WordPress powers a huge share of the world’s websites, which makes it a big target for hackers. Most attacks aren’t personal. Automated programs scan the internet around the clock, looking for any WordPress site with a weak password, an outdated plugin or an unprotected login page.
A hacked website can be costly. It can be defaced, used to spread malware, blacklisted by Google or have customer data stolen. If personal data is exposed, you may even need to report the breach to the Data Protection Commission under GDPR.
The good news is that a few sensible precautions make your website far less of a target. Here’s how we help protect our clients’ WordPress websites, and what you can do to keep yours safe.
1. We Create a New Entrance to Your Website
By default, the WordPress login page can be found at yourwebsite.com/wp-admin or yourwebsite.com/wp-login.php. Because this is the same on almost every WordPress website, hackers know exactly where to find your login page. From there, they can try endless combinations of usernames and passwords to break in.
At Whelan Web Design, we can change your login address to a unique URL that only you know. This stops most automated attacks before they even start and adds an extra layer of protection to your website.
2. We Safeguard Your Login Details
Today’s hackers use bots: programs that run through an endless stream of username and password combinations to try to gain access to your website. These are known as brute-force attacks.
To protect against them, we:
- Create strong, unique login details that are next to impossible to guess, even with bots
- Avoid obvious usernames such as “admin”, which is often the first one hackers try
- Limit login attempts, so anyone who enters the wrong details too many times is locked out
- Set up two-factor authentication (2FA), so logging in needs a code from your phone as well as your password
- Install security software that blocks suspicious activity and alerts you when someone tries to access your website
3. We’re Picky About Plugins
Plugins add features to your WordPress website, such as contact forms, online shops and booking systems. But every plugin is also a potential way in for hackers.
Most WordPress security problems come from plugins and themes that are outdated, poorly coded or no longer supported by their developers. When a security flaw is discovered in a plugin, hackers quickly start targeting websites that haven’t installed the fix.
That’s why we only use well-built, reputable and actively maintained plugins, and we keep the number of plugins on your website to what you actually need. Fewer plugins means fewer potential weak spots.
4. We Keep Everything Up to Date
WordPress itself, along with its themes and plugins, is regularly updated to fix security issues. Running old versions leaves your website exposed to problems that have already been solved.
Keeping WordPress, your theme and your plugins up to date is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your website. We test updates before applying them to make sure nothing breaks along the way.
5. We Back Up Your Website
Even with the best protection, it’s important to be prepared. Regular backups mean that if anything does go wrong, your website can be restored quickly with minimal disruption to your business.
Backups should be automatic, taken regularly and stored somewhere separate from your website, so they’re safe even if your website or server is compromised.
Other Ways to Keep Your Website Secure
- Use an SSL certificate so your website loads over a secure “https” connection. This protects your visitors’ data and helps your Google rankings.
- Choose good-quality hosting with built-in security features, firewalls and malware scanning.
- Give users only the access they need. Not everyone who works on your website needs full administrator access.
- Remove old user accounts belonging to former staff or contractors.
Keep Your Website Safe and Secure
Your website is one of your most valuable business assets, so it’s worth protecting properly. A secure login, strong passwords, carefully chosen plugins, regular updates and reliable backups will keep your WordPress website safe from the vast majority of attacks.
If you’d like a secure WordPress website built for your business, or help protecting the one you already have, get in touch with Whelan Web Design. We’re a Waterford-based web design agency helping businesses across Ireland, building websites that perform well, look great and stay secure.
