WordPress Security for Beginners
WordPress is a great platform to use to voice your opinions, write down your ideas and let them loose on the internet. But of course by doing so, you could also be gaining attention from those who are interested in more than just browsing through your blog.
Since WordPress makes it easy for others to find your blog (even unintentionally if they’re just looking through wordpress.com), there’s a chance for to have more frequent visitors compared to if you were just blogging on your own personal web domain. Though this is generally considered a good thing since it can sometimes be easier to acquire a following, it can also drive hackers toward your page as well (the more popular a website is, the more appealing it may become to everyone, not just legitimate followers who are genuinely interested in your posts).
As with any other online account, hackers can make their way into your WordPress account if they choose. It’s also important to know that even by using prevention techniques, you’ll never be 100 percent protected from security threats online, but at the very least, you’ll be much more secure than the average user. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the things you can do to decrease your risk of having your WordPress account compromised.
Start With Software
Installing and utilizing security software is a good place to start. Even when you aren’t using WordPress, these programs can come in handy. They can also save you a lot of trouble over time because by using them, you’re less likely to have your connection hacked or deal with the devastating effects malware can have on your device (whether it be your computer, smartphone, or tablet, as these are available for all three).
If you don’t already have an anti-virus program installed, you should consider downloading one as soon as possible. Malware can be lurking just about anywhere on the net and an anti-virus program can do a pretty good job of protecting you from it. There’s also no reason not to have one, as you can acquire anti-virus programs for free. Panda Free AntiVirus, Avast, Malwarebytes, and AVG are some examples.
Many anti-virus programs also offer additional features if you decide to upgrade for a monthly fee. Though the free versions should do the trick just fine. Another program you should consider installing is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) since it’ll encrypt your internet connection, allowing you to safely log in and use your WordPress account while on the go. Public WiFi can be dangerous because it’s unsecured. A VPN will also allow you to bypass regional restrictions so you can unblock websites while you’re traveling.
It does this by masking your IP address; the IP address of the VPN shows instead of your own because a VPN is a remote server through which your internet traffic is routed. With your connection encrypted, you’re less likely to have your device hacked so this essentially protects all of your internet activity, rather than just your WordPress. As for cost, VPN service is typically subscription based at a price less than $15 per month, though free services are available as well.
Various Tips of WordPress Security for Beginners
Free VPN service might sound great, but the quality of the connection is lacking compared to a paid service, and unfortunately, customer service is almost non-existent. Because of this, it’s better to use a paid service such as ExpressVPN whenever possible; not only will you get round-the-clock customer service, but you’ll also get unlimited speed and bandwidth, as well as strong encryption and zero logging of your online activities.
It’s important to be aware though that even with a VPN securing your internet connection, your information could still become compromised. Sometimes hackers target companies’ databases, and when this happens, you really don’t have any way to prevent it (unless you, of course, signed up with false information and decided not to store any of your personal details on your online account).
Strong Passwords Can Help
One of the most common mistakes people make when using the internet is creating weak passwords for their accounts. While doing so, they are basically leaving them vulnerable to brute force attacks, which can easily destroy their WordPress sites entirely, as well as any other accounts that are linked to the same password and email address. So how does one create a strong password in order to prevent this from occurring?
It’s quite simple actually. A strong password will contain more than eight characters, include some numbers and symbols when possible, and consist of both uppercase and lowercase letters. It should also only be used once, meaning you should avoid using the same password over multiple accounts.
Never use any personal information as your password either, as sometimes this information is easily guessed or picked up on (sometimes even through social media sites or other profiles) and make your passwords more vulnerable to security breaches. With WordPress, your page can use more than one password depending on what you’re accessing (for example, MySQL, FTP, etc.) so be sure that they are all different.
Backups Are Important
There’s nothing more frustrating than working hard on your blog or website only to find that all of your content has been wiped clean. All of the time you’ve devoted to your WordPress page can literally become useless if you don’t keep backups on a regular basis. In order to get this done without a ton of effort, consider using automatic backup plugins for WordPress.
One option is to use a paid service such as BackupBuddy, which runs about $80 per year if you only need to back up two sites. There are also free services available from other companies. Though, of course, the paid versions offer more options and features. When it comes to your website, it’s probably a good idea to fork over the extra cash in order to protect your page.
Whichever you choose, keeping a backup on hand is extremely important. Better yet, keep more than one copy and on more than one device, if possible. You can also store it online if you don’t have more than one computer.
WordPress Security
Security software, strong passwords, and backing up your site can do a lot when it comes to WordPress security, but there are still many other things you can do to protect your page. Anytime you are online, there’s going to be security risks, whether it be in the form of malware or it’s an actual hacker attempting to “break” into your computer. The best you can do is take preventative measures and hope that you never encounter any of these issues.
By taking preventative measures, you’re much more likely to keep your account (including your personal information) safe so it’s well worth the costs and effort involved. WordPress itself is a pretty secure site overall, so if you do your part, you needn’t worry too much.
Which security tips mentioned above are you currently using? Which ones could you afford to implement soon? Share in the comments below.
