The Ultimate WordPress Security Guide 2024: Step-by-Step Protection Plan ·

Keeping your WordPress site secure is more important than ever. Trust me, it’s easy to let security slide but once your website gets hacked, it’s so hard to fix it and get it back to normal.

It would be smarter to protect your site from the get-go.

Now I know security might sound complicated. When I first started with WordPress, it was overwhelming to learn everything plus figure out how best to secure my site.

So I’ve created this comprehensive guide for you with that in mind.

It breaks down everything you need to do into easy-to-follow actions. The goal is to help you build strong defenses against attacks and malware. I’ll explain everything in simple terms and highlight the most important steps to keep your site safe.

I suggest bookmarking this guide so that you can come back to it as you go through the steps.

Heads up! If your site is already hacked, there’s no time to waste. Use a reliable security solution like Sucuri to scan and clean up your site right away. You can also hire WordPress professionals like WPBeginner Pro Services to clean up a hacked site.

First, let me clear up important things you need to know and understand before you start implementing security measures.

Isn’t WordPress Secure?

This is a question users ask all the time.

WordPress core is generally secure, thanks to a dedicated team of developers who regularly update and patch the software. You can read what WordPress.org has to say about their security process.

However, the overall security of a WordPress site depends on multiple factors beyond just the core.

WordPress plugins and themes, which extend the functionality of WordPress, can often be the weak point in a site’s security. Not all third-party developers follow strict security practices, and outdated or abandoned plugins and themes can leave your site vulnerable to attacks.

On any plugin page, you can see when it was last updated and if it has been tested with the latest versions of WordPress.

Moreover, how we manage our WordPress sites plays a crucial role in their security.

Using weak or default usernames and passwords, can make it easy for attackers to gain unauthorized access.

Failing to keep WordPress themes and plugins updated, or not properly configuring user roles and permissions, can create security loopholes.

So there’s a lot to consider when it comes to securing a WordPress site. It’s not just about relying on the core software’s security but taking a comprehensive approach.

Before we get to the steps, I’ll tell you why you need to take these security measures. It will help you get a better understanding of the risks involved and the potential consequences of neglecting website security.

Why is WordPress Security So Important?

I’ll be real with you. If your site isn’t secure, a lot can go wrong real fast. It doesn’t matter if your website is popular or not. Hackers can break in and use your website in all sorts of malicious ways that can damage your reputation, cause you legal trouble, and ruin your website.

Hackers usually steal or leak sensitive information, spread malware, or deface your site entirely.

Your WordPress site will likely store user data like login credentials, email addresses, or even payment information. A security breach can expose this data, leading to identity theft or financial losses. Depending on which country you’re in, you could face fines and legal trouble.

Hackers can also take down your website through denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, making it inaccessible to visitors. This can harm your business and frustrate your audience.

Added to this, search engines like Google prioritize secure websites. A hacked or malware-infected site can be blacklisted and users will be blocked from accessing it. You’ll see a warning like this on your site:

Plus, they can also penalize your site in search rankings, making it harder for visitors to find you.

Finally, depending on the data your site stores and the regulations in your region, a data breach could lead to legal repercussions.

So neglecting security can expose you to a number of risks. This is why it’s so important to take proactive steps to secure your site.

Now let’s go step by step to make your site’s security rock solid.

Essential WordPress Security Measures

First, let’s explore these crucial security measures to make your WordPress site’s security rock solid.

Step 1: Update WordPress, Themes, and Plugins

Updates to WordPress core, themes, and plugins often include fixes for security vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.

By not updating, you leave your site open to these threats.

Also, updates can improve performance and add new features, enhancing your site’s functionality and user experience.

Before making any updates, it’s essential to back up your website. This ensures you can restore your site if something goes wrong during the update process.

Updating WordPress Core

Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Dashboard » Updates. If an update is available, you’ll see a notification.

All you have to do is click on the button to update to the latest version of WordPress.

Updating Themes

Go to Appearance » Themes in your WordPress dashboard. Themes that need updating will show a notification. Click the Update Now button to update automatically.

If you’ve customized your theme, consider creating a child theme or using a staging site to test updates before applying them to your live site.

Updating Plugins

Go to Plugins » Installed Plugins.

Plugins with available updates will be highlighted. Click Update Now for each plugin.

To update multiple plugins at once, select the plugins you want to update, choose Update from the bulk actions dropdown, and click Apply.

