WordPress Development Best Practices for Secure Sites

Securing your WordPress site is crucial in a world where cyber threats are ever-present. Here’s a straightforward guide to bolster your site’s defenses:

Update Everything: Keep WordPress, plugins, and themes up to date to patch security holes.
Strong Passwords and Usernames: Avoid ‘admin’ and use complex passwords.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of login security.
Limit Login Attempts: Prevent brute-force attacks by restricting login tries.
Web Application Firewall (WAF): Block malicious traffic before it reaches your site.
SSL Certificates: Encrypt data to protect sensitive information.
Regular Backups: Ensure you can recover your site in case of an attack or mishap.
Disable File Editing: Prevent direct file modifications within the WordPress dashboard.
Regular Security Scans: Detect and mitigate vulnerabilities or malware.

By implementing these best practices, you enhance your WordPress site’s security, making it a tougher target for hackers.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

This is when hackers sneak harmful code into a website. If they succeed, they can take over people’s accounts, change how the website looks, or spread viruses.

SQL Injection

Hackers use this trick to mess with a website’s database. They can get their hands on private information like usernames, credit card details, and other important stuff.

Authorization Bypass

This means hackers find a way to get into parts of a website they shouldn’t be able to. Once inside, they can do a lot of damage, like stealing information or messing up the website.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

DDoS attacks overload a website with too much traffic, making it impossible for regular visitors to get through. This can make a website go offline and become unavailable.

Spam Campaigns

Sometimes, hackers use websites to send out tons of unwanted emails. This can slow down the website and make it look bad to others.

Hackers might attack websites for money, to show off, or even because they think they’re helping in some way. But a lot of the time, they get in through weak spots like old plugins or easy-to-guess passwords. By keeping everything up to date, backing up your site, and using security tools like firewalls, you can help keep your website safe.

Choosing Secure WordPress Hosting

When you’re picking a place to host your WordPress site, it’s super important to go with one that takes security seriously. Here’s what to look for to make sure your site is in good hands:

Monitoring and Response

A solid hosting service keeps an eye out for any weird behavior or security risks on your site. They have tools and a team ready to jump in if something fishy pops up. Being quick to handle problems is key.

Automatic Security Updates

It’s vital that your host updates your WordPress and any plugins or themes you’re using without you having to do a thing. This helps close any security gaps that hackers might try to sneak through.

Backups and Restore Capabilities

If something goes wrong, you’ll want to be able to get your site back up and running quickly. A good host makes regular copies of your site and lets you easily restore it if needed.

Server-Level Security Features

The best hosts have strong security measures in place right on their servers. This includes things like firewalls, protection against DDoS attacks (when too many fake visitors crash your site), and keeping everything locked down tight.

Malware Scanning and Removal

Your host should regularly check your site for any malware and clean it up pronto if they find anything. This helps stop any attacks in their tracks.

High Availability and Uptime

You want your site to be available to visitors all the time. Good hosting services make sure of that, reducing the chances of your site being an easy target when it’s down.

User Access Controls

A secure host will give you tools to keep your account safe, like two-factor authentication and strong passwords. They also let you control who can do what on your site, which helps keep things secure.

Picking a host that checks all these boxes means your WordPress site will be much safer from online threats. Keeping an eye out for updates, backups, malware checks, and strong user security can make a big difference.

Keeping WordPress Core, Plugins and Themes Updated

It’s super important to keep your WordPress site and everything in it, like plugins and themes, up to date. WordPress is used by lots of websites, which makes it a big target for people trying to break in. If you don’t update, you’re leaving the door open for these bad guys to get in, mess things up, or steal information.

Here’s how to stay on top of updates and keep your site safe:

Enable Auto-Updates

WordPress Core: You can set up your site to automatically update itself for small, important changes. For big updates, you’ll need to do it yourself to make sure everything still works together.
Plugins: It’s better to update your plugins one at a time automatically. If something goes wrong, your whole site won’t go down. Try things out on a test site first if you can.
Themes: Use a theme that gets regular security updates from the people who made it.

Schedule Regular Manual Updates

Mark your calendar to check for updates twice a month.
Keep an eye on when new updates are coming and plan accordingly.
Read what’s new in each update to understand how it helps keep your site safe.

Monitor Site Health

Use tools that tell you when updates are needed so you can act fast.
Look at error messages to catch problems early.
Have a test version of your site to make sure updates don’t break anything before you make them live.

Backup Before Updates

Always save a copy of your site before you update anything. This way, if something goes wrong, you can go back to how things were.
Set up automatic backups every day through your hosting service or by using a backup plugin.
Make sure to also save backups somewhere else, not just on your site, in case of emergencies.

