{"id":7202,"date":"2020-06-22T12:18:22","date_gmt":"2020-06-22T10:18:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xneelo.co.za\/insights\/?p=7202"},"modified":"2024-04-09T14:39:38","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T12:39:38","slug":"how-to-keep-your-wordpress-site-secure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xneelo.co.za\/insights\/how-to-keep-your-wordpress-site-secure\/","title":{"rendered":"How to keep your WordPress site secure"},"content":{"rendered":"

How secure is WordPress?<\/b> It’s a common search term on Google, indicating it’s a question many website owners have asked in the past. You might think that because WordPress is an open source platform (meaning that anyone can contribute to its development) it is more vulnerable to security threats. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Contributors have to follow stringent <\/span>security protocols.<\/span><\/a> Plus WordPress has its own <\/span>security team<\/span><\/a> who regularly check for vulnerabilities, run security tests and work closely with the product team to ensure each update is more secure than the last. <\/span><\/p>\n

All that aside, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and do everything you can to ensure your WordPress website is 100% secure. <\/span><\/p>\n

WordPress is one of the most popular Content Management Systems (CMS) on the internet. This popularity makes it more of a target for hackers. No matter what CMS you use, it\u2019s important to run security checks on a regular basis. <\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve outlined 6 security checks all website owners should run.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to maintain WordPress security<\/span><\/h2>\n

Poor password management, weak system admin, outdated plugins and components or outdated code. These are just a few aspects that impact the security of a system if you\u2019re not on top of them. <\/span><\/p>\n

Keeping your WordPress website secure<\/span><\/a> should be part of your website maintenance routine. It is vital to keep an eye on the <\/span>health of your website<\/span><\/a> and embrace new security advancements: the more time you invest in adding additional security layers, the more you benefit.<\/span><\/p>\n

By default, WordPress comes with a good security layer to launch your website. But maintaining the best security practices is imperative to keep hackers at bay.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are 6 of the  best security measures you can undertake to secure your website:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Keeping WordPress core, plugins and themes up to date<\/span><\/h3>\n

WordPress\u2019s core security is maintained by the WordPress security team who work with many contributors and developers from around the world. Whenever a new bug is discovered, an updated core release is broadcast. When you log in to WordPress as an admin, you\u2019ll be prompted to update to the latest core release. This is a simple click update.<\/span><\/p>\n

Be wary of plugins from untrustworthy sources. Plugins are the cause of <\/span>92% of WordPress vulnerabilities.<\/span><\/a> It\u2019s important to remember that the WordPress security team is not responsible for 1000s of plugins and themes available. These are manually checked by volunteers. Reputable plugins and themes have been downloaded many times and their code is constantly maintained. You should research any plugin before installing it to ensure you\u2019re making a sensible choice. <\/span><\/p>\n

You may notice that some plugins are not compatible with the version of WordPress you\u2019re using. This normally means the plugin has not been kept up to date by the developer. If you come across a warning like this, it\u2019s best to avoid using these plugins.<\/span><\/p>\n

These are a few <\/span>secure and popular WordPress plugins<\/span><\/a> from WordPress.org.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Use strong passwords<\/span><\/h3>\n

A weak password is the first vulnerability hackers look for. Avoid simple and easy to guess passwords: <\/span>here\u2019s a list<\/span><\/a> of the most commonly used passwords.<\/span><\/p>\n

Strengthening your password is  an important step in stopping brute-force attacks on your website, including:<\/span><\/p>\n