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Easy Ways That Help You Protect Your WordPress Blog

| February 17, 2012 More



I’ve moved my blog, Computer How To Guide from Blogger to WordPress by myself a few months ago and it was a great learning experience. WordPress is no doubt a great blogging platform and I certainly have no regrets on making the move. As many blog owners know (and some of them may have learned the hard way), there are many potential security problems with any blog or website. This is also true with regard to WordPress blogs. In this article, you will learn some easy and simple to apply ways that help you protect your WordPress blog. Implementing them on your blog is a significant step towards making it secure.

ways to protect wordpress blog

Use a Secure Password

Ideally, the password should be at least eight characters long and it should contain at least one special character, number, and a capitalized letter.

Change the Password Periodically

Even if you have a good password, changing it every now and then would give your site more security.

Upgrade WordPress and the Plugins

Run WordPress upgrades as soon as they are available. The upgraded version may fix some security problems that exist in previous versions. People who are trying to hack WordPress sites are often looking for victims among sites that are using an outdated version.

Do Not Let People Browse Your Site’s Plugin Directory

One should be careful with allowing people to see the full contents of any directory, but in particular, the plugin directory contents should not be left visible. To fix this, you may add an empty index.html page to the directory wp-content/plugins/ or make changes to the .htaccess file.

Make the wp-admin Directory Secure

You may use plugins such as AskApache Password Protect and Login LockDown to add more protection here. You could also allow only certain IP addresses to use the wp-admin directory with .htaccess, but this solution has its problems. If you have a dynamic IP address on your computer or if you need to access your site from many locations, the system may restrict your access.

Be Careful With Excessive Use of Plugins

There are many useful WordPress plugins, but since these come from various sources and are not necessarily well tested regarding security issues, they do tend to raise the risk level. Minimally, it would be a good idea to spend some time searching the web for reviews and user comments regarding each plugin that you decide to use on your WordPress site.

Use Security Plugins

Despite what was just said about plugin use in general, it is also possible to enhance security with the use of certain plugins. In addition to the ones already noted above, BulletProof Security, WebsiteDefender WordPress Security and WP Security Scan are some plugins that could be mentioned in the context of various ways that help you protect your WordPress site.

This is an overview of things you can do to make your WordPress site more secure, it isn’t meant to be all-inclusive. Do share your thoughts on ways to help protecting your WordPress site in the comments. Happy and safe blogging to all!


Peter loves writing on computers and technology related topics. Recently he discovered an awesome trick for your browser called Google Sphere. These days he is busy in writing an article on how to prevent cell phone hacking.

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Category: Hacking & Seurity, Tips & Tricks, Wordpress

About the Author (Author Profile)

A fun loving person, Peter is the webmaster of ComputerHowToGuide.com. He loves to write on topics related to computers and technology. You can follow him on his Twitter handle @com_howtoguide.

Comments (50)

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  1. Saket Jajodia from Technology
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 17, 2012 at 11:30 pm

    You can also use Limit Login plugin to limit number of invalid logins from hacker and all.. I get 100s of invalid logins everyday but this and few other plugins saved me from so many daily request.. And Thanks a lot Peter, for this tips.. Its really helpful..!! :)

  2. Amit Shaw
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 17, 2012 at 11:34 pm

    Yes Saket Limit Login Plugin is Best for more security. I am using BPS and Limit Login both are doing well. Thanks peter, For sharing the tips with us.Thanks.
    Amit Shaw recently posted..How SEM Marketing helps your BusinessMy Profile

  3. Peter Fulton says:
    February 18, 2012 at 3:17 pm

    Those are some wonderful tips. It should be of great help for people to protect their WordPress blogs. I guess upgrading WordPress and the plugins should be the the most important thing that one must keep in mind.

    Thanks for sharing.

    -Peter

  4. Arwin
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 18, 2012 at 6:21 pm

    Awesome Tips, I am glad that you have shared them here. Now I have an idea on how I could keep my blogs protected.
    Arwin recently posted..5 Reasons Why PC Gaming Systems are Better Than ConsolesMy Profile

  5. Pradosh
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 18, 2012 at 8:14 pm

    I think you missed about using pirated plugins and themes.
    Most of WordPress sites are hacked due to use of pirated plugins and themes.

  6. Carl
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2012 at 9:12 am

    WordPress is pretty much secured well. And of course there are regular updates. Protecting admin are is a good think, but I doubt that anybody will try that kind of attack on WordPress blog. Most plugins are secured too, I think there is a list of vulnerable plugins on the main website. May be I can add DDoS protection as a good idea especially if the blog is very popular.
    Carl recently posted..Do Brides Find You Pinteresting? Does Google??My Profile

  7. Bhupendra from make money online
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 19, 2012 at 10:55 am

    Apply limited login to secure your website for hacking and try to best plugin like BulletProof Security.by doing this we definitely secure our wordpress website.
    Bhupendra recently posted..Make Money Selling Photos OnlineMy Profile

  8. Janus
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 20, 2012 at 7:48 am

    I’m aware of upgrading WordPress and plugins and limiting the amount of plugins. Thanks for sharing the other useful tips Peter :)
    Janus recently posted..The Best 17 WordPress Plugins For Your Website In 2012My Profile

  9. Peter Lee
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 20, 2012 at 1:45 pm

    You’re welcome… errr…, what ever your name is :)
    Peter Lee recently posted..Why Having Only One Antivirus Product Isn’t Enough AnymoreMy Profile

  10. Jasmine from Top Web Hosts says:
    February 21, 2012 at 4:00 pm

    These are great security tips, Peter. Thank you so much for reminding all of us that we must take security seriously. We certainly do not want all of our hard work go down the drain because of a virus or hacker attack.
    Jasmine recently posted..Best Forum HostingMy Profile

  11. Koundeenya
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 21, 2012 at 4:32 pm

    I have a query ? If we use any nulled versions of themes or plugins ? Does it become easy for hackers ?????

