- Keeping your WordPress or other CMS software up to date
- Using strong, unique passwords and proper user account management
- Regularly backing up your website’s data and files
- Using a reputable security plugin or service
- Optimizing your website’s performance through caching and image compression
As a website owner, it’s crucial to keep your Content Management System (CMS) software, such as WordPress, secure and running smoothly. With the increasing number of cyber attacks, it’s important to take the necessary steps to protect your website from potential threats.
In this article, we’ll go over five key steps you can take to help keep your WordPress or other CMS secure and performant.
Keeping your WordPress or other CMS software up to date
One of the most important things you can do to keep your website secure is to ensure that your CMS software is always up to date. Software updates often include security patches and fixes for known vulnerabilities, so it’s essential to install them as soon as they become available.
In the case of WordPress, updates can be easily installed by going to the “Updates” section in the backend of your website. It’s also a good idea to set your website to automatically install updates, so you don’t have to worry about manually checking for updates every time.
Using strong, unique passwords and proper user account management
Another important aspect of website security is proper user account management. This includes using strong, unique passwords for all user accounts and regularly changing them. Avoid using common words or phrases that can easily be guessed, and consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords for you.
You should also avoid sharing user accounts. This increases the chances of a security breach and also makes it difficult if you ever need to audit what changes were made by whom.
It’s also important to limit the number of users who have access to your website’s backend, and to remove any user accounts that are no longer needed. This can help to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to your website’s sensitive data.
Regularly backing up your website’s data and files
Website data and files are important assets that should be protected. Regularly backing up your website’s data and files can help to ensure that you can quickly and easily restore your website in case of a disaster or cyber attack.
In the case of WordPress, there are many plugins available that can help you to easily schedule regular backups of your website’s data and files. It’s also a good idea to store backups in multiple locations, such as on your local computer and in the cloud, to ensure that you always have a copy available in case of emergency.
Using a reputable security plugin or service
There are many security plugins and services available for WordPress and other CMS software. These can help to protect your website from a wide variety of threats, including malware, spam, and hackers.
When choosing a security plugin or service, it’s important to select one that is reputable and has been well-reviewed by other users. It’s also a good idea to check for regular updates and support for the plugin or service to ensure that it is always up-to-date and able to protect your website from the latest threats.
Optimizing your website’s performance through caching and image compression
Optimizing your website’s performance can help to ensure that it loads quickly and runs smoothly, which can help to improve user experience and increase conversions. Caching and image compression are two ways to optimize website performance.
Caching can help to speed up your website by storing frequently-used data and files in the user’s browser, so they don’t have to be loaded from your server every time the page is accessed.
Image compression can also help to improve website performance by reducing the size of images, so they load faster. There are many image compression plugins available for WordPress and other CMS software, or you can use an image compression tool such as TinyPNG or the website Optimizilla.
Conclusion
Keeping your WordPress or other CMS secure and performant is essential for protecting your website and maintaining a positive user experience. By following the steps outlined in this article, such as keeping your software up to date, using strong and unique passwords, regularly backing up your data, using a reputable security plugin or service, and optimizing your website’s performance through caching and image compression, you can help to protect your website from potential threats and ensure that it runs smoothly.
It’s important to note that website security is an ongoing process, and it’s not enough to take these steps once and forget about it. Regularly review your website’s security and performance, and make sure to update your software and plugins as needed. Additionally, stay informed about new threats and vulnerabilities, and take action to address them if they may affect your website.
By taking the time to keep your installation of WordPress secure and performant, you can help to protect your business and provide a positive experience for your users. Remember that website security is not only the responsibility of the IT or development department, but also of all the website administrators and users. Everyone should take the necessary steps to ensure that the website is secure and safe.
