Security Cameras

We did earlier talked about on how to secure WordPress in different ways, but now taking the things to a step further. It’s best to understand different vulnerabilities which can affect your WordPress installations. There is no hard and fast rule which says I am secure but understanding, taking precautions and moreover taken serious steps only will leads towards a secure system. The idea on writing this article is not about detailing each and everything in one single go, but to divide the whole of thing in three parts: Understanding Vulnerabilities, Securing and Monitoring. In this article, we will be going to discuss about what various potential vulnerabilities are there which can harm or even make a huge big mess of your WordPress installation.

Security – What it is?

Although one can think of straight away that security is something about having secure systems, but in actual it’s more than that. The definition of security is to protect the privacy, integrity and availability of the resources under the server administrator’s control. The one, who is taking direct care of have to readily discuss security concerns, provides the server software most recent stable versions as well as offers reliable backup and recovery methods.

Suggested Readings:

The Basics

  • Security Themes: Always keep some general ideas over considering security for every aspect of your system.
  • Limiting access: Reduce possible entry points which are available to a malicious person.
  • Containment:  Your system being set in such a way so that it will minimize the damage which can be done in the event if it gets compromised.
  • Preparation and knowledge: Always keep your WordPress installation backup ready at regular intervals.

Vulnerabilities

#1 In The Computer

The computer you are using might be a home to hundreds (or even thousands of) spyware, malware and virus infections. You have to make sure that computers you have been using must be free from of all of them. Not even a single security amount in WordPress or on your web server will make even a small difference if the keylogger found on your system. Double check (or even if you still have doubt, triple check) that your web browser, operating system and software all are up to date.

#2 In The WordPress

Although WordPress is so good enough that if you are having an older version of installation, then it will showed up a message saying that the latest version is available and it’s good to install it. Always make sure that your WordPress have to be of latest version upload as it saves you from the D-day. The folks behind WordPress – an open source platform isn’t made from the knowledge of all of us – always keep its focus on updating regularly to address new security issues wherever it may arise. Also remember if you are still running on older version, then better update it to latest version today as older WordPress version not maintained with new security updates.

Suggested Reading: Updating WordPress – Will It Make My Site A Mess?

#3 In The Web Server

Although there are less chance that you might heard of this, if you are not at least an intermediate WordPress user – but there are also chances that the web server running WordPress and software running on it, can be the victim of vulnerabilities.

This means that it would be uttermost important that you would be running secure, stable versions of your web server as well as software over it, and make sure that you are using a trusted hosting provider which will be taking an extra care of it from the backend.

To note here that if your site is running on shared server (with total of 30 other websites on same server) and badly one of website gets compromised, then result of which your website can potentially be compromised too. Make sure you keep a note on with your web host on asking and discussing which security precautions they are taking.

#4 In The Network

Make sure that the network on both the WordPress server side as well as the client network site will be the trusted one. This can do by updating firewall rules both on your home router as well as by the networks on which you work from. Remember sending passwords from Internet cafe which have been using an unencrypted connection, wireless or other is not a trusted network. Your web host should be making double sure here that their network is not compromised by any types of attacks and the same you should do too.

Note: In the second-part of this three-part series, we will discuss about how you can secure your WordPress security.

Photo Credit: Flickr/Jaymis Loveday