WordPress powers a huge chunk of the World Wide Web’s websites, and it’s not hard to see why. With its easy-to-use navigation, it’s easy for anyone to create a website quickly and easily, even beginners. What’s less obvious is website security. How can you make sure that your newly launched website is as safe as can be? Read on for three simple tips.
1. Install a secure certificate
That is, an SSL certificate. Short for secure sockets layer, an SSL certificate is a critical element of website security in this day and age. It uses a process known as encryption to keep information sent between your server and a user’s browser private, so that sensitive data cannot be intercepted by potential prying eyes. Not only is SSL good for user security, but it will also make search engines and web browsers like you.
Many search engines, such as Google, actually give SEO points to websites with SSL, so it could help improve your search engine ranking. In terms of web browsers, most major ones expect websites to have SSL these days from Trusted Certificate Authority. If a website doesn’t have SSL, users will likely be hit with a “this site is not secure” message. Most users will not continue to browse such a site (and can you blame them?) This is why SSL is basically mandatory for websites in this day and age.
2. Change your login page
A fairly simple security precaution is changing your default login page for WordPress. All WordPress sites have the same login page by default. For instance, if your site was called example.com, the login page would either be: www.example.com/wp-login.php or www.example.com/wp-admin. Because this is generally known information, it gives hackers an advantage if they’re looking to compromise your site, as your login page will be easy to find. Changing your login page to a unique address that only you know will slow hackers down and make things a lot harder.
3. Be selective with plugins
Plugins are also one of the key appeals of WordPress. You can customize and improve your site in just a few clicks by simply installing one of the thousands of plugins available. Getting the right plugins is essential for your site security. Firstly, by getting a good all-in-one security plugin that does everything from regularly scanning your site for malware to implementing a good firewall, you’ll have many security basics taken care of right off the bat.
But notice that we said “right” plugins. Because while there are a vast number of plugins available on WordPress, not all of them are created equal. Before choosing a plugin, you must make sure it is created by a reputable developer and has been recently updated. Check reviews and research the reputation of the developer. Recent updates are essential for plugins, because out-of-date code is a very easy way for hackers to break into your site. So be discerning with the plugins you choose and make sure to update them often.
Conclusion
WordPress sites are typically easy to create and they’re also pretty easy to secure! By getting an SSL certificate, changing your login page, choosing a good security plugin, and updating all your plugins frequently, your site will be off to a good start security-wise!
