Many people on the internet use a type of software called CMS or Content Management System. Programs like WordPress and Joomla are a common target for attackers. The authors of these types of software publish what security updates have been implemented. If you don’t keep the software up-to-date, it can leave you wide open to attack. This quick blog post will help you to prevent WordPress website hacks and keep your site secure.
WordPress Website Hacks
Think about it, you’re a hacker and you see a security issue has been patched in the latest version of WordPress. The first thing you do is start scanning the internet for the previous version of WordPress to compromise the site with ease.
Another common problem is plugins. Whilst plugins add great functionality they can also leave a wide gap in your security. If you download a plugin from an unknown website or a nulled website it is likely going to have a security flaw in the code or a deliberate piece of code that can compromise your website. You wouldn’t install an app on your phone from an unknown source. Never do the same on your website.
Keeping Your WordPress Website Secure
Tips to ensure your website is never compromised
- Always set WordPress or other CMS applications to auto-update. This includes the core software, plugins and your theme. Use a child theme so you don’t lose any edits.
- Use an official plugin to automatically update everything for you each night. We recommend Easy Updates Manager which will update themes, plugins and the core WordPress software.
- Never, ever use plugins from random websites. Always use a plugin that has thousands of reviews and is from the WordPress repository. Using nulled plugins carries huge risks because the person who stripped the encryption from the plugin left some malicious code in.
- Create a hard admin password and. Use a password site like strong password generator to create your password.
- Always choose a WordPress Web Hosting provider that provides sym-link protection. Sym-links can be dangerous if a malicious user has access to an account on the server.
- If you run your own cPanel VPS Server, choose a KVM server for added protection and use a program like KernelCare which provides sym-link protection too. It’s always a good idea to change the standard SSH port.
Should your website be compromised then you can follow our advice for hacked websites to help you recover your site and data.
