Most of the users overlook the security of their WordPress website because there is a myth that it is one of the most secured CMS platforms. But the truth is that there’s no effective way to fully safeguard your website against hackers, spammers, and other security risks. A professional hacker will certainly discover a way to get into your site, without your permission. So, it’s up to you whether you want to ignore your site’s security or give the hacker a tough time when he tries to break in.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make your WordPress site more secure. In this blog post, I’ll give you some suggestions for making your website less tempting to hackers and spammers.

1. Avoid Using Defaults

Most of the users, especially beginners use their default username and password for both their hosting account and WordPress dashboard. If you use the default username and weak password, then hackers can easily hack your website. They can gain access to your site using the default username that you use to login to your WordPress site. It would be beneficial if you change your username to something new and different. To summarize, change your default username “admin” to the more powerful one.

2. Create A Unique Password

You should create a long and secure password to keep hackers out of your site. Use a password that is at least eight characters long and has a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. To make it harder for a hacker to guess your login and password, make it 8 to 6 characters long. You can also use tools like ‘password generator’ that can generate a random password for you.

3. Remove Unused Plugins

Hacker usually targets a website where site owner keeps WordPress plugins on their systems but never use them. A determined hacker gets into your site through a gap that he/she finds in your unused plugins. It occurs because the majority of users do not update these plugins, allowing a hacker to easily obtain access to your site. It’s also possible that you won’t notice the breach since you’re so not using the plugin. Therefore, it’s best to get rid of any plugins that you won’t be using in several months or years.

4. Limit the Login Attempts

In today’s world, hackers rely on cutting-edge technology. They attempt to get access to your site by utilizing software that attacks the login page repeatedly with an endless number of username and password combinations until they obtain what they desire. To deal with this, you should install some popular WordPress plugin like ‘Wordfence, All in One WordPress Security and Firewall‘, which will block the IP address of anyone who repeatedly enters the wrong login and password. You can prevent them from accessing your admin page. In fact, you can handle everything from your WordPress admin panel.

5. Upgrade your WordPress Core, Plugins, and Themes

On a regular basis, a WordPress site owner should update their site to the latest version. The new version not only adds new functionality to your website but also protects it from hackers and other security risks. The majority of users fail to upgrade their WordPress core, resulting in security risks. In fact, if you want to run a safe and secure website, you should update all of your installed themes and plugins to the most recent version.

6. Use WordPress Security Plugins

WordPress has several security plugins that you can install on your site without having to know how to code. You can use security plugins to protect your website from hackers and other unwanted activity. Choosing the most trusted plugin becomes challenging because they all differ in terms of quality, functionality, and support. In fact, many plugins are created by everyday users, while others are created by professional developers. As a result, be cautious when selecting a security plugin for your website and before making a final selection, do some research on your plugin. You should look at their testimonials or look for negative remarks rather than favorable ones.
Note: Some of the best security plugins for WordPress include ‘All In One WP Security & Firewall, iThemes Security, and Wordfence Security.

7. Keep a Backup of Your Site

You should backup your existing WordPress site, database, and other files regularly. This protects your website from unplanned downtime or hacking. If something goes wrong with your site, a backup can help you restore it to its current state. Within a few clicks after restoring your site, you can change admin account usernames and passwords, as well as reload your site data.
Note: Some of the best backup plugins for WordPress include ‘Updraft Plus‘.