WordPress Hacking Prevention: Essential Steps for Website Protection

One of the most critical responsibilities of WordPress admins is maintaining WordPress security, which cannot be overlooked. Because of its popularity among website builder systems, hackers have always been trying to find the WordPress vulnerability to invade. And, since security is a relative issue, you must use all available ways to boost security and prevent the message: WordPress hacked in 2024.

This essay will discuss WordPress security issues and how to deal with them. Using these strategies, you can improve the security of your website and prevent invasion and hacking. So, stick with us to improve your WordPress security.

How to Secure WordPress and Prevent WordPress Hacking?

When a website is hacked and penetrated, all information is taken. In the worst-case scenario, some people will permanently collect your site’s information by inserting malicious code into various portions of the site without your knowledge. Everything on your site might appear to be working perfectly, and there are no issues. Yet, crucial information about your site and the individuals visiting it is continuously flowing.

When you begin installing WordPress, you must employ all techniques to strengthen WordPress security and prevent a hacked WordPress website. Protecting a site’s security does not only apply to the content management system. In addition, your host and server must be secure, too. As a result, in the first stage, attempt to utilize a host with strong security. 

Note: Remember that making a complete backup copy of your host is the most critical thing to consider while securing WordPress. If you use a completely prepared WordPress backup, you may address a security problem for the site by restoring the backup in the shortest time. As a result, attempt to make a full backup from a direct admin or cPanel host in small bursts, at least once every two days. You may need a guide to make a complete backup from the cPanel host.

How to Prevent Hacking WordPress?

In this step, we will look at a WordPress security checklist to prevent hacks. Our list consists of the WordPress security best practices, so make sure you read them with focus:

Constantly Updating WordPress

The most critical aspect of guaranteeing WordPress site security is to keep WordPress, along with the templates and WordPress security plugins, up to date. WordPress’s development team is continually introducing new features and correcting security flaws and bugs in the content management system. As a result, once WordPress issues new updates, you should update it as quickly as possible. In addition, you should also update any plugins and templates that are currently in use.

Note: Another challenge with keeping WordPress up to date is utilizing official and trustworthy WordPress templates and plugins. Unfortunately, because of embargo issues and the expensive exchange rate for acquiring authentic items, many websites sell WordPress templates and plugins without getting them from sources and by getting them from websites whose goal is unclear. As a result, they induce site infiltration and hacking. This issue causes most WordPress hacking factors. Therefore, purchase any plugin and template you use from the primary sources.

Making Regular Backup of WordPress

Malicious software is frequently inserted into your site after your WordPress site is hacked, which you may not discover in most circumstances. But, on the other hand, you can’t be too confident of your host’s backup.

So, WordPress content security policy suggests that you always create your backup version of the site. In this way, if problems arise or the site gets hacked, you may carry on working from the backup file. Backing up the site is always the greatest option for dealing with unpleasant issues.

Increasing the Security of the wp-config.php File

The wp-config.php file holds database information. It is one of the most critical files on every WordPress site. As a result, you should be careful with the information in this file and use whatever tactic you know to block access so that no one else may examine it.

Increasing the Security of the htaccess File

htaccess is another key file in WordPress. It may be used to do a variety of functions on each site. This file is important for securing WordPress files and directories. By using the commands the htaccess file can perform, you can boost site security and prevent WordPress hacks.

Increasing the Security of the wp-admin Folder

Another significant WordPress folder is the wp-admin folder. As the name implies, it is in charge of controlling the WordPress front desk. You may insert programs into the files in this folder by accessing it. In addition, you may use encryption on the wp-admin folder on the cPanel server to boost the security of this folder.

Use a Strong Password and Access Level

Using weak passwords is the simplest and most frequent approach for hacking and penetrating WordPress sites. However, the issue of not choosing a strong password is not restricted to WordPress; if you follow technology news, you will notice that numerous headlines are published each year regarding email hacking of users who use poor and typical passwords.

It is important to note that a password is not restricted to the password used in WordPress. Instead, use a strong password for each aspect of your site, such as login into the server, FTP account, site database, etc.

