Essential WordPress Security for Beginners
Protect your WordPress site from hackers with these essential security measures. No technical skills required.
Looking for an easy way to secure your WordPress website? Not sure where to start? Is your business more important to you than dealing with a compromised website?
If your answer is YES, you are in the right place. I have highlighted 25 effective ways to secure your WordPress site to significantly reduce the risk of security breaches.
Before we dive in, I'd love to hear from you in the comments:
- Since when did you start worrying about WordPress security?
- Do you implement security tweaks immediately upon installation?
- Have you ever been the victim of a hacker?
The Golden Rule of Security
Security is not a "set it and forget it" task. It is a continuous process. The world becomes more digital every second, and with new features come new vulnerabilities. Just as you lock your smartphone with a PIN or biometric data, your website requires multi-layered protection.
Why WordPress Security is Non-Negotiable
WordPress powers a massive portion of the web, making it a target for automated bot attacks. A single breach can lead to data theft, loss of SEO rankings, and a complete breakdown of customer trust.
25 Proven Ways to Secure Your WordPress Site
1. Setup Daily Backups
Backing up your site is your ultimate safety net. If something goes wrong, a backup allows you to restore everything without paying a developer to start from scratch. We recommend WPvivid for this purpose.
2. Keep Everything Updated
WordPress core, themes, and plugins must be kept up to date. Hackers aim to find loopholes in outdated software. Always perform a backup before updating.
3. Use Strong Passwords and User Permissions
Avoid the "pass" password default. Use strong credentials and never share admin access. We recommend using a temporary login plugin for sharing access with support teams.
4. Install a Web Application Firewall (WAF)
A WAF blocks bot attacks and suspicious activities. While server-side firewalls are excellent, application-level plugins provide a strong defense.
| Feature | Wordfence | NinjaFirewall |
|---|---|---|
| Protection Level | Endpoint WAF | Application WAF |
| Resource Usage | Higher | Lightweight |
| Ease of Setup | High | Moderate |
| Real-time Blocking | Yes | Yes |
5. Change the Default "Admin" Username
Hackers always try the "admin" username first. Change this to a random string to make it harder for attackers to guess your credentials.
6. Disable the WordPress File Editor
WordPress includes a Theme and Plugin editor by default. If a hacker gains access, they can use these to inject malware. Disable them by adding define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true ); to your wp-config.php.
7. Disable PHP File Execution
Prevent hackers from executing malicious code in your /uploads/ directory. Create a .htaccess file in that folder and add a deny rule for PHP files.
8. Limit Login Attempts
Use a plugin like Loginizer to restrict the number of times a user can attempt to log in before being blocked.
9. Add Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
2FA adds a high-level security layer. Even if a hacker has your password, they will still need the random code generated on your phone.
10. Use a Different Database Prefix
Change the default wp_ prefix to something random (e.g., wp_xyz789_) to protect your database from standard SQL injection attempts.
11. Password Protect the Admin Folder
Add an extra layer of authentication to your wp-admin directory using a .htpasswd file. This requires a secondary set of credentials before reaching the WordPress login screen.
12. Disable Directory Browsing
Prevent attackers from viewing your site's file structure. Add Options -Indexes to your main .htaccess file to disable directory indexing.
13. Disable XML-RPC
WordPress XML-RPC can be used for DDoS and brute-force attacks. Unless you need it for specific remote apps, block it via .htaccess.
14. Protect the wp-config.php File
This file contains your sensitive database information. Use a .htaccess rule to deny all external access to this file.
15. Disable Script Injections
Attackers often try to inject scripts into your query strings. You can block these via rewrite rules in your .htaccess file.
16. Fight Content Hotlinking
Hotlinking steals your bandwidth by loading your images on other sites. Enable hotlink protection to prohibit direct linking to your assets.
17. Use Cloudflare
Cloudflare caches your site across a global network and provides built-in security to block malicious bots and requests.
18. Install an SSL Certificate
SSL encrypts data sent between the visitor and your server. It is essential for protecting sensitive information and improving SEO trust.
19. Blacklist Suspicious IPs
If you notice repeated failed login attempts from a specific address, block that IP manually in your .htaccess file.
20. Use Secure Hosting Services
Shared hosting can be a security risk if the provider is not diligent. We recommend SiteGround or Kinsta for their robust security focus.
21. Use the Latest PHP Version
Latest PHP versions are updated with security patches. Ensure you are running PHP 8.1 or higher for both speed and safety.
22. Hide the WordPress Version
WordPress reveals its version number by default. Hackers use this to identify sites running versions with known vulnerabilities. Hide it via your functions.php.
23. Automatically Log Out Idle Users
Inactive users can pose a risk if their session is hijacked. Use a plugin to automatically log out users after a period of inactivity.
24. Keep an Eye on Recent Changes
Monitor your site’s activity with a log plugin. This helps you track who published posts, activated plugins, or attempted suspicious admin activity.
25. Safeguard Your Computer
Your website security is only as strong as your local machine. Ensure your computer is free of malware and viruses to prevent your login credentials from being stolen.
Verdict and Recommendation
WordPress security is a layered approach. You don't need to do everything at once, but starting with Backups, a WAF, and 2FA will stop 99% of common attacks.
Most steps (like .htaccess rules) have zero impact on speed. High-resource plugins like Wordfence can have a small impact, which is why we recommend Cloudflare for off-site protection.
Yes, for most websites, the free version of Cloudflare provides sufficient security and performance boosts.
Backups. If all other security layers fail, having a recent backup ensures you can recover your business.