Do You Need To Use WordPress Security Plugins To Secure Your Website From Hackers?

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23 May, 2024

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Did you know? About 34% of global websites run on WordPress. That's a whopping 835 million websites.

But, given that WordPress is among the most often hacked content management systems, nobody is safe. This means that WordPress, especially ecommerce websites, are a frequent target for cybercriminals and malware. Not to scare you but to get you thinking about preventative measures.

Many countermeasures exist to stave off cyber criminals. Whether you employ WordPress user roles or a website security checker, implementing a security program will save you time and money.

Unsurprisingly, WordPress security plugins are so widely used, as they often improve the platform for their intended audience. But they aren't necessary for all pages on all websites. An inefficient security plugin might have unintended consequences, such as making your site slower or adding unnecessary features. The question is, do you need a WordPress security plugin and is wordpress good for e-commerce websites?

When looking for the best free WordPress security plugin, to offer an extra layer of defense, installing the best, most used plugin you can buy is important.

In this post, we'll look at some of the most popular WordPress security features and discuss their pros and cons. 

Let's get started!

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Why WordPress Security Is So Important?

There are three main reasons you shouldn't ignore the security of your WordPress site.

1. Your Website Could Become Unusable

In most cases, the person responsible for installing malware on a website has no intention of removing it. After all, the malicious attacker intends to exploit it somehow, whether to spread spam, reroute users to malicious sites, insert advertisements, or even produce cryptocurrencies. Malware can cause serious speed issues and severely limit your site's usefulness.

2. Crash in Google Ranking

Domain blacklisting, especially by major search engines like Google, is a much more pressing problem today. If Google decides to blacklist your site, it will no longer appear in Google's search results.

Scanning can be resubmitted after the malware has been removed. Nevertheless, this is no assurance that your old positions will be restored. This can have devastating financial repercussions, especially for high-value money keywords or those with a lot of organic traffic.

3. Loss of Data

The importance of safeguarding users' personal information has never been greater than now in the wake of GDPR. This may not be as critical for a standard business website, but it might have serious consequences for an e-commerce platform that does not adequately protect customers' financial data.

Choosing The Best WordPress Security Plugin

1. Sucuri Security

Sucuri Security

Malware scanning, a core integrity check, capabilities for dealing with hacks, and email notifications are just some of the fortifications the Sucuri WordPress site security plugin provides.

It has annual pricing plans.

2. Hide My WP

Hide My WP

Hide My WP protects your WordPress site from being hacked, attacked, or detected by its theme. It alters your WP permalink structure, prevents SQL injection attacks, and masks your login URL. Anti-spam protection is built in.

It has regular and extended licenses available.

3. Jetpack

Jetpack

Backups, malware scanning, and spam protection are just a few of the features Jetpack security provides for WordPress sites. A problem is detected, Jetpack immediately begins backing up your site, an activity log shows you who caused the problem, and an email is sent to you alerting you to the issue.

Costs can be paid on a month-to-month or yearly basis.

4. Wordfence Security

Wordfence Security

Wordfence has a malware scanner, a threat protection feed, and an endpoint firewall. In the aftermath of an attack, it can fix files and prevent further damage by preventing access to the system from administrators whose passwords have been compromised. The use of two-factor authentication helps prevent breaches caused by brute force.

Payment is made annually as per the total number of site licenses purchased.

5. All in One WP Security & Firewall

All in One WP Security & Firewall

By doing vulnerability scans and enforcing WordPress security best practices, All in One WP Security helps to lessen the dangers that could otherwise affect your website. There's a point system for evaluating your site's security that considers the various precautions you've taken.

It is one of the best WP security plugins.

What Can Security Plugins Do For You?

1. Secure Your Login Page

Having a robust password is the first step in securing your login page. But, by installing the best free WP security plugin, you can increase its already high level of protection.

Among the many things you'll be able to do:

  • Implement universal two-factor authentication.
  • Curtail the number of futile log-in attempts
  • Do not allow users from specific IP addresses to access the login page.
  • Brute-force assaults, in which hackers repeatedly try the same password, are typical for breaking into your site through the login page. Your login page is one of your site's most susceptible points, but you can make it nearly impossible to hack by strengthening it.

2. Do A Virus Scan

Has malicious content suddenly begun showing on your website? Do you see any edits to the site that you didn't make live?

The risk of malicious software on your site increases if you are the only person who can access it. Similar to the anti-virus software on your PC, WP security plugins include in-built malware and security scanners.

If harmful code is discovered during one of these scans, it will be promptly removed from your site. These programs typically run scans on a regular basis to check for vulnerabilities and keep your site safe. If you are new to this process, take help of a WordPress development company.

3. Make Sure Your WordPress Database Is Protected

Information about your site is saved in a database managed by WordPress. If you create your database using the usual naming practices, it may be susceptible to attacks.

Changing the database prefix on your own can be difficult if you are not a technical WordPress user. But, if you use a security plugin, you may easily alter the database prefix, making it less obvious where the data resides.

You can also back up your database on a regular schedule. Thanks to this precaution, you won't have to worry about losing data or starting over from scratch if you need to restore your website.

4. Establish a Website Firewall

Some WordPress users may want to install a firewall on their site. Although firewalls offer many benefits to websites, the primary one is preventing unauthorized traffic. In addition, they will protect your website from distributed denial of service and brute force attacks.

