Guide to Ensure WordPress Security in 2024: Safeguarding Your Website 🔐
Khalid Hassan Emran
26 minutes read 
Did you know that WordPress powers 43.4% of all websites worldwide? There are approximately 474 million websites built on WordPress. With a 62.8% market share, it is the largest CMS in the world. As a result of this popularity, hackers are also attracted to it. Without proper security measures, your website could be susceptible to attacks.
Every 26 minutes, the average WordPress website is attacked- Wordfence
If you want to ensure the security of your WordPress website, it is crucial to prioritize the best security techniques. Otherwise, you may find that you end up on Google’s blacklist of more than 10,000 websites that they monitor every day for malware and phishing.
Every website owner should be concerned about WordPress security. To help you ensure your site’s security, we’re going to walk you through 10 WordPress security best practices.
🔐 WordPress Security Problems in 2024
WordPress security has become more complicated as cyber threats evolve. Plugin vulnerabilities remain a significant ongoing issue, as many third-party plugins fail to keep up with security updates. Furthermore, the emergence of AI-powered attacks presents a new challenge for WordPress site owners, as these advanced attacks can circumvent traditional security measures.
WordFence blocked over 86 billion password attacks in 2021 alone, which accounted for 56% of WordPress vulnerabilities.
Hackers have started to view smaller websites as vulnerable because they have less robust security measures compared to larger companies. Consequently, website owners need to remain alert and commit to implementing thorough security measures, including regular updates, strong passwords, and monitoring tools, to safeguard their WordPress sites from potential threats.
WordPress Security Checklist 👾
☑️ Outdated Themes and Plugins: Hackers can access your site or inject malicious code by exploiting these security holes.
☑️ Weak Passwords: It is easy for hackers to guess weak passwords.
☑️ Malware: Malicious software can steal data, redirect visitors, or display spam on your website.
☑️ Credit Card Skimming: The Checkout process can be hacked by injecting malicious code.
☑️ Unauthorized Login Attempts: Hackers may attempt to access your website by guessing passwords and usernames.
☑️ SQL Injections: Hackers can trick your website into running malicious code that accesses your database.
☑️ Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Hackers can inject malicious scripts into visitors’ browsers. This code could steal data, redirect them to malicious sites, or deface your site.
☑️ Denial-of-Service Attacks (DoS): Hackers can overload your site with traffic, making it inaccessible to legitimate visitors.
☑️ Phishing: Hackers may send emails that appear to be from WordPress or another trusted source, forcing you to click on malicious links.
☑️ Supply Chain Attacks: Hackers can target vulnerabilities in third-party code used by WordPress themes or plugins. This allows them to gain access to many websites at once.
✅ How to Check WordPress Website Security
You can scan your WordPress website for vulnerabilities in a simple and free way using some free vulnerability scanners. However, as with most things in life, you must pay if you want to be more advanced. Generally, WordPress vulnerabilities can be found using two approaches.
➡️ Firstly, Remote Scanners
The simplest and easiest way to scan your WordPress website is by using another vulnerability scanning website. Just input the URL of your website into their webpage, and your website will be scanned in a few seconds, with a report created afterward. Most scanners work, serving as a quick check in your security routine. Here are some of the most effective tools for scanning WordPress sites:
➡️ Secondly, WordPress Security Plugins
A WordPress anti-spam plugin is essential if you own a WordPress website or multiple sites for your online business. Some plugins may cost you some money, but it can assist in maintaining the security of your website by preemptively blocking spam examples, such as comments and links that pose a security risk. Here are some best plugins for WordPress security scanning:
- Patchstack
- Jetpack
- Plugin Check (PCP)
- Malcare Security Plugin
- Quttera Web Malware Scanner
- Wordfence Security
- Titan Anti-spam & Security
🛡️ How to Secure WordPress Site
WordPress security can be both easy and hard, depending on your level of technical expertise and the steps you take to protect your site. And remember no security measure can guarantee complete immunity, but following these steps can greatly improve the security of your WordPress site.
⚔️ Outdated Themes and Plugins:
- Regular Updates: Ensure all themes and plugins are updated regularly. Set up automatic updates if possible.
- Security Plugins: Use security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri to monitor vulnerabilities.
- Remove Unused Themes/Plugins: Deactivate and delete any themes or plugins that are not in use to reduce the attack surface.
