If you have not find a way to have a permanent website security; then your security will always seem a nightmare. Hence, you will loose peace of mind over the uncertainty of your web properties. Hacking, spamming and phishing can rob you off your website.
A Permanent Website Security?
Foremost, there is logically nothing like a permanent website security. Internet security is a continuous process, therefore, you must follow it religiously.
No matter how much security you presently attach to your website, it will become out-of-date over time. This article intends to give you tips to always keep your internet security up. Although the tips here can apply to every website, but I am focusing on WordPress websites.
What happen when my security is down?
If your website ever get compromised, you stand the chance of loosing everything you have worked for. Your website will be vulnerable to hacking, spamming and phishing. An hacker’s interest is to take over your properties while requesting for ransom. While on the part of spamming and phishing; they are using your website to carry out bad things. Spamming and Phishing will ultimately cost you your website on the long run. Being vulnerable will make you wish you have a permanent website security.
Creating Your own Permanent Website Security
I will share my pattern of maintaining security on my web properties at all time. Some of these things are minor things we might not see any necessity in doing. But they are very crucial in guarding the gate all the time.
1. Limit Access
Limiting access to your website is very crucial in maintaining a durable security. Thus, you must give administrator priviledge to only those you trust. Also, you should make sure to reduce admin access to the barest minimum.
Always make sure you login address is not publicly known. Most website place their login at /admin while WordPress default is /wp-admin. Going with winds will make your vulnerable. You might even suffers Brute Force Attack while an hacker is trying to crack your password.
2. Strict Password
Your website is beyond your social network account. This is where your business lives or where your reputation lives. The idea behind your password is to make it impossible to guess. In order to achieve this, you must make it to be complex and unique. In making it complex, always employ the mix of capital and small letters and symbols. By the way, never use a password you are using on your social network accounts.
This is applicable to your Cpanel and your web host admin login. It is highly recommended you make use of password generator.
P.S. You should change your cpanel password often, e.g weekly or monthly. Just make sure you are not using one password for a long time.
3. Stay Up-to-date
Security vulnerabilities affects all types of software, therefore, always update to the latest version of your software. Your WordPress core, your themes and plugins; always make sure they are up-to-date. This will reduce the chance of hacker taking advantage of your vulnerabilities.
4. Rely of the Most Reliable
I am not talking about spiritual here (laughs). I am talking about the themes/template or plugins you use on your website. Do not go and source for free version from a third party. I refer to them as black market products. Always make use of only the original products. Majority of people that gives out free version of a premium theme or plugin usually include their code. Hence, they will come back using their backdoor to hack your website.
5. Backup
If I am listing these tips in the order of importance, this will be the first. Backing up your website is topmost of your website security. Your web host will usually have tools to back up to their server. However, you will do better if you back up to a remote server once in a while. This remote server can be another account or services like google drive, one drive etc.
I am presently writing on backing up your WordPress which I will be publishing soon here. Hence, Be sure to read and stay safe.
6. Monitoring
This is the part where your hardworking habit comes to play. You can use online website scanner to check what is up with your website. Sites like TotalVirus and SiteCheck will help you know whats up.
Conclusion
Following the tips above will give you higher peace of mind in securing your website. I will recommend you have an IT consultant at hand in case of emergencies. Do not pay of your website developers, you might need them again. Website designer should take a look at this WordPress Codex.
Need something from me? Get in touch.