Securing your WordPress website is essential to keeping your data—and your visitors’ information—safe. Just as you’d lock the doors to your home or business, taking proactive steps to secure your website protects it from online threats.
With cyberattacks and malware more common than ever, it’s vital to keep your site secure to avoid being one of the thousands of sites Google blocks daily due to security issues.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through 13 effective ways to safeguard your WordPress site from hackers and malware so you can enjoy peace of mind and keep your site running smoothly.
13 Ways to Secure Your WordPress Site?
1. Choose WordPress Optimized or Managed Hosting
Your hosting provider is the backbone of your WordPress site’s security. A reliable host like LiquidWeb, SiteGround, or Hostinger ensures your website is protected against common threats with features like real-time network monitoring, DDoS protection, and updated server software.
Shared hosting can expose your site to risks like cross-site contamination, but managed WordPress optimized hosting offers better security with features like automatic backups, regular updates, and advanced protection.
For fast servers, dependable support, robust security and WordPress managed hosting, Liquid Web is a trusted option worth considering. Secure hosting is the first step to a safe website.
Take a look at other best managed WordPress hosting services.
2. Avoid the “Admin” Username
Using “admin” as your WordPress username is like leaving your front door unlocked—it’s an open invitation for hackers. Since it’s such a common choice, scammers often target it in brute force attacks or phishing scams.
Instead, choose a unique username that’s harder to guess. This simple change can significantly strengthen your login security. If you’re currently using “admin,” don’t wait—update your username now and make your site less vulnerable to attacks.
3. Choose a Strong Password
A strong password is your first line of defense against unauthorized access to your website. Just as you wouldn’t leave your front door unlocked, it’s essential to choose a password that keeps your online presence secure.
A password that’s easy to guess—like your birthdate or a pet’s name—might seem convenient, but it leaves your site vulnerable. With just one lucky guess, someone could gain access to your website, potentially causing serious harm, like defacing pages or stealing sensitive information.
When creating a password, aim for something both memorable and difficult to crack. A mix of random numbers, letters, and special characters is often ideal, as it makes it challenging for anyone to guess.
While these combinations may seem hard to remember, they significantly improve your site’s security. WordPress supports long, complex passwords, so take advantage of this flexibility to ensure your website stays protected.
Take a look at What Experts have to say about WordPress
4. Enable Two-Step Authentication
Adding two-step authentication is a powerful way to enhance the security of your WordPress account. This extra layer of protection requires not just a password but also a code from your phone or a physical security key, making it much harder for unauthorized users to gain access.
Even if someone manages to get hold of your password, they’d still need that second step to log in. Two-step authentication significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access, as it ties account entry to something only you have—like your phone or security key.
By enabling this feature, you’re adding an effective barrier against potential intruders.
5. Log Out of Your Account
Logging out of your WordPress account when you’re finished is a simple but crucial step in protecting your site, especially if you’re on a shared or public computer.
Staying logged in can leave your account vulnerable, as someone could easily access it by checking the browser history and revisiting your WordPress dashboard.
To securely log out, just click on your profile at https://wordpress.com/me and select the Log Out button.
This small action can prevent unauthorized access and keep your account secure.
6. Set Up a WordPress Firewall
A WordPress firewall acts as a protective shield, monitoring all incoming traffic to your WordPress website and blocking potential threats before they can do any harm. While a quality WordPress sepcialised hosting plan usually includes a basic firewall for server protection, adding a dedicated WordPress firewall provides an extra layer of security tailored specifically for your site.
A good firewall plugin can identify suspicious activity by recognizing known IP addresses, malicious bots, and abnormal traffic patterns. For example, Jetpack Security offers a robust web application firewall (WAF) that works alongside Jetpack Scan to provide 24/7 protection.
This additional layer helps safeguard your site from attacks.
7. Keep WordPress Core, Themes, and Plugins Up to Date
Keeping WordPress, along with your themes and plugins, up to date is one of the simplest and most effective ways to secure your website. Updates often include security patches for newly discovered vulnerabilities, so staying current helps protect your site from potential threats.
Choosing reliable plugins is equally important. Opt for trusted plugins that cover multiple functions, reducing the need for numerous installations that can increase security risks.
For example, tools like Jetpack Security provide a suite of security features in one package.
8. Delete Unused Plugins and Themes
Keeping unused plugins and themes on your site can create unnecessary security risks. Each inactive plugin or theme is an extra entry point that hackers could potentially exploit, even if it’s deactivated.
Regularly reviewing and removing anything you no longer need is a simple way to tighten security. Aside from retaining one default theme for troubleshooting purposes, it’s best to delete any other themes as well.
As a bonus, removing unused plugins and themes can also improve your WordPress website’s speed.
9. Scan for Malware and Security Issues
Regularly scanning for malware and security issues is essential to catch any potential threats early. If a hacker does manage to access your site, quick detection allows you to respond before serious damage occurs to your reputation or data.
