How to EnhanceWordPress Security
WordPress powers about 30% of the market share of content management systems, which makes it a huge target for hacks. Though WordPress has a lot of security measures comparable to other content management systems, there are some threats caused by plugins, themes, users, and hosting. Hence it is necessary that WordPress developers must have a control on all these aspects. Here is a detailed guideline on how to approach WordPress security within your own limits as a developer.
Why hackers attack sites
Hackers might consider even a small WordPress site as an attractive target. Most hacks happen since a bot or botnet have compromised the site automatically. Bots are on a constant search or opportunities on the net to hack sites. They sneak in wherever there is a vulnerability in the defense system. Hackers search for ways to enter the server in order to be able to use the computing power of the server and turn it loose on some other purpose or target. Some of the reasons why hackers want your server are to send spam, attack other sites, steal resources, bump SEO scores of the site, and steal data.
Why do you need to care for security?
Besides for being able to thwart the vicious plans of the hackers, you must be vigilant to avoid security breaches so that you will not have the hassles of cleaning the site after an attack. For running a hacked WordPress once again, you will need to clean it up of all the bits of third-party code. You will have to comb through the entire code line and all folders uploaded to the server to ensure they are clean. Also, you will have to check if the unauthorized users have got the access. There is also the hassle of replacing all the passwords in WordPress, your database and on the server.
Though there are lots of resources available to clean up a WordPress site, always prevention is better than cure. Hacking affects your reputation and SEO rankings. So remember to follow these steps to tighten the security measures on your WordPress site.
Focus on the CIA Triad
We can describe the CIA triad as a basic framework meant for all the digital security projects. They stand for confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CIA contains a set of rules that can limit the access of information to the right people thereby ensuring that the information is reliable and accurate and that a trustworthy access to the information is guaranteed. Let us go through each of them in detail.
Confidentiality
Ensure that you have assigned the right roles to the users who have logged in and that their capabilities are under check. Give the bare minimum access every user will need. It is very essential to ensure that the administrator information is not leaked out for the use of wrong parties. Tighten the control to the admin area by carefully safeguarding the usernames and credentials.
Integrity
Give only accurate information on the site and ensure that the interactions on your site are systematized. While accepting requests, make sure that the intents match the action. Before posting data, filter it in your code to remove malicious content.
Availability
Ensure your WordPress themes and plugins are up to date. Host them on a reliable WordPress host. Automate daily backups which will also ensure your site is always available to the public.
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