Keeping your WordPress site updated is a bit of work, but it’s a big part of keeping it safe from hackers. Making updates automatic where you can and setting reminders for yourself can make it easier to manage while protecting your site.

It’s super important to have strong passwords for your WordPress site to keep it safe. Here’s how to do it in simple steps:

Pick Hard-to-Guess Passwords

Mix up big and small letters, numbers, and special characters like @ or #
Go for passwords that are long, at least 12 characters
Stay away from easy stuff like your name or birthday
Think about using a password manager app to help you keep track of tough passwords

Don’t Stick with ‘Admin’

Change the default ‘admin’ username to something that’s not so obvious
If you’ve got old admin accounts, get rid of them after making new ones

Use a plugin that stops people after they guess wrong a few times
This helps stop attacks where hackers try many passwords to get in

Add an Extra Security Step with Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

This means you need a second code to log in, which you can get through email, a text, or an app
Even if someone knows your password, they can’t get in without this code

Use a Password Manager

Apps like LastPass and 1Password can make up, keep, and fill in strong passwords for you
Make sure to turn on two-factor authentication for these apps too

Change Your Passwords Often

It’s a good idea to get a new password every three months
If someone does get your password, changing it often means they won’t have it for long

By following these steps, you make it much harder for anyone to sneak into your site. Using tough passwords, limiting guesses, adding an extra step with 2FA, and keeping your passwords fresh are great ways to keep your WordPress site secure.

Enabling Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is like adding an extra lock on your door. Even if someone knows your password, they can’t get in without this second key. It’s a great way to keep your WordPress site safer.

There are a bunch of plugins that help you add this extra security step:

Installing a 2FA Plugin

First, you need to pick and set up a plugin that adds 2FA. Some good ones include Google Authenticator, Authy Two Factor Authentication, or Wordfence 2FA.

Configuring the Plugin

After you’ve got it:

Head to the plugin’s settings page.
Look for options to turn on and set up 2FA.
Decide if you want codes sent by SMS, email, or an authenticator app.
Follow the steps to scan a QR code or type in a secret key.
Put in the code that pops up to link your account and you’re all set.

Enforcing 2FA

To make your site even safer, make sure everyone has to use 2FA to log in. This is really important for anyone with access to the important stuff, like admins.

Backup Verification Codes

Don’t forget to save the backup codes somewhere safe. They’re your lifeline if you ever lose your phone or can’t get to your email.

By making sure everyone uses 2FA, especially those with admin or special access, you’re adding a big layer of security to your WordPress site. Just remember to keep those backup codes in a safe spot.

Using a Web Application Firewall

Think of web application firewalls (WAFs) as a big, strong guard that stops hackers from doing things like sneaking in bad code or trying to steal data from your WordPress site. As your site gets bigger, having a WAF is really important to keep out these kinds of threats.

Here’s how to use a WAF to protect your WordPress site:

Choose a Reputable WAF Service

Pick a well-known service like Cloudflare, Wordfence, or Sucuri that offers WAF protection. These services have a big list of known bad stuff and automatically block it for you. Just turn on the firewall, and they’ll take care of the rest.

Configure Custom WAF Rules

You can also set up your own rules. For example, you might only allow certain computers to access the parts of your site where you log in or make changes. Or block certain types of suspicious internet traffic. Tailoring rules like this can make your site even safer.

Enable Anomaly Detection

Some advanced WAFs use smart technology to notice when something unusual is happening. This can help protect against new kinds of attacks that aren’t on the usual list of bad stuff.

Monitor WAF Logs

It’s a good idea to regularly check the logs from your firewall. This helps you see if there are any patterns or repeated attempts to break into your site. Catching these early can help you stop bigger problems before they start.

By using a WAF, you’re putting up a strong defense for your WordPress site. It helps block a lot of common attacks and keeps an eye out for anything unusual. Checking in on what your firewall is doing can also help you stay one step ahead of hackers. Using a WAF is a smart move for keeping your WordPress site safe.

Securing Connections with SSL Certificates

SSL certificates are like secret codes that make sure nobody can sneak a peek at what you’re sending or getting from a website, like your passwords or credit card numbers. Here’s how to get one and set it up to keep your WordPress site safe.

Obtaining an SSL Certificate

Here’s how you can get an SSL certificate:

Buy from a Company: Some places sell SSL certificates. They check your site and give you a certificate that proves it’s really yours.
Get One for Free from Let’s Encrypt: This group gives away SSL certificates for free, but you’ll need to update it every few months.
From Your Web Host: A lot of web hosting services give you an SSL certificate when you use their service. It’s the easiest way since you don’t have to do much.

