Handling WordPress Security Issues

Looks like a lot of WordPress blogs are getting hacked lately.
Considering the wide spread that this blogging / CMS software is getting, it is only natural that hackers will target it.

While these issues might raise some worries if you are new to WordPress, following some simple rules and guidelines can keep you out of troubles most of the times.

Let’s go thru some simple and basic steps everyone should be aware of.

Prevention is Key

The best way to protect your self from any kind of attack is to prevent it from ever happening. Many martial arts are based on this simple principle.

1. Keep your system updated and healthy. WordPress files, plugins and themes, everything should be up to date. Upgrading WordPress and all other plugins is the core of prevention.
2. Wipe out any unused plugins and files from your server.
3. Keep your plugin usage to the minimum ‘must have’ ones. This one also has many other advantages we will not touch this time.
4. Learn some more advanced methods to protect your site or hire a WordPress expert to it for you. Some of these methods might include techniques like using htaccess to block restricted areas like the WordPress admin.

If your site has already been hacked

Go for a clean and complete reinstallation and wipe out all traces the hackers might have left. Reinstalling over a hacked version is not recommended.

Remember: The key factor to protecting your WordPress site is keeping it always updated.

One last tip I can offer is to always have a good back up system running.
I highly recommend using a plugin like WP-DB-Backup for backing up your database regularly.