The chances of someone hacking into your WordPress site are much more common than you think. The last thing you need is someone pretending to be you — publishing inappropriate content and sending out offensive emails!
What’s worse is that if hackers gain access to your site, they can also upload viruses or add hidden links and tags throughout your site. This often results in your site being picked up by Google and consequently shut down. (To detect them, run a WordPress scanner.)
The sad news is that you can never prevent people hacking into your blog. But the good news is that there are a few simple things that you can do that will help minimise the chances of this happening to you.
1) Use a secure password and change it often
I know this sounds blindingly obvious, but it is amazing how little attention people pay to their passwords. It needs to be unique, not ‘guessable’, and changed every few months!
The safest passwords to use contain a mix of letters and numbers. Even better, add some symbols. For the full lowdown, check out this article on how to create a solid password.
2) Use the most updated version of WordPress
Using the latest version of WordPress is a great way to make sure your site is as secure as possible.
Like all successful programs, WordPress is always developing new versions to release into the marketplace. If there is a loophole or some kind of flaw, WordPress will detect it, fix it up, and create a new improved version for you to download.
You can upgrade to the latest version of WordPress at the WordPress website. It is exactly the same process as downloading the program. To make life easier, all WordPress versions above 3.0 (which you should be using anyway!) are programmed to update automatically. Just keep an eye out for these notifications on your dashboard!
If you have the latest version of WordPress, your dashboard will also notify you of any plug ins you need to update as well.
3) Subscribe to the WordPress mailing list
You’ll notice on the WordPress site that there is a mail form. It is located on the download page, in the bottom right corner of your screen. Here, there is a mailing list that you can sign up for to receive regular news and updates.
Not only will these newsletters notify you when it’s time to upgrade your version of WordPress, but it will also give you advice and support on how to optimise your WordPress site and stay out of trouble.
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