60 Tips and Tricks for WordPress Security Improvements on a VPS Server
1. Keep WordPress Updated
Regularly update WordPress core, themes, and plugins to protect against vulnerabilities. Enable automatic updates for the WordPress core. For more information, visit the WordPress Update Documentation.
2. Choose Secure Hosting
Opt for a hosting provider that specializes in WordPress with a good security track record. Ensure your VPS has security measures like firewalls and malware scanning. For more on choosing secure hosting, see WordPress Hosting Recommendations.
3. Use Strong Passwords and User Permissions
Use strong, unique passwords for your WordPress admin area, FTP accounts, and database. Limit login attempts to prevent brute force attacks. Implement two-factor authentication (2FA) for WordPress logins. Learn more at Creating Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Plugin.
4. Secure Your Database
Change the default WordPress database prefix (wp_) to something unique. Restrict database user privileges to only what's necessary. Regularly backup your database and store backups in a secure location. See the WordPress Database Security guide.
5. Protect Your wp-config.php File
Move your wp-config.php file one level up from the root directory if your server configuration allows it. Set file permissions for wp-config.php to 600. Learn more from the WordPress Hardening Guide.
6. Use Security Plugins
Install a WordPress security plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri. Regularly scan your site for vulnerabilities and malware. Explore Wordfence and Sucuri.
7. Implement SSL/TLS
Get an SSL certificate to secure data transmission. Force HTTPS to ensure that all communications between your website and its visitors are encrypted. Check out the WordPress SSL Documentation.
8. Disable File Editing
Disable the file editing feature in the WordPress dashboard to prevent attackers from modifying your plugin or theme files via the dashboard. Add the following line to your wp-config.php file:
define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);9. Secure wp-admin Directory
Password protect your wp-admin directory. Use .htaccess to restrict access to wp-admin by IP address. More details can be found in the WordPress Hardening Guide.
10. Monitor and Audit Logs
Set up and monitor WordPress activity logs to keep an eye on user actions and detect suspicious behavior. Use plugins like WP Security Audit Log.
11. Regularly Update and Audit Your Plugins and Themes
Only use plugins and themes from reputable sources. Remove unused plugins and themes to minimize vulnerabilities. For more tips, see WordPress Plugin and Theme Management.
12. Secure File Permissions
Set correct file permissions on your server (directories at 755 and files at 644). This helps prevent unauthorized file access. Learn more about Changing File Permissions.
13. Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Use a cloud-based WAF to block malicious traffic before it reaches your server. Explore options like Cloudflare or Sucuri.
14. Backup Regularly
Automate your WordPress backups using plugins. Store backups in multiple locations. For recommendations, check out UpdraftPlus and BackupWordPress.
15. Hide WordPress Version
Remove the WordPress version number from your site’s head section to make it harder for attackers to exploit known vulnerabilities. Follow instructions in the Hardening WordPress Guide.
16. Disable XML-RPC
Disable XML-RPC if you're not using it to reduce DDoS attack surface. You can use plugins like Disable XML-RPC for this purpose.
17. Limit User Access
Provide user permissions based on roles and responsibilities. Regularly review who has access to your WordPress backend. Learn about Roles and Capabilities.
18. Avoid Using ‘admin’ as a Username
Use a unique username for the WordPress admin account to make it harder for attackers to guess. Check out Changing Your Username.
19. Change Login URL
Change the default wp-login.php or wp-admin login URL to reduce the chance of brute force attacks. Use plugins like WPS Hide Login.
20. Enable Logging and Monitoring
Use log management tools and services to monitor your server and WordPress environment. Plugins like WP Log Viewer can help.
21. Disable Directory Indexing and Browsing
Add `Options -Indexes` to your `.htaccess` file to prevent attackers from browsing your directories. More details in the WordPress .htaccess Guide.
22. Hide wp-config.php and .htaccess
Use `.htaccess` rules to deny access to wp-config.php and .htaccess files. Add these lines to your `.htaccess` file:
<files wp-config.php>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</files>
<files .htaccess>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</files>
23. Disable PHP Error Reporting
Prevent PHP error reporting from exposing sensitive information by setting `display_errors` to `0` in your `php.ini`. More on WordPress Debugging.
24. Limit Access to wp-includes Directory
Use .htaccess to restrict access to the wp-includes directory, crucial for WordPress core functionality but not needed by external sources. Sample rule:
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^wp-admin/includes/ - [F,L]
RewriteRule !^wp-includes/ - [S=3]
RewriteRule ^wp-includes/[^/]+\.php$ - [F,L]
RewriteRule ^wp-includes/js/tinymce/langs/.+\.php - [F,L]
RewriteRule ^wp-includes/theme-compat/ - [F,L]
</IfModule>
For more information, see the WordPress Hardening Guide.
25. Set Up a Secure Firewall
Use a firewall service like Cloudflare or a server-based firewall to block malicious traffic. Learn about setting up Cloudflare for WordPress at Cloudflare Support.
26. Monitor Your Site with Google Search Console
Set up Google Search Console to monitor your site for security issues and receive alerts if Google detects any problems. Start here: Google Search Console.
