22 Ways Of Protecting Your Website From Cyber Attacks

As a website owner, it is essential to prioritize the security of your WordPress website. Cyberattacks and hacking attempts can compromise sensitive information, disrupt your website’s functionality, and damage your online reputation. To protect your website and your business, it is crucial to implement strong security measures.

WordPress security is a critical issue for all website owners. Every day, Google blacklists roughly 10,000+ websites for malware and around 50,000 for phishing. If you are serious about your website, you must follow WordPress security best practices. We will provide all of the top WordPress security techniques in this post to help you safeguard your website from hackers and malware.

In this article, we will look at 22 various ways of securing your WordPress website. By following these guidelines, you can significantly improve the security of your WordPress website. We will cover topics such as:

• Using the latest version of WordPress themes & Plugins, and PHP.
• Updating WordPress security keys.
• Creating solid usernames and passwords.
• Adding security questions for WordPress users.
• Installing security plugins.
• Disabling JSON Rest APIs
• Restricting indexing of admin panels
• Preventing multiple failed login attempts
• Disabling unused plugins and themes
• Creating regular backups
• Enabling auto-updates.
• Disabling XML-RPC
• Updating file permissions
• Disabling comments and hotlinking
• Disabling PHP error reporting
• Disabling external URL requests
• Implementing SSL for your website,
• Disabling PHP file execution
• Disabling directory listing
• Finding a secured WordPress hosting provider.
• Disabling access to wp-config.php.
• Disabling file editing

1. Use the Latest Version of WordPress Themes, Plugin, and PHP

Using the most recent versions of PHP, WordPress themes, and plugins is one of the best methods to increase the security of your WordPress website. A security vulnerability or problem found in an earlier version can be fixed by updating to the most recent version.

Log into your WordPress dashboard and visit the “Updates” area to update your themes and plugins. You will see a list of your themes’ and plugins’ available updates. To begin the updating procedure, either click the “Update Themes” or “Update Plugins” button.

Updating the version of PHP that your website uses is slightly more complex, as it requires access to your website’s hosting account. Consult with your hosting provider or refer to their documentation for instructions on how to update the PHP version for your website.

2. WordPress Security Keys Should Be Updated

These keys are a collection of random variables used to improve the security of your website’s data. They assist to prevent hackers from obtaining access to important information by encrypting the information in your website’s cookies.

To update your WordPress security keys, in to your WordPress dashboard and go to the “General Settings” page. Scroll down to the section “Security Keys” and click the “Generate Keys” button. WordPress will produce a new set of security keys and automatically update the wp-config.php file on your website.

3. Strong Usernames and Passwords

Another important aspect of securing your WordPress website is creating strong usernames and passwords. A strong username is unique and difficult for hackers to guess. A strong password is long and complex, with upper and lowercase letters, digits, and special characters.

It is also critical to change your password on a frequent basis to avoid illegal access. In to your WordPress dashboard, move to the “Users” area to change your password. Scroll down to the “Account Management” section after clicking on the “Your Profile” option. You can then enter a new password and save your changes.

4. Adding Security Questions to WordPress Users

For added security, you can set up security questions for your WordPress users. This requires users to answer a predetermined question before they can reset their password or log in to your website.

To set up security questions for your users, in your WordPress dashboard, move to the “Users” section. Click on the “Your Profile” tab and scroll down to the “Security Questions” section. From there, you can select a security question and enter an answer. Be sure to save your changes once you have completed this process.

5. WordPress Security Plugins

There are many security plugins available that can help to protect your WordPress website from cyberattacks. Some popular options include Sucuri, WPFail2ban, and SecuPress.

To install a security plugin, in your WordPress dashboard, move to the “Plugins” section. Click on the “Add New” button and search for the plugin you want to install. Once you have found the plugin, click on the “Install Now” button and then click on the “Activate” button.

After installing a security plugin, it is important to configure it to suit your specific needs. Consult the plugin’s documentation or seek assistance from the plugin’s support team for guidance on how to set up and customize the plugin.

6. Disable JSON Rest API’s

The JSON Rest API is a feature that allows WordPress websites to communicate with other websites and applications. While this feature can be useful, it can also present a security risk if it is not properly configured. To better enhance the security of your website, you may want to consider disabling the JSON Rest API.

To disable the JSON Rest API, in your WordPress dashboard, move to the “Settings” section. From there, click on the “General Settings” tab and scroll down to the “Site Address (URL)” section. Uncheck the box next to the “WordPress Address (URL)” field and click on the “Save Changes” button.

7. Restrict Indexing of Admin Panels and Prevent Multiple Failed Login Attempts

To improve the security of your WordPress website, it is important to restrict the indexing of your admin panels. This prevents search engines from indexing your website’s login page, making it less likely for hackers to discover it. To restrict indexing of your admin panels, add the following line of code to your website’s robots.txt file:

Disallow: /wp-admin/

It is also important to prevent multiple failed login attempts, as this can be a sign of a hacking attempt. To prevent multiple failed login attempts, you can install a plugin like WPFail2ban, which blocks IP addresses that have a certain number of failed login attempts within a specific timeframe.

8. Disable Unused Plugin and Themes

To improve the security of your WordPress website, it is important to disable any unused plugins and themes. These unused items can present security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers.

To disable an unused plugin or theme, in your WordPress dashboard, move to the “Plugins” or “Themes” section. From there, you can deactivate or delete the unused items.

9. WordPress Backups

Creating regular backups of your WordPress website is an important aspect of maintaining its security. In the event of a cyberattack or other disaster, backups can help you quickly restore your website to a previous, secure state.

There are several ways to create backups of your WordPress website. One option is to use a plugin like UpdraftPlus, which allows you to schedule automatic backups and store them remotely (e.g., on a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox).

