Given that more than 40% of the total number of websites are backed by WordPress, one can hardly be surprised that a cybercriminal has made it one of the key targets. The threats to WordPress sites vary: there are brute-force attempts at logins or malicious plugins. As a blogger, an entrepreneur, or a developer, you should learn to defend against attacks to WordPress so as to protect your information, your traffic, and your reputation.
This article will explore practical action and professional recommendations on WordPress security in detail, where you will learn how to keep your site safe against regular threats in 2025.
The importance of WordPress Security
WordPress is flexible and open source but the same open nature attracts malafide actors in exploiting the same. The compromised site may result to:
-User data that gets stolen
-Punishments to rankings in SEO
-Website blacklisting
-Financial losses
-Down time and faulty functionality
Your site security cannot be reduced to the installation of its security plugin only but it involves the creation of a broad WordPress site security plan.
1. Stay current on WordPress Core, Themes, and Plugins
Maintaining everything up-to-date is also one of the most crucial steps you can take to defend your WordPress site. Security fixes composed of both themes or WordPress core and popular themes are regularly released by the developers. Most hackers take advantage of old programs and therefore unpatched sites are vulnerable targets.
Best practices:
-Automatically update the core WordPress whenever possible.
-Make sure to remind yourself of the possibility of theme and plugin updates on a regular basis.
-Deactivate themes and plugins that you not using.
2. Keep Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
One of the leading causes of websites hacked is by means of poor passwords. Do not use typical logins such as the names of a management level, frankly, an administrator or 123456. Rather, make use of the uppercases, lowercases, numbers, and symbols.
Recommended actions:
-A password manager can be utilised in order to generate and save safe usernames and passwords.
-Activate two-factor authentication (2FA) to all admins.
-Restrict the number of log in chances to obviate the brute-force attacks with the help of a plugin such as Login LockDown.
3. Select Safe Hosting Companies
The kind of hosting that you are being provided with is significant to the security of your site. Most of the attacks on WordPress are as a result of bad server settings.
Things to look out on safe hosting:
-Regular backups
-Firewall and malware scanning
-Support of SSL certificate
-DDoS protection / server side caching
Closer WordPress hosting providers such as Kinsta, WP Engine, or SiteGround have a more serious WordPress plugin security and support.
4. Install a WordPress Security Plugin
Using a reliable WordPress security plugin can automate many protective measures. These tools provide real-time scanning, firewall protection, login protection, and malware cleanup.
Top plugins include:
-Wordfence Security
-Sucuri Security
-iThemes Security
-MalCare
These plugins alert you to suspicious activity, block IPs, and harden your website automatically.
5. Use an SSL Certificate (HTTPS)
An SSL certificate encrypts data between the browser and your server. Not only does it protect sensitive data like login credentials, but it also improves SEO rankings and builds trust with visitors.
Most hosts now offer free SSL certificates via Let’s Encrypt. Ensure your entire website uses HTTPS and redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS.
6. Secure the wp-config.php and .htaccess Files
Your wp-config.php file contains crucial configuration data, including your database credentials. Hackers target this file to gain access.
Tips:
Move wp-config.php one directory above the root folder.
Add the following code to .htaccess to protect the file:
-apahe
-Copy
-Edit
<files wp-config.php>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</files>
Use similar directives to protect .htaccess itself and other sensitive files.
7. Disable File Editing in the Dashboard
WordPress allows administrators to edit theme and plugin files directly from the dashboard. However, this can be dangerous if a hacker gains access to your admin account.
To disable this:
Open wp-config.php.
Add this line:define(‘DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT’, true);
This reduces the risk of malicious code injection via the editor.
8. Regularly Back Up Your WordPress Site
Even with the best security in place, no system is 100% immune. Having regular backups ensures that if your site is compromised, you can quickly restore it.
Backup strategies:
-Use plugins like UpdraftPlus, VaultPress, or BlogVault.
-Store backups offsite (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive, or Amazon S3).
-Schedule automatic daily or weekly backups depending on your update frequency.
9. Monitor User Activity
If your site has multiple contributors, keep an eye on what they’re doing. Unexpected changes to content, settings, or plugins can be a red flag.
Use plugins like WP Activity Log to track:
-Logins and logouts
-File changes
-Plugin and theme installations
-Content edits
10. Hide the WordPress Version
Hackers often look for specific WordPress versions with known vulnerabilities. By hiding your WordPress version, you reduce the chance of targeted attacks.
You can remove the version number by adding this to your theme’s functions.php file:remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_generator’);
Final Thoughts
Securing your WordPress site doesn’t require being a cybersecurity expert. With the right combination of WordPress security plugins, strong passwords, secure hosting, and regular updates, you can significantly reduce the risk of attacks.
Whether you’re running a personal blog, a WooCommerce store, or a business site, investing time in protecting your WordPress site pays off in peace of mind and long-term stability.