Another consideration is selecting the appropriate access level for users. Typically, on many sites that work as a team, most teammates have the user role of the general manager, putting WordPress’s security in danger. However, you should remember that all members are not required to have the general manager position since compromising one of the users’ passwords would result in the entire site being hacked. This user role is sufficient for one of the team members responsible for developing and designing the site area. In contrast, the rest of the team members employ roles, including author and editor.

Increasing the Security of the WordPress Login Page

The login page is one of the most crucial, and keeping it up to date is critical to preventing WordPress hacking and DDOS assaults. As a result, introducing security techniques, such as establishing a security question, utilizing Google’s two-step login, and so on, opened the door to WordPress, which can be used to protect a site account. Here you can see top tips to prevent a WordPress hack.

Change the Address of the WordPress Login Page

By default, WordPress utilizes the address wp-login.php for the login page, and navigating to the address wp-admin will immediately redirect you to this page. As a result, if someone knows your login and password, they may simply access the WordPress dashboard and do anything. As a result, you may modify this address and the wp-admin address to an address of your choosing.

Limit the Number of Times You Can log in to WordPress

WordPress does not limit the number of attempts to access the site by default. You can limit how many times you can log in. In that case, if someone tries to log in more than the specified number of times, even with a valid username and password, they won’t be able to access WordPress.

Restrictions on Email Login in WordPress

WordPress version 3 and higher include a function allowing you to log in to this content management system using your email address and username. As a result, because you use email to communicate with many people, it will be easy to enter the site without knowing the login. First, log in to your host and navigate to /public_html/wp-content/themes/ to disable this function. Now navigate to the template’s folder, paste the code below into the template’s function file (functions.php), and save it.

remove_filter( ‘authenticate’, ‘wp_authenticate_email_password’, 20 );

After inserting the code, you can’t log in to WordPress by email anymore, and you will only be able to log in via your username.

Using WordPress Captcha

Logging in to WordPress or sending spam comments is one way to attack WordPress, which does not require logging into the site, but this causes your site to be constantly bombarded with requests, and your CPU and resources are used. It becomes involved, and the site finally becomes inaccessible. You may prevent this by using a WordPress captcha. Captcha may also be used to prevent spam comments.

Google’s Two-Step Login in WordPress

Google Authenticator has provided a two-step login capability for over two years. You no longer need to get the confirmation code to enter the account through SMS to the number in this project; instead, you can download the special Android and IOS app and install it on your smartphone and use the numbers that are automatically produced in this app for the code. This method is not confined to Google products, and by utilizing this functionality, you may enable a two-step Google login in WordPress.

Add a Security Question on the WordPress Login Page

Using the security question and answer tool in WordPress is another option to improve security and prevent WordPress hacks. As a result, any user may choose one of the security questions by going to the birth certificate page and entering the answer while attempting to access the site; they will be allowed to enter WordPress once they enter the chosen response. 

Disable WordPress Error Messages

When you enter an incorrect username or password on WordPress while logging in, the notice “The username — is incorrect or the ID is invalid” appears. The hacker identifies which login information is incorrect based on the displayed message. After discovering the proper information, they may go on to the next item and hack the site in less time.

To disable this option, paste the below code into your template’s function file (functions.php) and save it.

// Remove error message on login screen

add_filter(‘login_errors’, create_function(‘$a’, ‘return null;’));

Hide WordPress Username

There is a feature in most WordPress themes. When you want to see some information about the author, you click on the author’s name, and it will send you to the author’s page, where the author’s username is precisely what is displayed in the address. As a result, if you discover that you do not want this function, you may remove it from your template or utilize existing techniques to identify the location of the author’s page based on the author’s ID without specifying the author’s username.

# BEGIN block author scans

RewriteEngine On

RewriteBase /

RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (author=\d+) [NC]

RewriteRule .* – [F]

# END block author scans

Changing the Prefix of WordPress Tables

Based on its default settings, WordPress uses wp. It is used as the prefix for tables in the database. If you did not change it while installing WordPress, your site’s security would suffer from the database section. Thus you must alter the table prefix. 

