Update your WordPress site
This is number one thing to do when you are hacking other people’s websites. If there is too much software that isn’t up to date, then it can be easy for hackers to get in. Even if you don’t hack their website, someone could have left a back door open.
WordPress has a function called ‘Update All Plugins’ which will check for updates available for any plugin you want to install. It also checks for updated versions of the WordPress core files (the most important file being wp-blog-index.php).
There is a section within this document where we explain how to update all plugins. Just note this step before proceeding.
Use an encrypted password
Most people know to use strong passwords when choosing a username and password for their account. But in fact, you should only be using very strong passwords if you choose to identify yourself with that username and password.
It is not safe to do so.
Anyone can create a username or login to an account online and pretend to be someone they are not.
You may think it’s safer to give out personal information like your phone number or email address, but hackers have become much more sophisticated over the past few years.
They can search engines, find our data (often collected unknowingly), steal our usernames and passwords from sites we’ve used, and then move up the ladder trying to get access to our accounts.
Very often, these hackers ask for things like credit card details, home addresses, and social security numbers. They also try to fool people into giving them children’s names or other common names.
Even if a hacker isn’t able to obtain valid credentials, they can still inflict damage by changing settings, viewing confidential info, and even deleting users files.
Thus, creating a unique password is crucial when protecting one’s self between cyber crime.
Use a unique password for your account
This is probably one of the most important tips listed here, and it’s also something that can be changed in your WordPress dashboard.
When you create an account with wordpress or login to your account,you will need to create a simple password made up of letters and numbers (no special characters).
You will have to do this every time you log in. A long-term member of wordpress team who has worked on wordpress since early 2010 says that we all use a random string of letters as passwords, which they call “password salt”.
What does this mean? Well, it means that even though he knows his username, birthday, phone number, etc., you never know if this information will be put together into a password.
That doesn’t feel secure.
He recommends having at least a second password from another source before using it, just in case but then again,if it’s good enough for the website it’s good enough for him![title] Disable comments on your blog posts. [step] Comments below posted articles are not necessary and tend to clutter up your homepage and inbox. You can disable them by going to their section in your settings page and changing the setting from comment to nothing.
Comments above blogs are useful but people often leave spam links in there so I recommend turning these off too.
Do not share your password
There are several reasons why you might want to make your wordpress login information public. For instance, if you have an account on someone else’s website but they did not give you permission to use their username and password then you can try opening up your own site and using that for fear that they will find another way to log in.
You could also be passionate about what you write and wish to connect with other people who like writing as well. You should keep in mind that publishing content on a massive platform such as wordpress comes with extra security risks.
Anyone can start a blog and publish articles, but it takes work and expertise to maintain a large readership and create interesting content. If you plan to promote your blog and reach out to new audiences, there’s no reason you need to risk losing access to your account due to malware or hacking.
Check your password
Passwords are the weakest link of any security system. It is very easy to hack into another person’s website or account without them knowing it.
Most people use the same passwords for everything. This is a bad thing, as hackers know this too. If you have several websites, there is no point in using the same password across all of them.
If someone hacks one site, they will probably try others too. By having different passwords for each site, you are keeping hackers out who might otherwise have access to your Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, or other accounts.
It is also important to change your passwords when you lose control of an account. Many times users become aware of an exposed account that has been hacked, only to discover its associated password.
When I worked at Apple, we would often see customers trying to log onto their iPhones with the same password they used in the previous model. Within months these phones would be running away with their wallets.
Be creative in your password selection criteria. In addition to including numbers, symbols, and upper- and lowercase letters, try combining two words together or coming up with something original.
Become familiar with the login page
Most people know that logging in to your WordPress account is done via a green button containing an icon of a closed padlock in the middle of the page.
However, many don’t realize that this simple feature is one of the most effective ways to protect your website from malicious hackers who may attempt to steal your information or hijack your site.
When anyone gets access to your personal WordPress dashboard (also known as the ‘login screen’), they can adjust some settings and completely erase your work. This includes removing all of your content and hacking your own username and password so they can use your space after breaking rules about user privacy.
Thus, giving yourself a chance to catch these things before you lose control over your site is very important. It also helps you avoid any future attacks.
Consequently, staying out of trouble for several hours while using your membership is always a good idea. Also, be sure to trust only authorized users to have access to your WP admin area.
Make sure you are familiar with the tools
There are many software programs that can help secure your WordPress site. Some of the most popular include Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Internet Explorer. Others include Flashblock for browsers such as YouTube or Google Maps.
These enable security features built into web browsers that make it difficult to open websites in “pop-up” messages or windows. When someone tries to access your website from an unknown location, they will be notified that they are entering an unsecured environment.
Securing your website is not something that should be taken lightly. Failure to protect your website may result in losing all of the work you have done to date.
Read about wordpress security
There are many ways to keep your site secure, even if you don’t know how to code. Here is a list of things we do to prevent people from hacking into our blogs.
We only allow comments on posts approved by admin before they are posted.
There is also a captcha (what shows when you put in text) after comments which people have to type in to verify that it is not spam or a bot. We also do follow up checks – anyone who doesn’t complete the check within 2 days isn’t allowed to comment anymore.
We use Captcha from Google as everyone has to install them for other reasons!
Keep your plugins up to date
Even if you don’t use another plugin, it is still important to keep your installed plugins updated. Once updates are available, WordPress will check for updates automatically when you next start your site. This protects you from vulnerable code that could be exploited by hackers or other online predators.
It also helps prevent recognition issues with your website content management system. Your web host may have recommended updates for your software.
You can also manually update your WordPress plugins. Head over to Tools » Update Manager in the Dashboard section of your admin area and click “Update Plugins” after selecting them from the menu.
These are security measures introduced on September 8, 2015. If you do not install these updated versions, you run the risk of having bugs that were not found safe.