Scan Your WordPress Website for Malware
WordPress powers 38% of the more than 1.94 billion websites on the internet. Therefore, it is not surprising that WordPress websites are most targeted. WordPress websites are vulnerable to malware infection and more than 70% have them.
A WordPress website can be secured by using strong passwords, scanning for malware, keeping it up-to-date, scanning extensions, installing trusted themes, and doing security audits.
Nevertheless, security for your WordPress-powered websites begins at the installation stage. These items should be part of your WordPress website security checklist.
1. Host Securely and Trustfully
Finding a trusted host is the first step to secure WordPress websites. To ensure your WordPress website is secure and solid, you should do a thorough evaluation of the host’s past performance. This is particularly important if your website is hosted on shared hosting.
You should also look at the authentication environment, the server configuration, security policy, guarantee, host reviews, and security incidents that have occurred in the past. An expert can help you assess the security of a host.
2. Follow these Secure Installation Guidelines
Securely installing a WordPress website is perhaps the most important aspect of securing it. When installing WordPress, be sure to read the following:
- You can download your CMS from worpress.org. Use Bitnami if you can.
- You can change the default administrative login details to make them more secure and then store them securely. Although this may seem obvious, there are surprisingly many successful hacks of websites that occur because the default root credentials were not changed during installation.
- If you create WP databases separately, change the administrative login details. You should delete any other users from the database. A single user is sufficient for most database installations.
- If prompted, delete all configuration files.
- To prevent hackers performing brute force attacks on your site, change the admin login URL URL to a customized URL.
- After the installation is complete, install any pending WordPress updates.
3. Scan WordPress Plugins and Themes for Malware
The next step after installation is likely to be installing a theme, or multiple themes, and some WordPress plugins. These plugins will enhance the overall look of your website and add functionality. Hidden vulnerabilities can be created by plugins and themes. You should therefore check the plugins and themes, as well as use a WordPress malware scanner. This will help you determine if they are safe.
4. Regular updates to the CMS and internal components
WordPress is a well-written content management system. However, it can sometimes be hacked due to bugs and vulnerabilities that were discovered after the release. This is true for all themes and plugins you install on your site. You should ensure that all security updates marked in red at top of WP admin dashboard are installed promptly.
5. Conduct regular WordPress website audits
Website audits involve reviewing your entire WordPress site to make sure that security precautions are in place and there are no hidden vulnerabilities. This can be done by professional security auditors or automatically using any of the available tools. An audit should cover both technical and non-technical aspects of your WordPress website, such as the database configuration, comment policy, URL audits, and other details.
6. Install Essential WordPress Security Plugins
There are many security plugins available on the WordPress marketplace to help protect your website. Some plugins will scan your theme and content for malicious links and files, while others will verify that your configuration has been properly implemented and maintained. Advanced plugins can detect WordPress intrusions to let you know if someone is hacking your site.
You can take additional steps to protect your WordPress website, such as setting up 2FA authentication and adding a backup solution. If you are unsure how to secure your site, you can always consult an external WordPress security expert. Keep Your Website Secure