9 Steps To Keep Your WordPress Website Secure From Hackers

Carl Taylor | May 1, 2023

You’re worried about hackers accessing your WordPress website and with good reason.

According to an article from Techjury, 30,000 websites get hacked every day. That’s an astonishing number. But it doesn’t have to happen to your website.

There are many steps you can take to keep your WordPress website secure, and most start with just basic security.

How you access the Internet, and keep your computer safe on the Internet, will do a lot to keep hackers away from your WordPress website.

Let’s look at things you can do to keep your computer safe.

Step #1 Install a Good Firewall

Firewalls are your first line of defense when it comes to preventing hackers accessing your system.

Firewalls may be either hardware or software and may reside either on your computer or in your router. Firewalls often prevent external threats that come in through the network from accessing your computer and installing malicious data.

If you use a router, chances are it already has a firewall built-in, but it’s a good idea to also have a software firewall on each of your computers.

Step #2 Use Antivirus Software

One of the biggest headaches that computer owners face is viruses. Viruses disrupt your computer and can make it completely unusable. You can lose data and valuable information if your computer has a virus.

Viruses typically appear in email, on websites, and on infected computers which you share data with. There are so many hackers and so many viruses, with more being created every day, you need to be sure that your antivirus software is up to date with the latest virus definitions.

This means you’ll need to update your antivirus software every day. Be sure to allow the antivirus software’s automatic update features turned on so that you can ensure that your computer is as safe as it can be.

Most antivirus software works both as a real-time scanner and as a regular task you must schedule to double check nothing got through.

Step #3 Use Anti-Spyware Software

Like viruses, spyware is unwanted software that tracks you and the websites you go on, steals your account information, and even records your keystrokes. In some ways, these can be worse than some viruses.

Some spyware actually will change your links to their websites so that they can try to sell you software.

Many antivirus companies often offer anti-spyware software in their antivirus package. But not all do, so it’s important to make sure you have enough protection on every one of your computers.

Step #4 Update Your System Regularly

You can thwart viruses and spyware by enabling Windows automatic update feature. You see, viruses and spyware often take advantage of bugs and loopholes in the operating system and in the software you use.

When you ensure that your software and operating system are up to date, you can close the door to a number of viruses and spyware that utilize vulnerabilities.

Step #5 Be Skeptical

A little paranoia is a good thing when it comes to computers.

Don’t click on attachments someone sends you unless you’re sure you know what they are.

No matter how enticing a letter might be stating that you inherited $10 million from a deceased relative you never knew you had, it’s probably not a good idea to open up the attachment.

Be skeptical too if your bank contacts you via email and tells you that you have a problem with your account.

Along with hackers, there are phishing scams that try to get you to reveal sensitive data such as accounts and passwords.

It’s better to contact your bank directly with phone numbers that you know are good rather than click on a link and end up on a hacker’s website which looks remarkably like your bank’s website.

Step #6 Don’t Trust Hotspots and Secure Your Home Router

If you are constantly on the go and use your phone or laptop to log in to the network, be sure to use only secure connections when using free Wi-Fi and Internet hotspots in places such as hotels, coffee shops, and other public places.

You can do this by ensuring that your connections have HTTPS before the URL. Otherwise, the connection is not encrypted and anybody can snag your password who has an Internet sniffer.

Be careful about who is behind you when you type in your password or other sensitive information. Hackers are known to “shoulder surf” and snag information that way.

If you have WiFi in your home, be sure that it has WPA security so that people aren’t getting online and using your network to steal your data.

Step #7 Don’t Allow Access to Your Physical Computer

You probably don’t think about who could have access to your physical computer, but it’s a surefire way of gaining access to some very sensitive material.

When you travel, don’t leave your laptop, tablet, or smartphone unattended in hotel rooms, at a restaurant, or any place where someone could access it. Most people have their passwords filled in by the browser, making it a cinch to get online and do some real damage.

Even if your home, your computer may be vulnerable especially if you have maid service, contractors, or even your kids’ friends over. Any time someone can get access to your physical computer can spell problems.

Step #8 Backup Everything

In the event something does happen, you need to have a way to quickly recover from the event.

If you’ve ever had your hard disk wiped clean by a virus, or your computer stolen, losing your valuable data can be catastrophic. This is why having backups is so necessary.

Step #9 Get a Team to Manage Your Site

If you’re doing the above eight steps, you’re far ahead of most people in keeping your computer safe.

Now it is time to keep your website safe by signing up for our Concierge™ service so our team manage your WordPress website security updates and offsite backups.

You’ll be able to sleep soundly at night knowing that your website is safe and you have a team who is available to help you should you have a problem.

About the author 

Carl Taylor

Carl Taylor is the Founder & CEO of Automation Agency. For the past 10 years Carl has been building businesses and marketing them online through the use of Sales Funnels, Email Marketing Automation, Landing Pages, and Wordpress Websites. Carl is also a #1 author and highly sought after speaker and consultant whose work has impacted thousands of businesses across various industries worldwide.

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