To create a backup using UpdraftPlus, in your WordPress dashboard, move to the “Plugins” section. Click on the “Add New” button and search for UpdraftPlus. Once you have found the plugin, click on the “Install Now” button and then click on the “Activate” button.

After activating the plugin, navigate to the “Settings” section and click on the “UpdraftPlus Backups” tab. From there, you can set up your backup schedule and choose your preferred storage location. It is important to regularly create backups of your website to ensure that you have a secure backup in case of an emergency.

10. Enable Auto-Updates

Enabling auto-updates for your WordPress website is another simple yet effective way to improve its security. By turning on auto-updates, your website will automatically install new updates as they become available. This helps to ensure that your website is always using the latest, most secure version of WordPress, themes, and plugins.

To enable auto-updates, log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the “Settings” section. From there, click on the “General Settings” tab and scroll down to the “Software Updates” section. Check the boxes next to the “Automatically update WordPress, themes, and plugins” options and click on the “Save Changes” button.

11. Disable XML-RPC

XML-RPC is a feature that allows WordPress websites to communicate with other applications using the XML-RPC protocol. While this feature can be useful, it can also present a security risk if it is not properly configured. To better enhance the security of your website, you may want to consider disabling XML-RPC.

To disable XML-RPC, log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the “Settings” section. From there, click on the “General Settings” tab and scroll down to the “XML-RPC” section. Uncheck the box next to the “Enable XML-RPC” option and click on the “Save Changes” button.

12. Update File Permissions

These are set of rules that determine which users can access and modify specific files on your website. It is important to ensure that your file permissions are set correctly to improve the security of your website.

To update your file permissions, you will need to access your website’s hosting account. From there, you can navigate to the file manager and select the files you want to modify. From the “Permissions” tab, you can adjust the permissions for each file. Consult with your hosting provider or refer to their documentation for guidance on how to update file permissions.

13. Disable Comments and Hotlinking

Disabling comments and hotlinking can help to improve the security of your WordPress website. Disabling comments prevents users from leaving comments on your website, which can reduce the risk of spam or malicious comments being posted. Hotlinking is the practice of using someone else’s images on your website without their permission. By disabling hotlinking, you can prevent other websites from using your images and potentially slowing down your website’s loading times.

To disable comments and hotlinking, log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the “Settings” section. From there, click on the “Discussion” tab and scroll down to the “Other Comment Settings” section. Uncheck the box next to the “Allow people to post comments on new articles” option and click on the “Save Changes” button.

To disable hotlinking, you will need to add a few lines of code to your website’s .htaccess file. Consult with your hosting provider or refer to their documentation for guidance on how to do this.

14. Disable PHP Error Reporting

PHP error reporting is a feature that displays errors and warnings on your website when something goes wrong. While this can be useful for debugging purposes, it can also present a security risk as it can reveal sensitive information about your website. To better enhance the security of your website, you may want to consider disabling PHP error reporting.

To disable PHP error reporting, you will need to edit your website’s wp-config.php file. Insert the following code into the file:

error_reporting(0);

This will disable PHP error reporting on your website.

15. Disable External URL Requests

External URL requests are requests made by your website to external websites or servers. While these requests can be useful, they can also present a security risk if they are not properly configured. To better enhance the security of your website, you may want to consider disabling external URL requests.

To disable external URL requests, you will need to edit your website’s wp-config.php file. Insert the following code into the file:

define(‘WP_HTTP_BLOCK_EXTERNAL’, true);

This will block external URL requests on your website.

16. Implement SSL for WordPress Website

Implementing SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) for your WordPress website is another important aspect of maintaining its security. SSL is a security protocol that encrypts the data transmitted between your website and your users’ browsers, helping to prevent hackers from intercepting sensitive information.

To implement SSL for your website, you will need to buy an SSL certificate, preferably from a reputable provider. Consult with your hosting provider or refer to their documentation for guidance on how to install and configure the SSL certificate for your website.

17. Disable PHP File Execution

PHP file execution is the process of executing PHP code on your website. While this is necessary for the proper functioning of your website, it can also present a security risk if it is not properly configured. To better improve the security of your website, you may want to consider disabling PHP file execution in certain directories.

To disable PHP file execution, you will need to add a .htaccess file to the directories where you want to disable PHP execution. Insert the following code into the file: to the .htaccess file:

php_flag engine off

This will disable PHP file execution in the specified directory.

18. Disable Directory Listing

Directory listing is a feature that allows visitors to your website to view the contents of a directory. While this might be handy, if not correctly configured, it can also provide a security concern. You may choose to disable directory listing to increase the security of your website.

To prevent directory listing, add a.htaccess file to the folders you wish to disable directory listing in. Insert the following code into the.htaccess file:

19. Options -Indexes

This will disable directory listing in the specified directory.

20. Secured WordPress Hosting

Finding a secured WordPress hosting provider is another important aspect of maintaining the security of your website. A secured hosting provider will have measures in place to prevent cyberattacks and protect your website’s information.

When choosing a hosting provider, be sure to research their security measures and ask about their track record for preventing cyberattacks. Some hosting providers offer additional security features such as SSL certificates, firewall protection, and malware scanning.

21. Disable Access to wp-config.php

wp-config.php is a file that contains sensitive information about your WordPress website, such as your database credentials and security keys. It is important to prevent unauthorized access to this file to improve the security of your website.

To prevent access to wp-config.php, place a.htaccess file in your website’s root directory. Insert the following code into the.htaccess file: files wp-config.php> Allow, Deny, and Deny from all /files>

This will prohibit anyone from accessing the wp-config.php file.

22. Disable File Editing

WordPress has a code editor that allows you to edit theme and plugin files directly from the WordPress admin area. This functionality can be a security concern in the wrong hands, which is why we recommend turning it off.