The stress of getting hacked is huge
Almost weekly, new clients are sent to us because their website has been hacked in some way. Typically, they are very distressed, especially if their website is their primary source of business!
The cost of getting hacked
To a business owner, both time and money are precious commodities. A hacked website can suck up enormous quantities of time and money, not to mention the energy drain from the sheer stress of the situation!
Top 5 costs of getting hacked:
- Lost dollars during downtime.
- Paying to have your site cleaned.
- Cost of the time taken to notify customers about the breach.
- Potential blacklisting by Google and the subsequent time taken to remedy that situation.
- Loss of customer trust.
Top 5 ways to secure your website to prevent hacking
This infographic courtesy of https://ithemes.com/2018/08/07/5-ways-to-secure-your-wordpress-website/
Here’s the text version
1. Keep Your WordPress Software Up to Date
Something as simple as updating your software can protect you. So don’t ignore those WordPress updates; they are one of the most basic components of WordPress security.
2. Use Strong Passwords
Another super simple thing you can do for good WordPress security is to use strong passwords. Never reuse passwords. Make sure you aren’t using the same password on multiple accounts. A password manager can help.
3. Use Two-Factor Authentication
WordPress two-factor authentication (or 2-step verification) adds an important extra layer of protection to your WordPress site’s login by requirin (1) a password and (2) a secondary time-sensitive code to log in. Use two-factor authentication whenever you can.
4. Run Malware Scans
Sometimes your server can get infected with malicious software and you don’t even know it. The answer is to run a malware scan. These scans can help ensure your WordPress site is safe and secure by alerting you whenever suspicious files are found.
5. Backup, Backup, Backup
The final way to ensure WordPress security is to backup your website. Backups ensure that if your site is ever compromised, you’ll be able to get it back. Just make sure to store your backup files off-site in a secure, remote destination.
Two WordPress Plugins to Help
1. iThemes Security Pro
The #1 WordPress security plugin with 30+ ways to secure & protect WordPress
2. BackupBuddy
The original WordPress backup plugin to backup, restore & move WordPress