Step 2: Install a Security Plugin & Firewall

Security plugins offer a suite of features designed to protect your site from various threats, such as malware, brute force attacks, and unauthorized access.

They add an extra layer of defense, making it easier to manage and monitor your site’s security.

Need help installing a plugin? Follow our tutorial » How to Install a WordPress Plugin

There are plenty of WordPress Security Plugins to choose from. I use Sucuri and have had a great experience with it.

They have a free WordPress scanner and a comprehensive pro plugin that you can choose from.

You’ll get access to:

Built-in security hardening
Security activity log
Blocklist monitoring
File integrity monitoring
Remote malware scanning
Security notifications
Post-hack security actions

If you want to install the complete security system that includes the Sucuri Firewall, then you’ll want to sign up for a premium plan that starts at $199.99 per year.

The plugin will perform regular scans of your website to detect malware, malicious code, and other security issues. If any threats are detected, you receive immediate alerts.

If your site is infected, Sucuri’s team of experts will clean it up, removing any malicious code and restoring your site to a safe state.

What’s awesome is that Sucuri continuously monitors your site for potential security issues, including unauthorized changes, DNS alterations, and SSL certificate status.

The service also checks your site against popular blacklists (e.g., Google Safe Browsing, Norton Safe Web) and helps remove your site from blacklists if it gets listed.

Other popular security plugins include:

Step 3: Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are essential because they make it significantly harder for hackers to gain access to your site through brute force attacks.

This is where hacker bots try thousands of combinations of usernames and passwords until they find the correct one. If you’re using a weak password, they’ll likely crack in minutes.

By using complex and unique passwords, you drastically reduce the risk of such attacks.

When you’re adding a password in WordPress, it will prompt you if your password is weak, medium, or strong.

Here’s what you need to follow:

Length and Complexity: A strong password should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. Steer clear of easily guessable information like “password123,” “admin,” or “yourname2024.”
Use a Password Manager: Tools like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden can generate and store complex passwords, making it easier to use unique passwords for every account without needing to remember them.
Implementing Strong Password Policies
Require Strong Passwords: Use a plugin like Password Policy Manager to enforce strong password requirements for all users on your site.
Regular Password Changes: Encourage users to change their passwords regularly, at least every few months.
Limit Login Attempts: If you’re using Sucuri, this feature is available inside. You can also install a plugin like “Limit Login Attempts Reloaded” to block IP addresses after a certain number of failed login attempts, deterring brute force attacks.

Step 4: Manage User Permissions

Properly managing user roles and permissions helps ensure that users only have access to the areas of your site that they need to perform their tasks. This minimizes the risk of accidental or malicious changes.

WordPress comes with several predefined roles:

Administrator: Full access to all site features and settings.
Editor: Can publish and manage posts, including those of other users.
Author: Can publish and manage their own posts.
Contributor: Can write and manage their own posts but cannot publish them.
Subscriber: Can only manage their profile.

My advice is to give users the minimum level of access they need to do their job. For example, don’t give Editor privileges to someone who only needs to contribute articles.

Also, periodically review user roles and permissions to ensure they are up to date. Remove access for users who no longer need it.

Consider using plugins like User Role Editor to customize user roles and capabilities. You can also check out plugins like WP Security Audit Log to help you monitor user activity, so you can spot any unusual behavior and take action promptly.

Step 5: Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two forms of identification when logging in.

This typically includes a password and a one-time code they get in real-time.

You can enable this inside the Sucuri pro plugin. For free options, you can install a plugin like Google Authenticator to add 2FA to your login process.

It’s best to require all users with access to your WordPress dashboard to use 2FA for enhanced security.

Step 6: Regular Backups

Regular backups ensure that you can quickly restore your site to its previous state if anything goes wrong, such as a hacking attempt, server crash, or accidental deletion of data.

You can use any WordPress backup plugin to take regular backups of your site. My #1 pick is the Duplicator plugin to create complete backups of your WordPress site, including all files, databases, themes, and plugins.

With Duplicator Pro, you can automate your backup process by scheduling regular backups. This feature allows you to set a specific frequency for backups (daily, weekly, monthly).

You can connect your backups to multiple offsite storage options like Google Drive, One Drive, Amazon S3, FTP/SFTP and more.

To restore your backup, you just have to click a few buttons to start the process, confirm your choice, and the plugin will restore your backup for you.

Learn more here: How to Backup Your WordPress Site (The Right Way!)

