Since the inception of WordPress, many businesses have found a cheaper, more efficient way to establish an online presence. This has actually managed to help quite a number of businesses to brand themselves such that they can now reach more customers. Therefore, as a business, in case you are looking for a simple and easy-to-use website that’s gonna grow your business, then you probably know that WordPress is the best option to consider.

Even though WordPress is the best platform where you can build small and basic business websites, its popularity is the exact same reason why it’s a target for hackers.

So if you’ve once been hacked before, or maybe not, then don’t worry coz this article has some of the basic and easy steps you can use to protect your WordPress business from potential threats. Let’s have a look at 5 easy tips.

Use Complex Passwords
Most hackers make use of dictionary-based methods. This means that when you use simple English words, then it becomes easier for the hackers to penetrate through your website. But if you use complex passwords, you are actually reducing the chances of experiencing cyber-attacks (being hacked). For instance, your password ought to have a minimum of 8 to 10 characters, and should combine letters, words and special characters (@, #, &, etc.)

Avoid Using the Default ‘admin’ as your Username
It is highly advisable to change your username from the default ‘admin’ into something you’d prefer. As a matter of fact, it will be great if you completely delete the ‘admin’ username once you’ve created a new username, that’s got admin privileges. This is because hackers commonly take advantage of this default username since most people rarely change it.

Add a Security Shield against Several Login Attempts
You must be familiar with online accounts where you are only given a certain number of login attempts, and if you fail in them, then the account is blocked so that you are no longer allowed to login – like with your online banking account.
You should do the same for your WordPress business website. This is simply a plugin that needs to be added, and it is very efficient since it prevents brute force attacks. Without the plugin, a hacker has login attempts that sometimes even go up to hundreds or thousands. This increases chances for the hacker to correctly guess your password.

Change the File Structure with the ‘wp’ Directories
If your website still has its directories with the ‘wp’ in its names (e.g. wp-admin), there is a very high likelihood that hackers can easily penetrate through the site. This is something that calls for some web developing skills, and even though you may not be well accustomed to the webmaster skills, it is completely worth it. By getting rid of this ‘wp’ directory, you are avoiding being targeted by hackers, who tend to be specifically scanning the web for ‘wp’ URLs.

Keep Up with the Latest WordPress Updates
It is important that you keep up with the latest WordPress updates, including widgets and plugins. This means that if you are not keeping up with the latest updates, then you are actually exposing your website to cyber-attacks. That is, you are more than likely to be running a version that’s still vulnerable to multiple attacks.

Final thoughts
With the aforementioned tips and easy steps, you can now easily protect your WordPress website – at least at a basic level. You ought to keep it in mind that new attacks tend to come up on a daily basis, thus it is important to stay diligent and keep yourself updated with some of the latest ways to protect your website.