Overview of WordPress Security and How We Protect Your Websites

In today’s digital landscape, ensuring the security of your WordPress website is paramount. With the increasing prevalence of cyber threats and vulnerabilities, it is crucial to implement robust security measures to safeguard your valuable data, protect your online reputation, and provide a safe browsing experience for your visitors.

At Cliffex, we understand the significance of WordPress security and the constant work involved to keep your WordPress websites running without a glitch. In this article, we will delve into the various aspects of WordPress security, providing you with valuable insights into the actions we take to enhance the security posture of your website.

Risks of Having a Non-Secure WordPress Website

First things first, let’s explore the risks associated with having a non-secure WordPress website. Understanding these statistics will shed light on the potential dangers and emphasize the importance of implementing robust security measures.

Online Security Facts

To comprehend the significance of securing your online store, let’s examine some of the latest online security facts:

1. Due to its popularity and widespread use, WordPress is a prime target for hackers. As per Sophos – a leading Anti-virus and cybersecurity company, WordPress websites get close to 390,000 attacks occurring per month (thats 4.7 million attacks per year!).
2. Reputed cybersecurity firm – Sucuri says that 1 in every 25 WordPress sites get hacked.
3. In the same report by Sophos sighted above. Approximately 300,000 new malware instances are created every single day on WordPress websites.
4. A staggering 8% of hacked WordPress sites fall victim to weak passwords. This underscores the importance of using strong and unique passwords for all user accounts.
5. Outdated WordPress websites are particularly vulnerable. 61% of attacked websites running on outdated versions. Source: WPClipboard, a leading WordPress publication.
6. Plugin vulnerabilities contribute to 52% of WordPress security breaches. This is followed by 37% caused by outdated core files and an additional 11% attributed to themes.
7. Shockingly, over 4,000 WordPress websites have been infected by fake SEO plugins. This demonstrates the importance of exercising caution when selecting and installing plugins.

These security figures already highlight the critical need for safeguarding your website.

Core WordPress Security Measures

WordPress, being one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) globally, attracts the attention of hackers and malicious actors. To protect your WordPress website effectively, it is vital to grasp the fundamental elements of WordPress security.

At Cliffex, we perform regular security audits of WordPress websites as a part of our maintenance services. As an overview of WordPress security practices, here are the actions we take:

1. Robust User Authentication
   User authentication is the first line of defense against unauthorized access to your WordPress site. Implementing strong passwords, enforcing two-factor authentication (2FA), and limiting login attempts are effective strategies to fortify your website’s security. By using unique and complex passwords, we significantly reduce the risk of brute force attacks.
2. Regular Updates and Maintenance
   Keeping WordPress core, themes, and plugins up to date is crucial for maintaining a secure website. WordPress updates often include security patches that address vulnerabilities identified by developers or security researchers. By promptly applying updates, we mitigate the risk of exploitation and strengthen your website’s defenses.
3. Secure Hosting Environment
   Choosing a reliable and secure hosting provider is vital for your WordPress security. By hosting with Cliffex, you choose a leading hosting provider that enables us to ensure server-side protection, perform regular backups, and offer robust security features. Opting for a hosting plan with us also guarantees SSL certificate encrypted for security of your website and its visitors. Thereby enhancing data security.
4. Implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs)
   Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) act as a shield between your website and potential threats. They help filtering out malicious traffic and blocking suspicious activities. By employing a WAF, we safeguard your WordPress site against common attacks such as: SQL injections, cross-site scripting (XSS), and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
5. Securing WordPress File Permissions
   Properly configuring file permissions is crucial for preventing unauthorized access to sensitive files on your WordPress site. Setting the appropriate file permissions helps us restrict malicious actors from modifying critical files. Thus reducing the risk of compromising your website’s security.
6. Regular Backups
   Performing regular backups of your WordPress site ensures that you can quickly recover in the event of a security incident or data loss. We store backups in secure offsite cloud locations like secure cloud storage platform to ensure its availability even if your website’s server is compromised.

Additional Security Measures

In addition to the fundamental security practices outlined above, we perform several supplementary measures to bolster the security of your WordPress website.

1. Limiting Login Attempts
   By restricting the number of login attempts, we thwart brute force attacks that rely on guessing passwords through automated scripts. Implementing login attempt limitations can significantly decrease the probability of successful unauthorized access.
2. Disabling File Editing
   By disabling file editing within the WordPress dashboard, we prevent unauthorized modifications to your website’s core files. If some special case requires it, we perform the file operations and set back the file permissions.
3. Using Security Plugins
   WordPress offers a wide range of security plugins that can enhance the overall security of your website. These plugins can provide features such as malware scanning, firewall protection, login security, and more. We use industry leading security plugins to regularly scan your WordPress website and remove all security gaps.
4. Implementing Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)
   We use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to distribute your website’s content across multiple servers worldwide. This reduces latency and enhances performance. CDNs also offer additional security benefits by mitigating DDoS attacks and providing protection against certain types of malicious traffic.
5. Regular Security Audits
   Conducting periodic security audits helps us identify vulnerabilities and potential areas of improvement. Collaborating with a professional WordPress maintenance and security firm like Cliffex helps you maintain the secure posture of WordPress website of your business.

WordPress Security Performed 24×7

Ensuring the security of your WordPress website is an ongoing process that requires constant vigilance and proactive measures. By implementing the best practices outlined in this overview of WordPress security, we can significantly enhance your website’s security and minimize the risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and other malicious activities.

At Cliffex, we specialize in WordPress security and offer hosting and maintenance services to help you protect your website. Now you know the regular steps we follow to fortify your WordPress website’s security and establish your robust online presence.

Contact us today to learn more about our secure WordPress Hosting and Maintenance services and take proactive steps towards safeguarding your valuable online presence.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only. Implementing security measures mentioned herein does not guarantee absolute protection against all forms of cyber threats. It is advisable to consult with Cliffex WordPress security professionals and stay informed about the latest security practices and vulnerabilities affecting your WordPress website.