For more options check out 11 Best WordPress Backup Plugins to Keep Your Site Safe

Step 7: Use a Secure Web Host

It’s tempting to choose the cheapest web hosting plan but that’s not always the smartest choice.

A reliable web hosting provider not only ensures your site’s performance and uptime but also offers robust security measures to protect against various threats.

So for instance, a secure host provides strong server-side security measures to protect your site from attacks. Ideally, you want to look for these essential security features:

Automated backups ensure you have a recent copy of your data in case of a cyberattack or system failure.
Free SSL certificates to encrypt communication between your website and visitors, protecting sensitive information.
Free CDN to improve website performance and accessibility by serving content from geographically distributed servers.
Advanced firewall systems to block malicious traffic and prevent unauthorized access.
Protection against DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks to keep your site online during attack attempts.
Regular malware scanning and tools to remove detected threats quickly.
24/7 expert support to address security issues or concerns.

My top recommendations for secure web hosts that include all these features are:

Bluehost – Officially recommended by WordPress.org, Bluehost provides affordable hosting plans and reliable service. Their features include malware scanning, secure online payments, and domain privacy.
Hostinger – Known for its robust security, Hostinger offers features like a vulnerabilities and malware scanner, enhanced DDoS protection, and a secure access manager. Their plans also include free domain WHOIS privacy protection.
SiteGround – Another fantastic web host known for ultra-fast web hosting. Plans come with enhanced security features such as the AI anti-bot system.

Here’s the full list of The Best WordPress Hosts.

These web hosts have been around for decades and have earned a reputation of being reliable and trustworthy.

We’ve worked out a deal for you with Bluehost where you can get a hosting plan for as low as $1.99 per month.

This plan comes with a free domain (1-year), SSL certificate, and CDN included so you’ll save big!

Get The Exclusive Bluehost Deal »

Step 8: Use Secure Forms

Unsecured forms are an easy target for hackers. They simply enter malicious code in your form fields.

When the form is submitted, the code is sent to your website database for processing. This will allow hackers to infect your site or gain entry to your database, and from there, they can create havoc.

You can make sure this doesn’t happen by using web forms that are secure. WPForms is the #1 WordPress form builder that has built-in security so you won’t have to do anything.

Every form you create comes with anti-spam protection already enabled.

And if you want to add extra layers of protection, WPForms lets you enable CAPTCHA on your forms.

This means a user will have to solve a little puzzle or tick a box to prove they’re human.

Learn how to create secure WordPress Forms.

Step 9: Monitor Your Site Regularly

Now it’s time to keep a watchful eye on your website. Regular monitoring is like giving your site a health check-up, ensuring it’s growing strong and staying safe from any digital pests.

But don’t worry, you don’t need to be glued to your screen 24/7. There are some fantastic tools out there that can do the heavy lifting for you.
Google Search Console

Monitor your site’s health and performance in search results. Google Search Console provides insights into search traffic, indexing issues, security issues, and more.

Google Analytics

Track visitor behavior, traffic sources, and other important metrics to understand how your site is performing and identify any unusual activity.

Here an easy step by step guide on how to set up Google Analytics in minutes.

Uptime Tracker

Ensure your site is accessible and functioning correctly by tracking uptime and downtime. Set up alerts to be notified immediately if your site goes down.

Sucuri shows your site’s uptime like this:

There are also web hosts that will track your site’s uptime for you. You can also try out backup plugins like BlogVault that also monitor your site’s uptime and downtime.

User Activity Logs

Keep an eye on user activity, especially for administrator and editor accounts. Monitoring logins and actions can help identify suspicious behavior.

Plenty of plugins will let you do this including Sucuri and BlogVault.

Bonus: Harden Your Site With Advanced Measures

WordPress hardening measures involve one-time steps as well as measures that need to be periodically checked.

Some hardening steps also need a fair amount of technical skills in WordPress. If you’re not tech-savvy, then we strongly recommend using a WordPress hardening plugin.

These plugins let you apply security hardening measures at the click of a button. This means you’ll never have to touch any code or modify any files on your own.

Sucuri offers a WordPress security plugin for free to all WordPress users.

Once you install and activate the plugin, you can access and operate your security settings directly from your WordPress dashboard.

Enable WordPressHardening Measures For Free

Inside the Sucuri dashboard, you’ll find a whole list of hardening measures you can add to your site with just the click of a button.

Navigate to Sucuri » Settings » Hardening tab.