Using SSL in WordPress

Using the secure HTTPS protocol, your website may exchange any data in a safe environment. As a result, by implementing SSL in WordPress, you may improve the site’s security in various ways. Therefore, you should utilize SSL to improve WordPress security and prevent WordPress hacks.

Disabling viewing of hosting folders

Browsing folders on the site is one of the aspects that people overlook, and depending on the host’s settings, this capability may not be deactivated on the host. As a result, hackers may utilize directory browsing to verify the files in each folder, and your site can be readily hacked by identifying methods to breach. Additionally, people can steal files on the host by locating your directories, which is not confined to this situation. As a result, this functionality must be disabled. Follow the procedures below to do this.

1. Go to public_html after logging in to your host.
2. Find the htaccess file. Find it at the root of your website and then modify it.
3. Add the command Options- Indexes at the end of the htaccess file.
4. Lastly, save the file.

Use WordPress to create an online store. You should be aware that the WooCommerce plugin does this automatically. It also works in a manner that even if you provide a direct link to an uploaded file for a product, they can only download the file once they enter the host.

Disabling the Template Editor and Plugin

1. The code editor is in the display and plugin menus. It is one of the features of WordPress, and by utilizing these two menus, you can access and change all WordPress templates and plugins, respectively. If someone gains access to your WordPress dashboard, they may execute harmful code on your site. You may disable this functionality by doing the following.
2. Go to public_html after logging in to your host.
3. Navigate to the file editing page by selecting the wp-config.php file in the host’s root.
4. Now, add the following code to the file’s define section and save it. The ability to edit template and plugin files using the WordPress editor will be removed after putting the code below.

// Disallow file edit

define( ‘DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT’, true );

Disabling PHP File Execution in WordPress

The host lets you place any file anywhere on the site and perform whatever you want with PHP instructions. You will not need to execute PHP files in some folders, the most significant of which is the WordPress uploads folder, which contains multimedia assets such as photographs, videos, audio, and so on. As a result, use the following approach to prevent the necessity of running PHP instructions in this route.

1. Log in to your hosting account and navigate to public_html/wp-content/uploads.
2. Create a file called htaccess and add the following code to it.

<Files *.php>

deny from all

</Files>

After pasting the preceding code into the htaccess file in this folder, the ability to run PHP in this path will be generally blocked.

Disable XML-RPC

The WordPress XML-RPC file enables remote management in WordPress, including the ability to use the Windows WordPress app, the Android app, or services such as IFTTT. By utilizing the system. A hacker can use the multi-call function to send 20 requests to your site simultaneously to retrieve the login password in WordPress, which also enables DDOS attacks. It is thus preferable to disable this feature in WordPress by following the instructions in the training post to disable XML-RPC.

Checking User Activity in WordPress

Monitoring the activities of your website’s users is another method of WordPress security. The site’s statistics system or plugins can do this function. To avoid damaging acts, if a person is recognized and suspected, it is sufficient to disable their account or limit their user role. 

Periodically Change the Password of All Users in WordPress

Typically, people who register on the site do not take any steps to change their password regularly. These issues may be insignificant for some websites, but they are critical for file storage sites that use WooCommerce or other plugins. As a result, you must undertake the job yourself and ensure that the users update their passwords in WordPress. 

Using the WordPress Security Plugin

Several security plugins for WordPress have been developed, allowing you to implement security mechanisms in WordPress. Another WordPress security plugin is the iThemes Security WordPress plugin, which provides capabilities including automated backup of the WordPress database. You may repair the damage using the WordPress backup if the site is attacked.

Preventing WordPress Hacks in Phoenix, Arizona

Making appealing websites is the thing that Wise Advertisement thrives at. You can still use our services even if you already have a website and want to increase its safety and prevent WordPress hacks. 

The Wise Advertisement offers the best WordPress security services in Phoenix, Arizona. We aim to enable every big or small business to have a unique website.

Contact us if you have any questions. Our website developers are ready to consult you in protecting your website and preventing WordPress hacks. In addition, you can visit our Website Design and Development and complete the online form.