Securing WordPress Blog Best Practices for Hobby Bloggers

Alice, like many hobby bloggers, has poured her heart and soul into creating an engaging WordPress blog to share her passion. But with the increasing number of cyber threats facing websites, securing her blog is as important as crafting quality content. Hackers, malware, and brute-force attacks can disrupt or even destroy years of hard work. Fortunately, Alice doesn’t need to be a tech expert to protect her blog.

This guide will walk Alice (and you) through the best practices for securing a WordPress blog. By following these steps, she can minimize the risk of attacks, safeguard her content, and keep her readers’ data safe.

1. Keep WordPress Updated

The most fundamental step to securing a WordPress site is keeping the software up-to-date.

• Core Updates: WordPress regularly releases updates to address security vulnerabilities, improve functionality, and enhance performance. Alice can update her WordPress core files directly from the dashboard by navigating to Dashboard > Updates.

• Themes and Plugins Updates: Outdated themes and plugins are common entry points for hackers. Alice should update them frequently and remove any that are no longer in use.

• Automatic Updates: To make things easier, Alice can enable automatic updates for minor releases by adding this line to her wp-config.php file:

  define('WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', true);
  

  Many hosting providers also offer automatic updates.

2. Choose Secure and Reliable Hosting

The hosting environment plays a significant role in the overall security of a WordPress blog.

• Managed WordPress Hosting: These providers, like Kinsta or WP Engine, offer optimized security, including daily backups, automatic updates, and built-in security features.
• Shared Hosting Considerations: If Alice uses shared hosting, she should choose a reputable provider with strong security practices, such as site isolation, firewalls, and proactive threat monitoring.
• SSL Certificate: Most reputable hosts offer free SSL certificates through services like Let’s Encrypt. An SSL certificate encrypts data between Alice’s site and her visitors, improving security and boosting search rankings.

3. Use Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Weak passwords are a major security risk. Alice should adopt strong password practices and add an extra layer of protection with 2FA.

• Creating Strong Passwords: Alice should use a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Passwords should be unique and not reused across different accounts.
• Password Management Tools: Alice can use a tool like LastPass or 1Password to store and generate strong passwords.
• Two-Factor Authentication Plugins: Plugins like WP 2FA or Two Factor Authentication add an extra security step during login by requiring Alice (and any authorized users) to provide a one-time code sent to their email or mobile device.

4. Limit Login Attempts and Change Login URLs

By default, WordPress login URLs are predictable (/wp-admin or /wp-login.php), making them targets for brute-force attacks.

• Limit Login Attempts: Plugins like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded restrict the number of login attempts, reducing the risk of brute-force attacks.
• Change the Login URL: Plugins such as WPS Hide Login allow Alice to change the default login URL, making it harder for hackers to find the login page.

5. Install a WordPress Security Plugin

A security plugin acts as a shield, monitoring for potential threats and vulnerabilities.

• Wordfence Security: Offers a firewall, malware scanner, and real-time monitoring to protect Alice’s blog.
• Sucuri Security: This plugin offers security audits, malware scanning, and a firewall. It’s particularly helpful for detecting and blocking malicious traffic.
• iThemes Security: A popular plugin that provides various features like brute-force protection, two-factor authentication, and security hardening tips.

6. Backup Your Site Regularly

Regular backups ensure that Alice can quickly restore her blog in case of data loss, hacks, or other issues.

• Backup Plugins: UpdraftPlus and BackupBuddy are great tools that allow Alice to schedule automatic backups and store them on services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3.
• Manual Backups: Alice can also manually back up her site’s files and database through the hosting control panel or WordPress tools.

7. Use Secure User Roles and Permissions

If Alice collaborates with others on her blog, it’s important to use secure user roles and permissions.

• Assign Roles Carefully: WordPress offers roles like Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber. Alice should only grant Administrator access to trusted users and assign lower roles when possible.
• Review User Permissions Regularly: Periodically reviewing user access helps prevent unauthorized changes.

8. Disable File Editing from the WordPress Dashboard

By default, WordPress allows administrators to edit theme and plugin files directly from the dashboard. This feature can be exploited by hackers.

• Disable File Editing: Alice can add the following line to her wp-config.php file to disable file editing:

  define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);
  

9. Protect the wp-config.php File

The wp-config.php file contains crucial configuration information for Alice’s WordPress installation.

• Move the File: Alice can move wp-config.php one directory above the WordPress root directory for added security.

• Add Access Restrictions: She can add the following lines to her .htaccess file to deny access:

  <Files wp-config.php>
    order allow,deny
    deny from all
  </Files>
  

10. Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF)

A WAF filters and blocks malicious traffic before it reaches Alice’s site.

• Cloud-Based WAFs: Services like Cloudflare and Sucuri offer cloud-based WAFs that provide an additional layer of protection.
• Plugin-Based WAFs: Many security plugins include a built-in WAF.

11. Monitor and Protect Against Malware

Malware can compromise data and redirect visitors to malicious sites.

• Malware Scanning Plugins: MalCare and Wordfence offer tools for scanning and cleaning malware infections.
• Regular Scans: Alice should run scans regularly to catch any potential issues early.

12. Enforce HTTPS on the Entire Site

Securing the entire site with HTTPS ensures encrypted data transmission between Alice’s visitors and her site.

• Redirect HTTP to HTTPS: If Alice’s site is already using an SSL certificate, she can enforce HTTPS by adding a redirect rule in her .htaccess file:

  RewriteEngine On
  RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
  RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
  

13. Regularly Audit Plugins and Themes

Malicious or outdated plugins and themes can introduce security risks.

• Use Trusted Sources: Alice should download plugins and themes only from reputable sources like the WordPress repository or verified marketplaces like ThemeForest.
• Delete Inactive Plugins and Themes: Unused themes and plugins can still pose a risk even when inactive.
• Check for Updates Frequently: Keeping everything updated reduces vulnerabilities.

14. Protect Against DDoS Attacks

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks overwhelm a site with traffic, causing it to crash.

• Cloudflare Protection: Services like Cloudflare offer DDoS protection that mitigates these types of attacks.
• Plugins and Hosting Features: Many managed hosting providers also provide built-in DDoS protection features.

15. Monitor User Activity and Logs

Tracking user activity can help detect suspicious behavior early.

• Activity Log Plugins: WP Security Audit Log keeps track of user activity, including logins, changes, and failed login attempts.

Conclusion

By following these security best practices, Alice can protect her WordPress blog from threats and focus on sharing her passion with readers. Securing a site is an ongoing process that involves regular updates, monitoring, and optimization. With these measures in place, Alice can rest easy knowing her hard work is safe from cyber threats.