WordPress powers over 40% of all websites, making it a prime target for hackers. Learning how to secure your WordPress website from hackers is very importance so as to save you from future problems or losing your website totally.

Many website owners unknowingly leave their sites vulnerable due to common security mistakes. In this post, I’ll cover five critical WordPress security mistakes that hackers exploit and how to prevent them.

How to Secure Your WordPress Website from Hackers (5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid)

1. Using Weak or Default Admin Credentials

Why It’s a Risk:

Hackers often use brute force attacks to guess login credentials. If your username is “admin” and your password is weak (e.g., “123456”), your site is at high risk.

Another common way to expose your website to hackers is using your domain name as your login credentials. For example if your domain name is “privatetutor.com”, your admin dashboard login username should not be privatetutor or anything related for security reasons.

READ ALSO: HOW TO SHORTEN WORDPRESS BLOG TITLE

How to Prevent It:

• Change the default “admin” username to something unique and not easily guess.
• Use a strong password (mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols).
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) using plugins like Google Authenticator or WP 2FA.
• Limit login attempts with plugins like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded.

2. Running Outdated WordPress, Themes, or Plugins

Why It’s a Risk:

Older versions of WordPress, themes, or plugins often contain security vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit and this is why developers roll out new updates for themes and plugins so as to be able to fix some loopholes. Like I always say, avoid using nulled themes or plugins at all cost especially if your website accepts payment in one way or the other.

How to Prevent It:

• Enable automatic updates for minor WordPress releases.
• Regularly update your WordPress core, themes, and plugins.
• Use only trusted themes and plugins from reputable sources (avoid nulled plugins!).
• Remove any unused plugins or themes to reduce security risks.

3. Not Using an SSL Certificate (HTTPS)

Why It’s a Risk:

Without SSL encryption, your site’s data (including login credentials and customer information) is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks.

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates a website’s identity and enables an encrypted connection, ensuring secure data transmission between a web server and a browser, indicated by “https” and a padlock icon.

How to Prevent It:

• Install an SSL certificate to enable HTTPS.
• Many hosting providers offer free SSL certificates via Let’s Encrypt.
• Use Really Simple SSL plugin to force HTTPS on your website.

4. Poor File Permissions & Unsecured wp-config.php

Why It’s a Risk:

Incorrect file permissions can allow hackers to modify critical WordPress files. Also, wp-config.php contains sensitive database details.

How to Prevent It:

Set file permissions correctly:

• Folders: 755 or 750
• Files: 644 or 600

Restrict access to wp-config.php and .htaccess by adding this code in .htaccess:

<files wp-config.php>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</files>

• Disable file editing from the WordPress dashboard by adding this to wp-config.php:

  define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);
  

5. Not Using a Security Plugin

Why It’s a Risk:

Without a security plugin, your site lacks active protection against malware, brute force attacks, and suspicious login attempts.

How to Prevent It:
Install and configure a WordPress security plugin like:

• Wordfence (firewall & malware scanner)
• Sucuri (security monitoring & malware cleanup)
• iThemes Security (brute force protection & 2FA)
• Schedule regular malware scans and security audits.

Bonus Tips for Extra Security:

• Disable XML-RPC to prevent brute force attacks (use Disable XML-RPC plugin).
• Move the login page from /wp-admin to a custom URL using WPS Hide Login.
• Backup your site regularly using UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy.

Secure Your WordPress Website

Securing your WordPress website doesn’t have to be complicated. By avoiding these common security mistakes and implementing these simple fixes, you can significantly reduce the risk of getting hacked.

Do you have any additional WordPress security tips? Share them in the comments below! 🚀