Want to improve your WordPress security? I am sharing all the tips and tricks I have learned while running many WordPress blogs and websites. Just to let you know, in recent times, WordPress has been a major target for hackers. Many users have asked, “Is WordPress safe?” And here is my answer: Yes, WordPress is secure. However, when we use various plugins, themes, and sometimes poor hosting, it leads to bad security practices and makes our WordPress website vulnerable to attacks and hacks.
Fact: WordPress powers almost 33% of the world’s websites, making it not only the most popular CMS platform but also a major target for hacking. As an end user, there are several things you can do to secure your WordPress website.
My site has been hacked twice in the past for WP security issues (at least that’s what they claimed). They infiltrated my site, left it with an ugly black background, and added GIF images of a crow. This is what pushed me to explore how WordPress security can be strengthened.
Over the course of 10 years, I have learned many strategies that I am sharing with you today so hackers won’t have to bother destroying your WordPress website.
If WordPress is safe, why is WordPress security important? As I mentioned above, WordPress is protected by default, but when you host it on an unsafe server or add new code in the form of themes and plugins, you increase the chances of being hacked.
For personal gain, hackers usually hack a WordPress site by adding backlinks to spammy sites or redirecting your WordPress site to another website. Sometimes it’s done so secretly that you don’t even realize you were hacked or that a backdoor was installed. Meanwhile, website owners start losing traffic over time (even though SEO looks fine), and when they finally discover the real problem, the situation is already out of their hands.
What’s worse, your site could be blacklisted by major blacklist authorities. This can cost you significant time and money to fix.
According to security firm Sucuri, of all the CMS platforms they cleaned in 2018, WordPress represented 90% of affected sites. These are scary numbers for any WordPress owner, and this is why it is extremely important to roll up your sleeves and follow best practices to secure your website.
Let’s see the 14 proven tips to secure your WordPress website.
Configure WordPress backups. Although I’ve listed many proven tips below, nothing matters if you lose everything and have no backup. Not setting up proper WordPress backups is one of the biggest mistakes people make. When large sites like Sony or Dropbox can be hacked, your WordPress blog is also vulnerable. Always take a daily backup of your blog. You can use your hosting backup system or third-party tools like VaultPress or UpDraftPlus. If your hosting provider backs up your site, make sure backups are stored on a different server.
Use a secure and reliable hosting company. Your WordPress installation is simply software running on a server. Secure hosting is the foundation of a secure website. A reliable WordPress hosting company should offer a server-level firewall, updated hardware, a top-tier data center, routine OS updates, and intrusion detection systems. If your hosting provider lacks security, switching to a secure provider like Bluehost, SiteGround, GoDaddy, or HostGator can make a big difference.
Use the latest version of WordPress. Keeping WordPress updated is one of the simplest yet most essential security measures. Each update includes bug fixes, new features, and critical security improvements. Update immediately when prompted. Use one-click updates and verify that your themes and plugins are compatible with the latest version.
Update WordPress plugins. Plugins also release updates to fix bugs and security issues. A weak plugin or script can expose your site to attacks, as seen with past vulnerabilities like TimThumb. Always use well-maintained plugins with active support. If a plugin hasn’t been updated for a long time, find a replacement.
Use the latest PHP version. PHP is the backbone of WordPress. Currently, PHP 7.3 is the latest version. Older versions (below 7.1) no longer receive security updates. According to WordPress statistics, about 71.8% of WP websites run outdated PHP. Create a staging site to test PHP upgrades, then ask your hosting provider to update your live version.
Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF). A firewall filters threats before they reach your server. You can use network-level, host-level, or cloud-based WAFs. Cloud-based WAFs like Cloudflare and Sucuri are the most practical and affordable for WordPress users. They protect against XSS, SQL injection, session hijacking, and more.
Hide your WordPress version. If your version number is visible, hackers can target your site based on known vulnerabilities. Most modern themes hide this automatically, but you can ensure it by adding a line to your functions.php file.
Use a complex login password. Many people still use weak passwords like “password,” “ilovefood,” or “123123.” Use strong passwords with special characters and change them every few months. The Login Lockdown plugin helps block repeated failed login attempts from the same IP. Using a password manager also improves security.
Change your WordPress login URL. By changing your login page (e.g., from wp-admin to a custom URL), you prevent many automated attacks. This is especially useful for websites with multiple contributors or limited admin access.
Set alerts for Google-indexed pages. You can use Google Alerts to notify you when new pages under your domain are indexed. Hackers sometimes add hidden pages that don’t appear in your WordPress dashboard but are indexed by Google. Alerts help detect suspicious activity early.
Check WordPress folder file permissions. Using cPanel or FTP, check file permissions on your WordPress folders. If permissions are set to 744 (read-only), that’s secure. If they are set to 777, your site is dangerously exposed. Always verify permissions, especially after switching hosting providers.
Delete the default admin user. The username “admin” is a common target for brute-force attacks. Create a new admin account with a unique username, log into it, and delete the old “admin” account. Assign all posts to your new user.
Hide the plugins directory. Your plugins folder should not publicly display its contents. If visiting /wp-content/plugins/ shows a list of files, you need to block it. Add a simple .htaccess file inside the plugins folder to hide the directory.
Turn off database errors. Older WordPress versions displayed detailed MySQL errors that revealed sensitive database information. Update your WordPress installation so that it only displays generic error messages like “Database connection error.” This prevents exposing technical details to hackers.
WordPress Security: It’s up to you. I hope this guide has helped you understand the importance of WordPress security and encouraged you to strengthen your site. Always take regular automatic backups so you can restore your site quickly if anything happens. Let us know what security tips you use to keep your WordPress site safe.