If you’re buying one, the ones that check your site more (like OV or EV certificates) are better because they show visitors your site is safe.

Installing the SSL Certificate

After getting your certificate, here’s how to set it up:

Shared Hosting

If you’re using shared hosting, there’s usually an easy way to do this in your hosting control panel.

Dedicated or Managed WordPress Hosting

Your hosting service will take care of it and tell you how to make sure your site uses HTTPS.

Self-Hosted WordPress Servers

You’ll have to set it up yourself by changing some settings on your server. It’s a bit technical.

Enforcing HTTPS Site-Wide

You’ll want to make sure your whole site uses HTTPS so everything is secure. How you do this:

Managed WordPress Hosts

They usually handle this for you.

Self-Hosted WordPress

You can use a plugin that makes sure your site always uses HTTPS.

By setting up an SSL certificate and making sure your site uses HTTPS, you’re keeping everything that’s sent or received on your site safe from prying eyes.

Regularly Backing Up Your Website

Think of backing up your WordPress site like making a copy of all your important stuff so you don’t lose it if something bad happens. It’s super important because it can save you a lot of headaches.

Why Backups Are Essential

Here are a few times when having a backup can really help:

If your site gets hacked or gets a virus, you can use a backup to fix it quickly.
Sometimes updates can mess up your site. If you have a backup, you can just go back to how things were before.
If your web host has problems and your site goes down or loses data, you can get it back with a backup.
If you accidentally delete something important on your site, having a backup means you can get it back.

Without a backup, fixing these problems could mean losing important stuff, visitors, or even money.

Backup Security Best Practices

Here’s how to keep your backups safe and ready to use:

Store backups offsite – Don’t keep them where your website is hosted. This way, if your site has problems, your backups are safe.
Encrypt backups – This makes sure only people who should see your backups can, by scrambling the data.
Limit backup access – Only let a few trusted people get to your backups to keep them secure.
Use trusted backup services – Go for well-known backup plugins like UpdraftPlus, VaultPress, or BackupBuddy because they’re reliable.

Recommended Backup Plugins

Here are some good plugins that can automatically back up your WordPress site:

UpdraftPlus – A lot of sites use this. It can save your backups in the cloud and lets you set up automatic schedules.
VaultPress – Part of Jetpack/WordPress.com. It backs up your site in real time and stores it safely in the cloud.
BackupBuddy – Good for bigger sites. It backs up everything, including your database, themes, and plugins, and keeps it safe offsite.

Picking one of these plugins can help make sure you always have a backup ready just in case you need it. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Limiting how many times someone can try to log into your WordPress site is a smart way to stop hackers from guessing your password. Hackers use programs that try lots of different passwords really quickly. If you only let someone try to log in a few times before blocking them, it can stop these hacking attempts.

Here are some easy ways to limit login tries on your WordPress site:

Use a Plugin to Enforce Attempt Limits

Plugins like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded help you control how many times someone can try to log in and get it wrong. You can choose how many tries they get and how long they have to wait if they use up all their tries. A good starting point is 3-5 tries within 10-20 minutes.

Adjust Settings Appropriately

You want to make sure you’re being fair. If you make the login tries too strict, even people who are supposed to be on your site might get locked out by mistake. Try starting with a few tries and see how it goes.

Allowlist Your Own IP Address

Make sure to add your own IP address and those of other people who manage the site to a special list that won’t get blocked. This way, you won’t lock yourself out. The plugin you use should have a way to do this.

Use Captchas and Other Checks

Adding extra steps like CAPTCHAs (those little tests that make sure you’re a human) or questions can make your site even safer. Some plugins offer these features along with limiting login attempts.

By keeping the number of login tries low, you make it hard for hackers to get into your site with guessed passwords. Remember to use strong passwords and consider other security steps like two-factor authentication for even better protection. Just be careful not to make it too hard for the real users of your site.

Disabling File Editing in WordPress

Via wp-config.php

To stop people from being able to edit files directly in the WordPress dashboard, you can add this line to your wp-config.php file:

define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true );

This step makes sure no one can use the file editor.

Using Security Plugins

Some security plugins can also help you turn off the file editor or just let certain people use it:

iThemes Security – This plugin lets you turn off the file editor in the "System Tweaks" area. You can choose to turn it off for everyone or just some users.
Wordfence – With Wordfence, you can stop certain users from accessing the file editor. Look under "All Options" > "File System Security" to set this up.
Disable File Editor – If you’re just looking to turn off the file editor and don’t need other security features, this simple plugin will do the job.