Tools like Jetpack Scan make this process straightforward by automatically scanning your site for malware and suspicious activity around the clock. If anything harmful is detected, you’ll receive an immediate alert, and most issues can be resolved with a single click.
With an easy-to-understand dashboard, Jetpack Scan lets you monitor your site’s health without needing technical expertise.
10. Monitor User Activity
Keeping track of user actions on your WordPress site is a smart way to stay ahead of potential problems. By logging activities like password changes, plugin modifications, or file edits, you can quickly identify suspicious behavior and address issues before they escalate.
Activity logs are also valuable for troubleshooting after a hack, helping you pinpoint what went wrong and when. While not every change is a red flag, having a log is especially useful if you work with multiple contributors who have access to your site.
Plugins like Sucuri or the free Activity Log plugin make it easy to set up and monitor these logs, adding an extra layer of security to your WordPress site.
11. Switch Your WordPress Site to SSL/HTTPS
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encrypts the connection between your website and your visitors, protecting sensitive information like login details or payment data. Once enabled, your site’s URL will display HTTPS instead of HTTP, along with a padlock icon, signaling a secure connection.
Thankfully, SSL certificates are now more accessible than ever. Many hosting providers include free SSL certificates, often through Let’s Encrypt, a trusted non-profit backed by tech giants like Google and Mozilla. If your host doesn’t provide one, you can purchase a reliable SSL certificate from providers like Domain.com for enhanced security and added trust for your users.
Secure your WordPress site today—it’s an essential step to protect your visitors and boost their confidence in your website.
12. Upgrade to the Latest PHP Version
Keeping your WordPress site secure starts with using the latest version of PHP. Each update strengthens security, boosts performance, and ensures compatibility with newer plugins and themes.
When an upgrade is available, WordPress will notify you on your dashboard. Simply log into your hosting account to update PHP or contact your web developer if you don’t have access. Staying up to date with PHP versions is a small step that goes a long way in protecting your site.
13. Run Frequent Website Backups
Regular backups are your safety net for unexpected issues. Whether it’s a hack, a plugin failure, or an accidental error, having a recent backup ensures you can restore your WordPress site quickly and minimize downtime.
Make it a habit to back up your website regularly, including all important files and data. This simple precaution saves you from headaches and helps you bounce back effortlessly if something goes wrong. Don’t leave it to chance—secure your site with frequent backups.
Why Do You Need to Secure a WordPress Website?
Securing your WordPress website is essential to protecting your data, reputation, and users’ information. If a WordPress site is compromised, it can lead to loss of valuable data, damage to your credibility, and potential exposure of customer information.
With the growing scale of cybercrime, estimated to reach $10.5 trillion in damages annually by 2025, no website owner wants to become a target.
Common WordPress security vulnerabilities to watch out for include:
- Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): Forces users to perform unwanted actions in a trusted application, posing risks to account security.
- Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack: Overwhelms a site with excessive traffic, making it inaccessible to legitimate users.
- Authentication Bypass: Allows hackers to access your site’s resources without proper verification, compromising your content and data.
- SQL Injection (SQLi): Executes harmful SQL queries that can manipulate or steal data within your database.
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Injects malicious code, potentially transforming your site into a carrier of malware.
- Local File Inclusion (LFI): Triggers your site to process harmful files on the server, risking data and site functionality.
Understanding these vulnerabilities emphasizes why proactive security measures are crucial for keeping your site safe from potential attacks.
Conclusion
Cyber threats can take many forms, and with WordPress being such a popular platform, it often becomes a target for hackers. Protecting your WordPress site isn’t something you can set up once and forget; it requires ongoing attention and updates as new risks emerge.
By staying proactive and implementing key security measures, you can greatly reduce vulnerabilities and keep your site—and your visitors’ data—safe. Regularly assessing your security practices will help you stay one step ahead.
Hopefully, this guide has given you a solid foundation for securing your WordPress website and keeping it safe from potential threats.
FAQs
How can I tell if my WordPress site has been hacked?
Here are some signs your WordPress site may have been compromised:
- A security warning appears when you load your URL.
- Your security plugin reports an unusual issue.
- You receive an email from your host about a problem.
- Your website redirects to another site without you setting up that redirect.
- Strange lines of code show up on your site’s pages.
- Your site is completely down (although other issues could also cause this).
- Ads on your site redirect visitors to suspicious websites.
- Your site suddenly loads very slowly or behaves oddly.
What actions should I take if my website is hacked?
If you suspect your website has been hacked, stay calm but act quickly. Start by contacting your web hosting company—they often have tools and support to help address security issues. You might also consider using a security plugin or consulting a security expert to thoroughly clean your site.
If you have a recent backup, restoring your site from it can be a fast way to undo the damage. Remember to change all of your passwords, including those for your WordPress admin, database, and FTP.
Taking these steps promptly can help you regain control and secure your website.
