wordpress security tips guidesThe bad news is that there is no 100% bulletproof way to avoid getting hacked in the modern workplace. If they’re sufficiently motivated and skilled, sooner or later cyber criminals can find their way into just about any site or system.

However, the good news is that you can dramatically reduce the chances of being a hacking victim — and possibly facing everything from customer revolts to compliance fines to lawsuits — by following these 7 tips to safeguard your WordPress site:

Use Strong Passwords

Anything less than 10 characters (mix of letters, numbers, upper/lower case and symbols) is considered a weak password. What’s more, never use the same password for your WordPress site anywhere else. If hackers do somehow manage to break in, you don’t want to give them a master key to unlock multiple accounts.

Keep Your Plugins, Themes and WP Core Up-to-Date

Updating once in a while, or even once a month isn’t enough. Exploits can occur within days — or sometimes within hours — of being published. And if you’re using any plugins or themes that are no longer maintained, then get rid of them ASAP.

Delete Unused Versions of WordPress

Do you have old, forgotten versions of WordPress on your server? These can be exploited. Delete them immediately, and pat then yourself on the back for dodging a bullet.

Select a Reputable Hosting Company

You’ll need to pay more for a host that offers enhanced enterprise-grade security, but it’s well worth the investment. Just imagine how much it will cost and how much time you’ll lose after a hack. For advice on how to choose the right hosting company for your needs and budget, read this tutorial.

Regularly Back-up Your Site

There are many plugins that can automate this process for you. Look for a solution that gives you daily backups, one-click data restore, spam filtering, and access to a 30-day backup archive.

Install a firewall

You should install a firewall on your computer, as well as on your WordPress site to analyze all incoming traffic requests.

Use a Security Plugin

Not all security plugins are created equal. Some are superficial, while others are comprehensive. Obviously, you want the latter type that blocks malicious URLs and 100% of automated spambot comments, hides your WP admin and login page, stops brute force attacks, monitors login activity, and automatically creates and updates activity logs.

The Bottom Line

Implementing all of the above will reduce your risk, and increase the chances that hackers will pass by vs. pay an extended visit to your WordPress site. And that’s exactly what you want!