Do you have a website?
Are you protecting it properly?
Unless you have been living on an online with no access to the outside world, you have heard about big businesses being hacked.
Recently there have been reports of the Marriott, Equifax, and others being hacked.
Valuable personal information has been gathered and it’s too early to know how bad it is.
If you haven’t had attempts to hack your website, you are lucky…
Today, hackers are prowling the Internet looking for websites they can invade.
Your site doesn’t have to be a big money-making business or,
even a popular blog with lots of visitors.
New people are learning the hacking ropes…
hunting for places to test their talents, impress their hacker friends or worse.
Protect Your Website From Hackers
I’ve been doing a lot of reading on this and want to share some of the things I have found that may help you protect your most valuable asset.
Here are some things that you need to be doing to protect your blog from hackers.
Install Security software – There are many different security plugins to choose from. Choose one that is updated regularly.
Here are a few to consider:
iThemes Security – there is both a free and paid version. The free version covers a lot of the big-ticket things, but the pro version goes much deeper.
Sucuri Security – this plugin is pretty easy to use and doesn’t use a lot of resources.
All in One WP Security & Firewall – this is a new one to me, but the reviews are great. It is one I will be testing out. Eb Gargano at Productive Blogging recommends this plugin. https://www.productiveblogging.com/protect-your-blog/
Keep Software Up-to-Date – Check for updates on the plugins, themes, and software you are using on your website. You can turn on automatic updates if you are comfortable.
Remove Unused plugins, themes, and software. Even if it’s deactivated your site is still vulnerable. The best bet is to remove anything you are not using.
Limit the number of tools you are using. Only use what you need and don’t use plugins just because they may have cool effects.
Login information – If you are using admin as your username you need to change it right away. This is the default and leaves you more vulnerable.
Use a strong password. I like to use a random password generator that uses all characters. You should use a minimum of 10 characters in your password. The more the merrier.
Limit login attempts. This will prevent brute force attacks by limiting the attempts.
Do Regular Backups – I would use one of the many available backup plugins. This isn’t going to prevent you from being hacked but will make it easier for you to recover. Backup at least once a week daily is even better. If you are updating your blog regularly, then daily backups are the way to go.
Use Good Hosting – Don’t skimp on your hosting. You get what you pay for. It’s so important to have your blog with a 
hosting company that has a great reputation and will be there when this goes south.
I use D9 Hosting and recommend them. They have all the latest tools and technology and amazing support staff.
I arranged a special discount if you decide to try them out and use my link. Use “SAVE40” to get 40% off your initial purchase.
Use a Good Theme – There are many themes to choose from. Just do a quick search for themes within the “Themes” section under Appearance in your WordPress installation.
I found over 3900 just in the popular area.
Choose a theme that is updated regularly and has good security built into it. The theme I use is Thrive Themes. They offer more than just a theme, it’s a complete package with all the plugins you need.
I consider it to be the Ferrari of themes. The theme loads fast and has all the tools you will need to create a truly professional website.
Use a VPN – When you are accessing the Internet on a Public connection you want to use a VPN. Protect yourself, your computer and your website by using a VPN connection to isolate your activity.
Hackers love to tap into public Wi-Fi and take advantage of unsuspecting surfers. Don’t leave yourself open to attacks, protect your time on the net.
There are many different threats out there, but if you use common sense and be mindful of your environment, you can prevent most hacking attempts.
Avoid clicking on links in your emails if you are not sure of where they came from. If something doesn’t right, then more than likely it’s not.
I hope you found this article informative.
Let me know your thoughts, leave your comments below.
