Securing your WordPress Website

WordPress is the largest CMS (Content Management System) in the world, with over 60% of market share in the CMS market. WordPress started in 2003, it now powers 39.5% of all websites on the internet. With its popularity, WordPress has become an attractive target for hackers. If your website gets hacked, hackers can steal you and your client’s private personal data. Infected websites can also be used to attack other websites, or to send out mass spam. Follow our guide below as we walk you through the easy steps to securing your WordPress website.

Keep Your WordPress Updated

According to studies, 44% of reported hacking was caused by outdated WordPress websites. Of all vulnerabilities facing WordPress, 52% was related to outdated plugins. It is very important to keep your WordPress website updated. To update your WordPress core installation:

1. Click on Dashboard on the left menu, then click on Updates. If there is a new version of WordPress, it will be listed here.

Automatic background update was introduced with version 3.7 back in 2013. However the automatic updates do not include updates to plugins. In order to turn on automatic updates for plugins, first you need to make sure you have WordPress 5.5 and above. Follow the steps above to update your WordPress core.

Once done, follow the instructions below to enable auto plugin updates:

1. Login to your WordPress admin. Mouse down the left menu and click on Plugins.

2. Check the box next to plugins to select all the plugins. Then click on Bulk Actions drop-down menu above and select "Enable Auto-updates".

Updating WordPress plugins select checkbox

3. Click Apply, now all your plugins will be automatically updated.

Updating WordPress plugins apply updates

Update Your Password

Creating a strong password will prevent you from getting bruteforce attacked. Hackers can crack short and easy passwords in a matter of hours. If you have not updated your password in the past year, we recommend reading our "How To Create A Strong Password In 2021" article to learn how to create a strong password for your site. To update your WordPress admin password:

1. Click on Users, then Profile.

2. Mouse down and click Set New Password, give it a strong password, then click on Update Profile below.

Install Wordfence Security Plugin

Wordfence is a popular firewall security plugin with built-in malware scanning. It has over 150 million downloads and is completely free to use. Wordfence will help you secure your WordPress website, prevent bruteforce login attacks, scan your installation for vulnerabilities, and email you reports of activities and warnings.

To install Wordfence:

1. Mouse over to Plugins, and click Add New.

2. Type in Wordfence under keyword search box, it will display Wordfence.

3. Click on Install Now, and once installed click on Activate. That’s it.

In Conclusion

WordPress is a very powerful tool that empowers users to create beautiful and professional websites. With the rise in its popularity, care must be taken to ensure a safe and enjoyable browsing experience for all. Securing your WordPress website is not only the responsible thing to do, but it’s also the right thing to do. If you need assistance with your WordPress website, call PSPinc today at 1-800-232-3989, or contact us online.

Looking for a WordPress host? Check out Dreamersi today. Secure and reliable web hosting, with easy 1-click WordPress installs.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

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Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.