⚔️ Weak Passwords:
- Strong Password Policies: Enforce the use of strong, complex passwords. Use tools like LastPass or 1Password to manage passwords.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Implement 2FA for an added layer of security during the login process.
⚔️ Malware:
- Regular Scans: Use security plugins to perform regular malware scans. Sucuri and Wordfence offer comprehensive scanning tools.
- Malware Cleanup Services: Subscribe to services that offer malware cleanup, ensuring swift action if your site is infected.
⚔️ Credit Card Skimming:
- Secure Checkout: Use trusted e-commerce platforms and ensure they comply with PCI-DSS standards.
- Content Security Policy (CSP): Implement a CSP to restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded.
- Regular Audits: Conduct regular security audits on your checkout process to detect anomalies .
⚔️ Unauthorized Login Attempts:
- Limit Login Attempts: Install plugins that limit the number of failed login attempts, like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded.
- IP Blacklisting: Block IP addresses that show malicious activity using security plugins or server configurations.
⚔️ SQL Injections:
- Use Prepared Statements: Always use prepared statements and parameterized queries to interact with the database.
- Security Plugins: Employ security plugins that protect against SQL injections, like All In One WP Security & Firewall.
⚔️ Cross-Site Scripting (XSS):
- Keep your WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated.
- Protect your web application by using a web application firewall (WAF).
- Consider using a security plugin that protects against XSS attacks.
⚔️ Denial-of-Service Attacks (DoS):
- DDoS Protection Services: Use services like Cloudflare or Akamai that offer DDoS protection.
- Traffic Monitoring: Monitor your website traffic for unusual patterns and set up alerts for potential attacks.
- Resource Allocation: Ensure your hosting plan has enough resources to handle sudden traffic spikes.
⚔️ Phishing:
- Email Filtering: Advanced email filtering solutions detect and block phishing emails.
- Awareness Training: Educate your team about phishing attacks and how to recognize them.
- Verification Protocols: Implement verification steps for any communication that involves sensitive actions.
⚔️ Supply Chain Attacks:
- Trusted Sources: Make sure you download themes and plugins from reputable sources, like the official WordPress repository or reputable developers.
- Code Reviews: Conduct regular reviews and audits of third-party code.
- Security Updates: Stay informed about security updates from third-party developers and apply patches promptly.
🎯 Pro Tips for WordPress Website Security
Select a Reputable Hosting Provider:
Why❓: A reputable provider ensures robust security measures, reliable performance, and excellent support.
👉How: Research hosting providers, read reviews, and choose ones known for security and reliability like Kinsta, Hostinger, WP Engine, or Bluehost.
Implement HTTP Security Headers:
Why❓: Headers like Strict-Transport-Security, X-Frame-Options, and X-XSS-Protection add extra layers of security.
👉 How: Add these headers via your web server configuration or use a plugin like HTTP Headers.
Regularly Backup Your Website:
Why❓: Backups ensure you can restore your site quickly after an attack.
👉 How: Use plugins like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy, and store backups in a remote location.
Change Database Table Prefix:
Why❓: The default table prefix (wp_) is a common target for SQL injection attacks.
👉 How: Change it during installation or use a plugin like iThemes Security to modify it.
Lock Down User Roles and Permissions:
Why❓: Don’t give everyone “admin” access. Assign roles like “editor” or “author” based on specific needs. This minimizes the damage if a user account gets compromised.
👉 How: Utilize plugins like “User Role Editor” to manage user capabilities more granularly.
Monitor Audit Logs:
Why❓: Keeping track of changes and activities on your site helps in identifying suspicious actions.
👉 How: Use plugins like Patchstack to monitor and review changes.
📢 In Summary
Ensuring website security is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity. Hackers can do serious damage to your business’s revenue and reputation. They can pilfer user data, and passwords, and even distribute malicious software to your site’s visitors. It’s crucial to prioritize WordPress security.
We really hope you found our article helpful for beefing up your WordPress security and checking out the most effective security system for your website. You should also take a look at our basic SEO optimization guide to boost your search engine rankings and our expert tips for picking premium WordPress hosting.
I really appreciate your time today! If you want more WordPress-related content, feel free to subscribe to our blogs and join our Facebook community for all the latest updates and news.📝😊