27. Regularly Check and Remove Malware
Use security plugins to scan for malware and remove it immediately if found. Recommended plugin: Malware Scanner.
28. Disable Trackbacks and Pingbacks
Disable trackbacks and pingbacks to reduce spam and potential DDoS vectors. This setting can be changed in WordPress Discussion settings. More details at WordPress Support.
29. Secure Your Hosting Environment
Regularly update your server's operating system and software. Use security modules like ModSecurity for Apache. Learn more about ModSecurity at ModSecurity.
30. Isolate Your Environment
Run WordPress in a chrooted environment or use containerization like Docker for added security. Find out more about using Docker with WordPress at Docker Documentation.
31. Use Secure FTP/SFTP
Use SFTP instead of FTP to securely transfer files to your server. Learn how to set up SFTP at SSH Academy.
32. Install and Use Fail2Ban
Use Fail2Ban to ban IP addresses that show malicious signs — such as too many failed login attempts. More information on configuring Fail2Ban can be found at Fail2Ban Official Site.
33. Regularly Change Passwords
Change your passwords regularly and use a password manager to keep them secure. Explore best practices at Password Manager.
34. Monitor File Integrity
Use plugins that monitor the integrity of your core WordPress files and notify you of any changes. Recommended plugin: WP File Monitor.
35. Disable Directory Listing
Prevent attackers from browsing the content of your directories by adding Options -Indexes to your .htaccess file.
36. Secure Your DNS
Use DNSSEC to add an extra layer of security to your domain’s DNS. Learn more about DNSSEC at ICANN DNSSEC.
37. Limit HTTP Request Methods
Only allow necessary HTTP request methods and block others using .htaccess or your web server configuration. See examples at Apache mod_rewrite.
38. Configure Security Headers
Add security headers like Content Security Policy (CSP), X-Content-Type-Options, and X-Frame-Options to your site. Learn how to implement these at Security Headers.
39. Protect Against DDoS Attacks
Use services like Cloudflare to mitigate DDoS attacks. Discover Cloudflare's DDoS protection at Cloudflare DDoS.
40. Implement CAPTCHA
Use CAPTCHA on your login and registration pages to prevent automated attacks. Google's reCAPTCHA service is highly recommended: Google reCAPTCHA.
41. Disable WP Rest API
Disable the WP REST API if not in use to reduce the attack surface. Guidance on how to disable it can be found at WordPress REST API Handbook.
42. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Use a CDN to offload traffic and protect against DDoS attacks. Recommended CDN provider: Cloudflare CDN.
43. Regularly Audit Your Site
Regularly audit your site’s security and permissions to identify and fix vulnerabilities. Tools like OWASP WebScarab can aid in this process.
44. Install an Intrusion Detection System (IDS)
Use an IDS to detect and respond to potential security breaches. More about IDS at Snort.
45. Isolate WordPress Installations
If you manage multiple WordPress sites, isolate them in different server environments to prevent cross-contamination. Learn more about WordPress multisite management at WordPress Create a Network.
46. Use Database Encryption
Encrypt sensitive data stored in your database. Information on implementing database encryption can be found at MySQL Encryption at Rest.
47. Disable Unused Services
Disable services and protocols on your server that are not in use to minimize vulnerabilities. A guide to service management can be found at Linux Service Management.
48. Use SSH Keys
Use SSH keys for secure and password-less server access. Guidance on setting up SSH keys is available at SSH Public Key Authentication.
49. Implement Least Privilege Principle
Grant users the minimum level of access required to perform their duties. More about the least privilege principle at Least Privilege Principle.
50. Hide WordPress Login Errors
Prevent login error messages from giving away information to attackers. Implement this by customizing your functions.php file. Instructions can be found at WordPress Developer Resources.
51. Use Secure Development Practices
Follow secure coding practices and regularly review your code for vulnerabilities. Explore secure development practices at OWASP Secure Coding Practices.
52. Enable Security Audits
Conduct regular security audits to identify and address potential security issues. Resources for security audits can be found at ISACA.
53. Disable AutoFill on Login Forms
Prevent browsers from saving login credentials by disabling autofill. This can enhance security by reducing the risk of credential leakage.
54. Monitor Network Traffic
Use network monitoring tools to detect and respond to unusual traffic patterns. Explore network monitoring tools at Wireshark.
55. Limit Script Injection
Use plugins and .htaccess rules to limit script injection vulnerabilities. Guidance on securing against script injections can be found at OWASP SQL Injection Prevention Cheat Sheet.
56. Disable File Execution in Specific Directories
Prevent file execution in directories like uploads by adding .htaccess rules. Learn more about this security measure at WordPress Hardening Tips.
57. Use a Managed Security Service
Consider using a managed security service to handle your site’s security. This can be especially beneficial for those without extensive security expertise.
58. Disable Shell Access
Disable shell access for users who do not need it. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access to your server. Guidance on managing shell access can be found at Linux Shell Access Management.
59. Regularly Review Access Logs
Review your server access logs regularly to detect unauthorized access attempts or unusual activity. Tips on log management are available at Loggly.
60. Conduct Regular Security Training
Ensure that all users with access to your WordPress site are regularly trained on security best practices. Resources for cybersecurity training can be found at SANS Institute.