Security is serious business.
Attacks often happen because of vulnerabilities in WordPress’ architecture. As a result, many servers get hacked and it can be difficult to stop the damage. One reason for this is that WordPress plugins and themes can contain flaws and other issues.
Mass compromises of WordPress sites have been recorded in the past, and this is due in large part to vulnerable plugins and themes.
Security in WordPress is especially important because of its extensibility; plugins and themes are where most exploits get through.
The WordPress plugins and themes can contain flaws, loopholes, backdoors, and other issues.
Now that you know that the security of your website is so important, you must take immediate action now to avoid it at all costs.
One of the best ways to protect your website is to do it yourself however if you don’t have technical skills, you can consider hiring a WordPress developer to do this job for you.
How can a WordPress developer help you to get rid of malware on your website?
In this blog post, I have shared 8 ways in which your web developer can protect your website from malware attacks.
#1 Updating the WordPress software
Protecting your website from malware and viruses is crucial for any website developer or a business owner. It won’t be wrong to say that your web developer’s top priority is to protect your website from malware and virus attacks.
WordPress, your themes, and plugins will sometimes need to be updated so that you can keep your website safe and bug-free.
You’ll also get the newest features, better compatibility, and a smoother experience with every update. Updates also help keep your website secure by releasing security patches.
Updating the WordPress software is one of the best ways to secure your website.
Your web developer can keep your website’s core CMS updated to ensure that it stays secure and safe.
The WordPress version changes every so often, so your WordPress developer can update the core WordPress CMS version of your site when new versions are available.
#2 Resetting the passwords
Cybersecurity is a critical issue that all website owners must be aware of.
Your WordPress developer can do more than just build you a website. They are here to help with security as well!
To keep your site safe, your developer will be able to help you change the passwords of the essential areas. This includes admin, control panel, database, and FTP.
Hackers are always looking for the best way to break into your site, so it’s important to have a developer who can protect it.
Here are some of the qualities of a stronger password:
- It should be longer
- Your password must be alphanumeric
- The password should have special characters
Why should you change the passwords frequently?
Depending on the type of WordPress site you operate, there could be a lot at risk when it comes to having a weak password.
For instance, if you run an eCommerce store, a user could be risking their payment information and personal information if they have an insecure password.
#3 installing a security plugin
Your WordPress developer can help you to secure your website by installing a security plugin such as ‘All in One WP Security.
How can this security plugin help your site to fight against malware?
WordPress is perfectly safe, but why not beef up your site’s security?
Extra security is easy to come by with the All In One WordPress Security plugin. It’s designed and written by experts and it’s easy to use and understand.
This plugin, All in One WordPress Security, will take your website security to a whole new level.
‘All in One WP Security’ can help you in the following areas:
- Content spam security
- Brute force login attack prevention
- Adding firewall
- Database security
- File system security
- User login security
- User account security
#4 Upgrading plugins & theme
One of the most important factors in keeping your website secure is up-to-date plugins.
Most plugin/theme developers continue to add new features, improve code, and enhance quality.
These changes are released as updates. If you want your site to take advantage of these updates, make sure you update your plugins as soon as possible.
There are updates for all kinds of plugins, which can hugely improve a site’s quality and decrease its vulnerabilities. This is true for WordPress themes and plugins, as well.
When your WordPress developer updates a plugin or theme on your site, you should always make sure you have the latest version.
Although you can also upgrade the plugins or theme of your WordPress website yourself in just a few clicks, it’s always recommended to hire a developer to do this job or take a backup before you update any of the plugins or themes.
#5 Restrictions
Another important thing that your WordPress website maker can do to protect your website is set necessary permissions to the different areas of your site.
For example, your developer can disallow access to critical files such as wp-config.php and .htaccess.
In order to protect your website from malware attacks, your WordPress developer can also restrict access to the admin section (wp-admin) of your site.
#6 House Keeping
Often underestimated, the website’s housekeeping is another important thing that your WordPress developer can do to make your website protected. While doing the housekeeping of your website, your website builder can:
- Disable or delete all the unnecessary plugins.
- Remove all the unnecessary files or folders.
- Optimize the database and remove redundant entries from it.
- Take a backup of your website.
- Scan the website for any possible security threats.
It is therefore always advised for every webmaster to hire a professional WordPress developer to maintain the website if they can’t spare their time to do the same.
#7 Website lockdown
To prevent brute force attempts, lockdown features are very helpful.
A lockout feature for failed login attempts can help stop hacking attempts by locking the site if there are too many wrong passwords in a row.
By implementing this feature with your WordPress website, you can notify hackers of their unauthorized activity, and protect your site from unnecessary damage.
#8 File permissions
File permissions are usually represented by a 3 digit number in WordPress.
The first digit is specific to the individual user, the second is for the group, and the third stands for anonymous users.
For example, if a file is given a permissions level of 640, it means the primary user can read and edit the file, the group can read the file but not edit it, and everyone else cannot access it.
By setting the minimum file permissions of your WordPress files and folders, your WordPress developer can take another important step to secure your website.