Picking one of these plugins might be a good idea if you want to control who can and can’t use the file editor. Always check to make sure turning off the editor doesn’t cause any issues with how your site works.

Conducting Regular Security Scans

Running regular security checks on your WordPress site is super important. It helps you spot any weak spots or nasty bugs (like malware) early on, so you can fix them before they cause trouble. Here’s how to keep on top of security scans with some easy steps.

Use Automated Scanning Plugins

The simplest way to keep an eye on your site’s security is by using plugins that do the scanning for you:

Wordfence – This plugin checks your site every day for security problems and will let you know if it finds anything.
Sucuri – Offers daily checks for bad stuff like malware and also keeps an eye on your site’s overall health. It has both free and paid options.
VaultPress – Scans your site automatically, especially after any updates, to make sure everything is still secure.

Turn on automatic scans in these plugins, so you don’t have to remember to do it yourself. But, it’s still a good idea to look at the scan results yourself now and then to catch any small issues.

Schedule Manual Scans

Even with automatic scans, it’s smart to do a full manual check of your site about once a month. This double-checks everything to make sure nothing was missed.

Plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri make it easy to do a manual scan with just a click. If you don’t have these, you can use free online tools like Sucuri SiteCheck to scan for malware.

Mark your calendar as a reminder to do these manual scans. It’s an easy step that can make a big difference.

Monitor Scan Results and Logs

Always take a close look at the results from your scans. This helps you spot any patterns or repeated problems that need fixing:

Fix detected issues immediately – Quick fixes stop small problems from turning into big ones.
Understand risk levels – Some issues are more serious than others. Deal with the big risks first.
Check for repeated findings – Seeing the same problem over and over? It’s time to find a permanent fix.

Keeping an eye on your scan results helps you stay ahead of potential security issues, making your WordPress site safer for everyone.

By setting up regular automatic and manual scans, you’re doing a big part of keeping your WordPress site secure. It’s all about catching and fixing problems before they can do any harm.

Conclusion

Making sure your WordPress site is safe is super important, especially since so many websites use WordPress. This makes them a big target for people trying to break into websites. But, there are steps you can take to make your site much harder to hack.

Here’s what you should do:

Always update WordPress, your plugins, and themes to fix any security holes.
Use strong passwords and turn on two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security.
Set a limit on how many times someone can try to log in to stop hackers from guessing your password.
Install a web application firewall to keep an eye on your site’s traffic and block anything fishy.
Get an SSL certificate to keep the data on your site safe.
Back up your site often so you can quickly fix things if something goes wrong.
Regularly check your site for malware or any signs that someone tried to mess with it.

No website is completely safe, but doing these things makes it much tougher for hackers. It’s like adding more locks to your door. Security is something you have to keep working on because threats are always changing.

Remember, keeping your WordPress site secure isn’t just a one-time job. It’s something you need to keep an eye on all the time. Tools and plugins from companies like Wordfence can help make this easier by offering security features and advice.

By starting with good security habits and keeping up with maintenance, your WordPress site can be a safe place on the internet. While there’s always a risk, being prepared is your best defense. With the right steps, you can build a WordPress site that’s both powerful and secure.

What are the best practices for securing a WordPress website?

To keep your WordPress site safe, remember to:

Always update WordPress, along with your plugins and themes
Don’t stick with the default “admin” username
Pick strong passwords and change them often
Use two-factor authentication (2FA) for an extra layer of security
Make regular backups of your site
Scan your site for bad software regularly
Set up your files with the right security permissions

How do I make my WordPress website safer?

Follow these 11 steps to boost your WordPress site’s security:

Choose a hosting service that’s known for being secure
Always keep your WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated
Use usernames and passwords that are hard to guess
Back up your site somewhere other than your hosting
Protect your site from too many login tries
Use tools to check for malware and other security risks
Set up monitoring to alert you if your site goes down

How much secure is a WordPress website?

WordPress sites can be easy targets for hackers if they’re not kept up to date, if passwords are weak, or if they don’t have good security measures in place. Hackers might sneak in, spread malware, or take over your site. Using the right security practices, like updates and backups, helps keep your WordPress site safe.

How do I prevent malware on my WordPress site?

To stop malware from getting onto your WordPress site, you can:

Keep everything updated since old versions of software are often how malware gets in
Use plugins like Wordfence for checking your site for malware
Be careful with links or files that look suspicious
Stop too many login tries to prevent brute force attacks
Always use strong passwords and turn on 2FA