A WordPress security plugin is the most convenient way to install a firewall on your site. You'll need administrative access to the server and some networking knowledge to set up a firewall.

Pros And Cons Of Securing WordPress Without Using Security Plugins

WordPress's built-in security is one of the reasons it has become the most widely used content management system (CMS) online. WordPress websites are also easy prey for hackers because of the platform's prominence. A WordPress website development company can help you resolve this issue in minutes.

In its default installation, WordPress already has a robust security framework. Nevertheless, because of the ease with which a free plugin or theme can be added, site owners chip away at the protected foundation, leaving openings for criminal cyber attackers to enter and destroy your website.

Pros

Your WordPress site can be protected even if you don't use additional security plugins. You'll need to take preventative measures to secure your WordPress installation and deal with potential dangers. Maintaining your security measures on a regular basis takes time and effort, but it is necessary. Hiring a professional WordPress development services team can free you up to focus on what really matters: providing excellent service to your clients.

Cons

The focus shifts away from the company and its customers when time and effort are spent monitoring security settings and controlling attacks. If you're already swamped with work, you should utilize an extra security plugin on top of what WordPress provides.

Additional Security Tips For Your WordPress Website

The following actions will be extremely beneficial:

Additional Security Tips

1. Maintain Current Versions of WordPress Core, Themes, And Plugins

There will be fewer security flaws and issues if you use the most recent versions of everything. Not updating is like leaving the front door unlocked.

2. Employ Secure Passwords

The combination of your login name and password is the initial security measure. Create a password that can't be cracked, and update it frequently. Every administrative account requires the same treatment.

3. Cap User Access

You should restrict the administrative privileges of each user account if your website supports numerous users. There will be less risk of altering the settings without your knowledge.

4. SSL Certificate

By establishing an SSL certificate, you can protect the privacy of your users' communications and the information they send from their browsers to your server. Yet protecting your administrative information with encryption is a good idea too. A WordPress development service comes in handy for doing this.

5. Stick To Trusted Theme And Plugin Sources

You must only utilize trusted resources when installing plugins and themes on your site. The WordPress theme and plugin repository is the only place to get free WordPress themes and plugins.

Also, try to reduce the number of plugins your site uses. If you use a lot of plugins, your site is more vulnerable to being hacked. In addition, smaller plugin WordPress development teams may not be as quick to release fixes for security holes in their products as larger enterprises.

6. Never Stop Backing Up Your Webpage

Your website's backups will be the first line of protection against malicious hacking attempts. In the event that something does go wrong, you may easily get back to where you were before.

Many backup plugins can be found online. Your existing provider may even be backing up your site's files on a regular basis. For peace of mind, though, you should store your backups in a safe, off-site location.

How often you back up your site should mirror how often you make changes. Keeping a daily backup is essential if you are constantly adding fresh stuff.

7. Put Your Trust In A Safe Hosting Service

You can take every precaution to protect your WordPress site locally, but your efforts will be for naught if your host is vulnerable. Further precautions will be taken by a reliable host to safeguard your website. Your existing provider may even be backing up your site's files on a regular basis. For peace of mind, though, you should store your backups in a safe, off-site location.

8. WordPress Plugin Management

We must now seal off the final major entry point for attacks: outdated plugins. Plugins and themes, like WordPress itself, might have security flaws. Unfortunately, not all updates incorporate safety enhancements. Yet if all their plugins are up-to-date, the likelihood of security flaws is much diminished. 

In addition to all these tips, you should consider hiring a WordPress web development team to get the best-in-class WordPress website designing services.

Conclusion

WordPress websites are frequently attacked by hackers attempting to steal data or compromise the site in some other way. You may either take the time to secure your site and watch for attacks manually, or you can download a WordPress security plugin to add an additional layer of defense.

While there is no such thing as a foolproof security solution, there are steps you can take to maximize protection while minimizing disruption to your site. Is a WordPress plugin dedicated to security needed for this to occur? The answer is conditional on your goals. Good security plugins will help keep hackers away from your site, but they may make more adjustments than are necessary.


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FAQs

1. What steps can I take to secure my WordPress plugins?

  • Enable Two-Factor Authentication for WP-Admin
  • Back-Up WordPress Regularly
  • Limit Login Attempts
  • Change the WordPress Login Page URL
  • Log Idle Users Out Automatically
  • Monitor User Activity
  • Check for Malware

2. Which free WordPress security plugin do you recommend the most?

  • Wordfence
  • Sucuri Security
  • All In One WP Security & Firewall
  • MalCare
  • BulletProof Security
  • iThemes Security
  • Shield Security
  • Jetpack

3. How Does a WordPress Security Plugin Work? 

A WordPress security plugin gives your site a number of security features that keep it from being hacked. When a user tries to log in too many times, they are locked out by several WordPress plugins designed to prevent brute force assaults.

4. Can someone hack into my WordPress website?

Like all other websites, WordPress sites require space on a web server. There are certain hosting providers whose hosting platform is not adequately protected by security measures. This leaves any website they host open to hacker attempts.

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Beckham AllenJorge HallRiley WalkerRafael LewisColin Rodriguez Recent comment authors
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C

Colin Rodriguez

Thanks for the suggestions

R

Rafael Lewis

I agree with these tips

R

Riley Walker

It is important to back up data regularly.

J

Jorge Hall

Thanks for sharing this blog.

B

Beckham Allen

This guide was really helpful.


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