    • Peter Lee
      Twitter:
      says:
      February 21, 2012 at 6:20 pm

      I wouldn’t say that. I would rather say it is best or highly recommended that you use themes and plugins that are approved by WP (especially the plugins). Some reputable premium themes are also preferred. But then again, there’s no such thing in the world as “guarantee secured”. Using premium themes and WP approved plugins doesn’t mean that you’re 100% safe either. Use your common sense, practise the tips mentioned in the article and stay protected. Thanks for bringing up the question Koundeenya.
      Peter Lee recently posted..10 Ways to Protect Personal Information OnlineMy Profile

  12. Peter Lee
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 21, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    You’re welcome Harriet. Thanks for dropping by.
    Peter Lee recently posted..How Social Networking Can Help Your BrandMy Profile

  13. samia
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 23, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    Its really important for every site. VPS hosting server is good working.

  14. plumber in cleveland says:
    February 23, 2012 at 4:56 pm

    It i still amazing that some people do not take the issue of security seriously. A 4 year old can understand the idea of safety and protection, but some supposed adults do not have a clue. Thanks for the specific advice.

  15. DiNaRa says:
    February 24, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    I think it is quite logical to use all the possible ways of security that exist to protect your own blog and I find it very correct and I am trying to do the same as much as I can. Thanks for the tips.

  16. Alicia says:
    February 24, 2012 at 10:28 pm

    Interesting write-up. Never really thought about securing my blog! Thanks for the heads up on being careful with excessive plugins! :)
    Alicia recently posted..Whitelight – Best Portfolio Theme from WooThemesMy Profile

  17. luxury resorts near mumbai says:
    March 6, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    Really these are the 13 points which everyone can use to prevent their blogs.

  18. Google Play says:
    March 9, 2012 at 1:15 am

    Some time wordpress security apps breaks your WordPress installation.
    So use it very carefully. As One of my blog faced same problem.
    That’s all.
    Google Play recently posted..Regional Availability of Google Play storeMy Profile

  19. Charles from Michigan Website Design
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 12, 2012 at 10:00 am

    Currently installing the limit login plugin. Even the comment section of this post was useful!
    Charles recently posted..The first 3 local SEO steps for your Michigan business after publishing your new websiteMy Profile

  20. Trung Nguyen
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 16, 2012 at 11:14 pm

    Thanks for the share nice tips to help us learn on how to protect our WP blog. I still did not install any WP security plugins such WP Security Scan and I have to change now.

  21. Dave Cousin
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 23, 2012 at 3:13 pm

    Be very careful where you keep your WordPress passwords as well, certainly not in an e-mail in a Hotmail account, they seem to be constantly being hacked right now and people are then grabbing passwords for anything else you have in there.

  22. Amar Ilindra
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 24, 2012 at 10:21 am

    Updating plugins is most important one btw using nulled ones make harm to our wordpress

  23. santosh says:
    March 30, 2012 at 10:02 am

    I use login lock,it blocks IP who try to log into my account using brute force method
    santosh recently posted..HTC One X Price ,Specs,Features and ReviewMy Profile

  24. Ayush Agrawal
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 30, 2012 at 11:35 am

    Thanks for sharing these tips. Login lockdown really is the best plugin to protect wp-admin as wordpress by itself has no provision for brute forcing.
    Ayush Agrawal recently posted..AssistantExtensions – The Ultimate Siri modification tweakMy Profile

  25. Charloth says:
    April 3, 2012 at 11:36 am

    A bit concerned about your plugin list is it wise to recommend WordPress plugins that have not been updated for over a year? There are also a few caveats on the WP Security Scan plugin that could trip people up. Really should consider using “WP Login Security” rather than “Login Lockdown.” I would also recommend checking out the Ultimate Security Check and Better WP Security beta.

  26. Rudz says:
    April 19, 2012 at 6:15 am

    I use login lock-down to protect my blog, how do I hide the WP version from my blog?

  27. Real Estate Investing Training says:
    July 9, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    Thank you for stopping by and commenting! I hope you enjoy finding new and interesting bloggers here, and make new relationships along the way!

  28. metal wall decoration says:
    July 9, 2012 at 7:25 pm

    I’ve installed the blog protector and it seems to work only half.When I only select “Deactivate Text Selection And Image Dragging.(Highly Recommended)”, that works. But, when I select both options (so also “Disable Right Click Of Mouse”) the plugin does nothing. right click and selection of text and images is still possible.

  29. tamer says:
    July 10, 2012 at 5:29 am

    Awesome Tips, I am glad that you have shared them here. Now I have an idea on how I could keep my blogs protected.
    tamer recently posted..AMAZONDAN PARA KAZANMAKMy Profile

  30. Home theater install says:
    July 26, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    I hope they don’t start charging, it would mean commenting would become a ‘dark art’ of SEO.

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