You’ll see all the available options here:

Website Firewall Protection: A firewall is the first line of defense to block hackers and bad bots. If you signed up for the pro version, you can link to your firewall account to view statistics in WordPress.
Verify WordPress Version: Checks when your WordPress installation, themes, and plugins are not up to date. You’ll see a prompt to update to the newest version to avoid software vulnerabilities.
Verify PHP version: Makes sure your server is running the latest version of PHP.
Remove WordPress Version: Allows you to remove the version of your CMS from being publicly displayed so hackers won’t be able to see if your WordPress version is outdated.
Block PHP Files in Upload Directory: Your uploads directory stores files that don’t need to use PHP to run. This will disable the execution of PHP files inside your uploads directory. Keep in mind that certain plugins do use PHP, so test this measure before you add it.
Block PHP Files in WP-CONTENT Directory: Places a .htaccess file inside the wp-content to block any external access.
Block PHP Files in WP-INCLUDES Directory: Places a .htaccess file inside the wp-includes to block any external access.
Information Leakage: Looks for any readme.html file on your site that contains your site’s WordPress version and deletes it.
Default Admin Account: Checks if the primary account uses ‘admin’ as the username. By changing this name, you can stop hackers from finding out which account has the highest privileges.
Plugin and Theme Editor: If a hacker has broken into your site, this is a very common target to access your website’s code. Enabling this option will disable the plugin and theme editor. That way other users cannot access and modify sensitive files through your WordPress admin.
Activate Automatic Secret Keys Updater: Refreshing your security keys will log out all users and delete existing cookies. This will reduce the chances of hackers misusing browser sessions.

To enable an option, select the ‘Apply Hardening’ button next to it. And if you want to undo it or remove the hardening feature, click on the same button that now says ‘Revert Hardening’.

Below this list, you’ll also see an option to allow blocked PHP files.

Sometimes, plugins and themes need access to certain files and folders that you have blocked. This will allow you to selectively add file paths that are allowed so you can maintain security and provide access only to trusted sources.

Enable Hardening Measures with Sucuri Pro

If you signed up for the Sucuri premium plans, then you’ll get access to an independent dashboard where you can manage your security. There are tons of advanced options to scan and monitor your site, manage security settings, and more.

That’s it. It’s that easy to harden your WordPress site with Sucuri.

Next, I’ll answer frequently asked questions on keeping your WordPress site secure.

FAQs on WordPress Security

How secure is WordPress?

WordPress is built and maintained following best practices and is a secure platform. While WordPress core software itself is generally secure, vulnerabilities can arise from poorly coded themes, plugins, weak passwords, unreliable web hosts, or outdated software. Hackers often exploit these vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access, inject malware, deface websites, or steal sensitive information.

By using good security practices and taking necessary precautions, you can greatly improve your WordPress site’s security.

Is WordPress the most hacked CMS?

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) globally, powering millions of websites. Due to its widespread usage, WordPress sites can be attractive targets for hackers.

That said, other CMS platforms also face security challenges, and the risk of being hacked is not exclusive to WordPress. Joomla, Drupal, and Magento, among others, have also experienced security issues in the past.

How can I tell if my site has been hacked?

Signs of a hacked WordPress site include:

Unusual activity in your admin panel (new users, plugin installations).
You’ve lost access to your admin panel
Changes to your website content or design.
Your website is slow or unavailable.
Security warnings from your hosting provider or security software.

What should I do if my site gets hacked?

If you think your site has been hacked, take immediate action:

Change all passwords associated with your site (WordPress admin, hosting account, etc.).
Contact your hosting provider for assistance.
Scan your site for malware and remove any threats.
Restore your website from a clean backup (if available).
Consider using a professional service to thoroughly clean your site of any vulnerabilities and backdoors.

Why is it important to keep WordPress updated?

Updates often include security patches that fix vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. Outdated software is a major security risk.

What are the advantages of using an SSL certificate and CDN?

SSL certificates encrypt communication between your website and visitors, protecting sensitive information. CDNs improve website performance and security by delivering content from geographically distributed servers.

I hope you found this guide helpful. I recommend bookmarking it and using it as and when you need.

Next, you may also want to see our Ultimate Toolkit for WordPress that has all our favorite and highly-recommended web hosting plans, WordPress plugins, and themes.

The Ultimate WordPress Security Guide (Step-By-Step Plan)

How to Secure Your WordPress Site

Isn’t WordPress Secure?

Why is WordPress Security So Important?

Essential WordPress Security Measures

Step 1: Update WordPress, Themes, and Plugins