How to Secure Your WordPress Website from Hackers – Step-by-Step Guide
WordPress powers over 40% of the web, making it a major target for hackers. Cyberattacks like brute force attacks, malware injections, SQL injections, and phishing can compromise your website, steal sensitive data, and even take your site offline.
This step-by-step guide will show you how to secure your WordPress site, covering both manual security measures and recommended security plugins to keep your site safe from hackers.
Step 1: Choose a Secure Web Hosting Provider
Your hosting provider is the first line of defense against hackers. If your host is vulnerable, even the best security measures won’t fully protect your website.
✅ 1.1 Features to Look for in a Secure Hosting Provider
When choosing a hosting provider, ensure it offers:
✔️ Automatic backups (daily or weekly backups help restore your site if hacked).
✔️ SSL certificate (encrypts user data for secure connections).
✔️ DDoS protection (prevents malicious traffic from crashing your site).
✔️ Firewalls and malware scanning (stops unauthorized access attempts).
✔️ PHP and database security updates (outdated PHP versions make sites vulnerable).
✅ 1.2 Recommended Secure Hosting Providers
Here are some of the best WordPress security-focused hosts:
🔹 Kinsta – Advanced security with daily backups.
🔹 WP Engine – High-performance managed WordPress hosting with strong security.
🔹 SiteGround – Includes firewall, malware scanning, and SSL.
🔹 Bluehost (WP Pro Plan) – Comes with automatic updates and malware detection.
Step 2: Keep WordPress Core, Themes, and Plugins Updated
✅ 2.1 Why Updates Are Critical for Security
Outdated WordPress core files, plugins, and themes are a major security risk. Hackers exploit vulnerabilities in old versions to insert malware or gain access to your website.
✅ 2.2 How to Enable Automatic Updates
WordPress allows you to automatically update core files:
1️⃣ Go to Dashboard > Updates
2️⃣ Enable Auto-Update for WordPress Core, Themes, and Plugins.
Alternatively, you can enable updates manually using:
🔹 Easy Updates Manager plugin – Automates all WordPress updates.
🔹 ManageWP – Centralized dashboard for multi-site updates.
Step 3: Use Strong Login Credentials and Limit Login Attempts
✅ 3.1 Avoid Weak Passwords
Hackers use brute force attacks (automated password-guessing) to break into WordPress accounts. Avoid common passwords like:
❌ admin123
❌ password
❌ 123456
Instead, use a strong password generator (e.g., 1Password, LastPass, or Bitwarden).
✅ 3.2 Change the Default “admin” Username
By default, WordPress sets the admin username as “admin”, which hackers often target. To change it:
1️⃣ Go to Users > Add New
2️⃣ Create a new admin account with a unique username
3️⃣ Log in with the new admin account
4️⃣ Delete the old “admin” user
✅ 3.3 Limit Login Attempts to Prevent Brute Force Attacks
Use a plugin like:
🔹 Limit Login Attempts Reloaded – Blocks users after multiple failed attempts.
🔹 Wordfence – Adds CAPTCHA and two-factor authentication (2FA).
Step 4: Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
2FA adds an extra security layer by requiring a one-time password (OTP) from your mobile phone or email when logging in.
✅ 4.1 How to Enable 2FA in WordPress
1️⃣ Install Google Authenticator – Two Factor Authentication plugin
2️⃣ Go to Settings > Two Factor Auth
3️⃣ Scan the QR code with the Google Authenticator app (Android/iOS)
4️⃣ Enter the 6-digit code to complete the setup
✅ 4.2 Best 2FA Plugins for WordPress
🔹 Google Authenticator – WordPress Two Factor Authentication
🔹 WP 2FA – Two-Factor Authentication for WordPress
Step 5: Use SSL Certificates to Encrypt Website Traffic
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encrypts communication between your website and users. It prevents hackers from stealing login credentials, credit card details, or personal information.
✅ 5.1 How to Get a Free SSL Certificate
Many web hosts offer free SSL through Let’s Encrypt. To enable it:
1️⃣ Log in to your hosting dashboard
2️⃣ Navigate to Security > SSL/TLS
3️⃣ Click Enable Free SSL (Let’s Encrypt)
✅ 5.2 How to Force SSL on WordPress
1️⃣ Install Really Simple SSL plugin
2️⃣ Activate the plugin to force HTTPS on all pages
Step 6: Install a WordPress Security Plugin
A security plugin automatically scans for malware, suspicious activity, and vulnerabilities.
✅ 6.1 Best WordPress Security Plugins
🔹 Wordfence Security – Includes firewall, malware scanning, and brute force protection.
🔹 Sucuri Security – Provides DDoS protection and malware removal.
🔹 iThemes Security – Blocks suspicious IPs and hardens login security.
🔹 MalCare – Offers automatic malware scanning and one-click removal.
Step 7: Backup Your Website Regularly
If hackers breach your site, backups allow you to restore your content quickly without losing data.
✅ 7.1 How to Backup Your WordPress Site
1️⃣ Install UpdraftPlus Backup Plugin
2️⃣ Go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups
3️⃣ Set up daily or weekly backups
4️⃣ Store backups off-site on Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3
✅ 7.2 Other Recommended Backup Plugins
🔹 Jetpack Backup – Automatic daily backups with one-click restore.
🔹 BackupBuddy – Full website backup and security scanning.
Step 8: Disable XML-RPC to Prevent DDoS Attacks
XML-RPC is a WordPress feature that allows remote connections but is often exploited in brute force and DDoS attacks.
✅ 8.1 How to Disable XML-RPC
1️⃣ Install Disable XML-RPC Plugin
2️⃣ Activate the plugin to block unauthorized access
Alternatively, add this code to your .htaccess file:
# Block XML-RPC
<Files xmlrpc.php>
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
</Files>
Step 9: Hide Your WordPress Login Page (Change wp-admin URL)
Hackers often target the default login page (/wp-admin or /wp-login.php). You can change the login URL to prevent unauthorized access.
✅ 9.1 How to Change Your WordPress Login URL
1️⃣ Install WPS Hide Login Plugin
2️⃣ Go to Settings > WPS Hide Login
3️⃣ Set a custom login URL (e.g., /my-secret-login)
4️⃣ Save changes
Step 10: Monitor and Scan Your Website for Malware
✅ 10.1 How to Scan for Malware
1️⃣ Install Sucuri Security Plugin
2️⃣ Go to Sucuri > Security Scanner
3️⃣ Run a full malware scan
🔹 If malware is detected, use MalCare or Wordfence to clean your site.
Final Thoughts: Stay Proactive About WordPress Security
Keeping your WordPress site secure requires ongoing effort. By implementing strong passwords, two-factor authentication, regular backups, security plugins, and limiting access points, you can significantly reduce your risk of being hacked.
🚀 Start securing your WordPress website today! 💪🔒
