix "wp_".
So table names follow predictable patterns like wp_users, wp_posts wp_comments.
This standardization allows attackers to directly target tables for exploitation, often using automated scripts without valid admin credentials.
Obscurity strikes again! By changing the database table prefix to a random string like "n91t_", guessing specific targets grows far more difficult.
Use a plugin like Better Search Replace when first installing WordPress to seamlessly update all table references to a custom value across hundreds of files.
While an oft overlooked practice, this quick trick can massively boost database security through obscurity with network-wide benefits.
7. Disable File Editing & Error Reporting
During development and troubleshooting, file editing and PHP error reporting provide invaluable dev experience boosts.
However on production sites, both open unnecessary vulnerabilities that can lead to exploit cascades:
✅ File editing allows altering site behavior if hacked
✅ Error messages reveal site structure hints
Since live sites emphasize security, we lean towards disabling both features in wp-config.php:
// Disable File Editing
define( ‘DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT‘, true );
// Disable Error Reporting
define(‘WP_DEBUG‘, false);
define( ‘WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY‘, false );
@ini_set( ‘display_errors‘, 0 );This locks down access while limiting output of sensitive information to errant requests.
Note that if issues arise, briefly re-enabling either during troubleshooting is fine…just don‘t leave unattended long term.
8. Perform Regular Backups
Prevention is ideal, but accidents still happen. So recovery procedures must cover you when (not if) disaster eventually strikes.
Full site backups form the cornerstone of an effective business continuity and disaster recovery plan.
Ideally you should pull and store backups in an isolated, secure location:
✅ Automated daily backups catch incremental changes
✅ Weekly full backups record complete system state
✅ Store backups encrypted both locally and cloud sync
Top WordPress backup plugins such as UpdraftPlus, VaultPress, and BlogVault tick all the boxes for automated scheduling, storage and restoration capabilities.
Just be absolutely certain to run manual backups prior to any major updates or infrastructure changes too for added insurance!
9. Add a Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Now that backup safety nets are in place, a robust prevention plan backs them up.
Think of web application firewalls (WAF) as protective barriers that actively monitor and block suspicious traffic against known bad patterns.
They guard against OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities frequently leveraged in mass website attacks like:
⛔️ SQL injections
⛔️ Cross-site scripting (XSS)
⛔️ Improper access controls
⛔️ Code injections
⛔️ Malicious file uploads
Leading managed WAF services such as Wordfence, Sucuri, and Cloudflare integrate directly with WordPress to filter abnormal requests and prevent exploits before they compromise sites.
So while not impenetrable, WAFs provide vital extra security layers as countermeasures against zero-day threats.
10. Use Trusted Managed Hosting & SSL
At the infrastructure layer, security requires selecting managed WordPress hosting on reputable stacks tuned for optimum performance and protection.
Key features leading providers offer including:
✅ Hardened servers and application security
✅ DDoS prevention and traffic filtering
✅ Automatic patching and updates
✅ Daily backups with versioning
✅ 24/7 real-time monitoring
Complement this by adding SSL certificates to encrypt all sensitive communications for integrity and privacy. Let‘s Encrypt offers free SSLs to get started.
Lay this vital hosting and encryption foundation first so additional protections have maximal benefit.
11. Monitor Activity
Vigilance requires systematically monitoring environments to detect threats early before small cracks snowball into catastrophic breaches.
Proactively review logs, failed access attempts, filesystem changes, outbound traffic, and site resource usage for signs of suspicious activity.
Tools like Wordfence integrate network firewall logs, malware scan reports and email digests into existing WordPress dashboards to unify security visibility.
You can further safeguard monitoring through services providing 24/7 real-time website scanning with instant SMS and email breach alerts at the first sign of trouble.
Think of this as preventative medicine giving you lead time to treat issues through early diagnosis rather than allowing conditions to further deteriorate.
12. Limit Plugins & Control Access
With 215,000+ plugins and counting, it‘s tempting to tack on every bell and whistle under the sun.
But each additional plugin increases potential vulnerabilities without proper ongoing support and maintenance from developers.
So carefully limit your portfolio only to essential plugins with:
🔐 High user ratings
🔐 Recent updates
🔐 Trusted reputable sources
🔐 Conservative code and permissions
Next, tightly regulate admin access following least privilege principles granting only necessary capabilities to each user.
By minimizing your website‘s attack surface both externally and internally, you structurally reduce risk…especially when paired with vigilant monitoring procedures.
13. Expand Your WordPress Security Knowledge
Last but certainly not least lies cultivating your own WordPress security acumen.
Great resources to increase functional knowledge including:
💡 WordPress security guides like this!
💡 wpsec.org online training program
💡 Ongoing cybersecurity news research
📚 Books dedicated specifically to the topic
In addition to your own self education, mandate organization-wide training for all editors, site administrators and developers. Require refreshers biannually.
Broad, regular education substantially reduces security incidents by keeping personnel prepared with access to evergreen best practices.
Take Action Today in 3 Simple Steps
Now that you know what to do, let‘s talk about how to systematically implement these measures right away.
Here‘s an effective tactical 3 step roadmap to comprehensively lockdown WordPress security:
Step 1: Baseline
Start with foundational hosting, backups, software core.
Step 2: Harden
Implement security plugins, 2FA, obscurity.
Step 3: Monitor
Vigilantly track, tune and educate. Repeat!
I sincerely hope this hands-on WP security guide served you well on the ongoing journey to protecting your precious site and its visitors.
Remember…website security requires persistence balanced with usability rather than chasing an illusionary "perfection". But by consistently applying these best practices tailored specifically to your unique needs, your WordPress site protection will prove ABOVE average.
Now venture forth boldly! And be sure to celebrate the small security wins along the way that ultimately accumulate into something far bigger over time through compound growth.
So here‘s to your continued safety and success online. You‘ve got this!
