Whether you’re running a business site, an online store, or a hobby blog, WordPress offers the flexibility and ease of use to help make it a smashing success.
But to avoid security breaches that could tarnish your reputation, spend a few minutes learning about WordPress security. Thanks to our step-by-step guide, protect your WordPress site from hackers, and keep it safe, secure, and working for visitors and customers.
The importance of WordPress security
Your website tells your visitors who you are, what kind of content and services you offer, and what they can expect from your brand. It’s a place to make a great first impression and build trust and loyalty with existing fans.
That’s why it’s so important to make sure that your website is up and running at all times. If it suddenly includes links to malware, starts running very slowly after a hack, or goes offline altogether, it will impact your reputation.
If your site is hacked, you could lose money due to decreased views, sales, or ad impressions. There may be costs involved in restoring it to good working order. You might also lose rankings on search engines — sometimes permanently. So, to save money (and save face!) make sure your website is locked down and secure.
The main causes of WordPress security issues
Google recently released a list of the top ways hackers access websites. Let’s look at a few of those in detail:
Compromised passwords
Brute force attacks are one of the most common ways hackers sneak into a site. They use bots to try different usernames and passwords — thousands of combinations per second — until they find