The online world is pretty fascinating and exciting. There are numerous ways to make the internet work smoothly and efficiently for your needs, which can be as varied as blogging to retail marketing. But there are a few tricks that you need to keep in mind if you are looking to maintain the security and the efficient running of these internet-based tools like WordPress.
Keep in mind that if your website is built on WordPress, there are several security and maintenance considerations that you need to keep in mind. You need to keep your site secure from hackers and various cyber-attacks like phishing, malware, and other brute force attacks. And, it’s not just that as you need to maintain your site so that the site runs smoothly and can be graded high as per the UX or the user experience.
Even with a stable platform like WordPress, keep in mind that you will need to perform bug fixes, plugin installation, and theme code updates to maintain the smooth running of the website. Also, you need to understand that hackers are always active to break the security measures installed, so you need to make it a point to stay on top of any problems so that you can avoid any untoward situation.
Here are some tricks and tips that you need to keep in mind to maintain the security of your WordPress site.
Choosing themes and plugins that work
WordPress themes and plugins are developed as open-source. So, keep in mind that there are numerous options and updates available for the same platform. Therefore, it is quite important to select updates from a reputed and consistent developer. It will be of no good if you install firmware and do not get any updates for the next year.
It goes the same for the themes as well. Updates are the only way to ensure bug fixes and the efficient running of a platform. Keep in mind that regular updates are not just vital for security reasons but also for the required UX upgrades.
Validate all your data
These days, it is quite a norm to use contact and other forms on the website. However, with these contact forms, it is very easy to inject malicious code for the theme or the plugin. This is why it is incredibly crucial to verify any input in the forms.
Validation of some sort is essential before you make any data changes. Keep in mind that you can use the inbuilt features in the WordPress platform to get the validations on the customizations before incorporating the data and the features.
About updates on the themes and the plugins
The security of your newly set-up WordPress site depends on how you keep and maintain the back-end data. Keep in mind that this data should include all the plugins, themes, blogs, and everything else. Regular upgrades to all the features are the best way to maintain the overall security of the site.
If you are worried about knowing when an update has been released or is available, all you need to do is check on the auto-update feature when you install your WordPress build. Moreover, it is not like you need to upgrade the entirety of your website. Since you can selectively install upgrades for the features that are most essential, you can maintain the stability and the security of the site more than ever.
Uninstall the unwanted
With the abundance of plugins and theme upgrades available, it might get a tad overwhelming at certain times. However, it is still vital to make an effort to select the best ones and install the ones that are necessary, and uninstalling the rest. You need to understand that the more unwanted themes and unnecessary plugins you have, the more are the number of holes you need to plug to maintain the security of your site.
Some users might want to keep them deactivated if they are not in use. However, according to our experts, it is vital to uninstall unwanted updates, themes, and plugins completely. It not only will increase the safety of your site but also ensure that you have more storage space to install something useful.
About the themes and the plugin editors
There is something that you need to keep in mind about the convenient features if you have any on your website. The primary thing is to understand that with these features, you need to be responsible as well. This means that advanced features might make your work easier but will also leave you susceptible to security threats.
You can tweak and edit the code from the WordPress dashboard, but you need to be careful since any mistake can wreck your entire website and cause downtime and money to rebuild it. This is even more important when you have multiple operators working on the same platform. It is a great idea to disable the function for using the theme and the plugin together, which will minimize the crash risks.
The WordPress firewall
The firewall is the only way to ensure that the hackers do not get around to using the zero-day vulnerability that is there for every tool and software. With such a susceptibility, not even regular updates can fool-proof an online tool.
So, if you are looking to minimize the threats associated with zero-day vulnerabilities, then it is crucial to start using the WordPress firewall for an extra layer of security. Keep in mind there are different firewalls and levels of protection that you can choose from, so it is extremely important to research your options before installing one.
Accessing the plugin directory
If you are serious about the security of your WordPress site, then the first thing you need to do is cut off the access to the plugin directory. Even with additional users, you need to understand that you should never share this part of the tool with anyone. Never keep the plugin directory open as it will increase the vulnerability and leave your site susceptible to attacks.
Here is all that you need to do.
- The first step is to create a blank indext.html file
- Then upload the file at the plugin directory
- Open .htaccess file from the Root folder
- Check Options-Indexes at the start
About the user roles
Every user of the site has to be attentive and careful about using the site. Keep in mind that the entire user team, including the authors, editor, administrators, contributors as well as subscribers, has a role to play and pay attention to the functioning of the site. So, always assign users responsibly only after you are sure about the value the individuals will bring to your team.
Also, you need to understand that tracking every activity taking place at the site is extremely important. Track every activity right from when users log in. It will allow you to keep tabs on activities, WP Security and Audit log, as well as several other vital aspects. Several plugins will allow you to keep tabs on other aspects like the recent changes made to any post, tags, updates, comments, widgets, themes, and menus.
About the PHP error report
The next security step on this list is to disable the PHP error reporting feature. This will secure the theme and the plugin code from hackers and other malicious attacks. Keep in mind that this feature keeps on sending automated messages to the users whenever there is a detection of a problem.
But this is one way that hackers will use to compromise the security of your site. Also, you need to understand that the PHP reporting errors come along the server path. It means you can lose control over your website if malicious intentions are working behind the scenes. Here is all that you need to do.
- Start with the wp-config.php file
- Copy the following to the file
error_reporting(0);
@ini_set(display_error’,0)
Use themes and plugins from a reliable source
If you are new to the world of WordPress, then it will get overwhelming for you. That is why it is essential to understand the need for using updates, themes, and plugins from reliable sources. That is where it is important to understand the need to download but intelligently. This is why it is a good option to go for the paid downloads as they tend to be the best when the security and stability of a build is concerned. There are WordPress communities and stores all over the internet, so make sure to get your purchases done from a reputed seller and a developer.
Websites get hacked and attacked daily, and therefore it is important to do your bit when you are looking to take care of the management and the security for your site. Make sure that your website, themes, and plugins are safe through regular updates and all the other considerations mentioned on this list. All the best!
