Last Updated: September 7, 2026
WordPress is one of the world’s most popular content management systems (CMS), powering a significant share of websites worldwide. Its flexibility, large plugin ecosystem and user-friendly interface make it a popular choice for businesses, bloggers and developers. However, its popularity also makes it a frequent target for automated attacks, malware, brute-force login attempts and other security threats. For additional guidance, see the official WordPress documentation on Hardening WordPress.
The good news is that WordPress itself is actively maintained, and its security team regularly releases updates and fixes. However, keeping a WordPress website secure involves more than simply installing WordPress and leaving it untouched. Your hosting provider, themes, plugins, passwords, user accounts and website configuration can all affect your site’s security.
Website security becomes particularly important when your site collects personal information, handles customer accounts or connects to third-party services. By following a few practical security measures, you can significantly reduce unnecessary risks. Here are some of the most important WordPress security practices to follow.
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Table of Contents
1. Choose a Good Web Host
Your web host is an important part of your website’s security. Even if WordPress is configured correctly, poor hosting practices can expose your website to unnecessary risks.
Rather than choosing a hosting provider based solely on price, look for a reputable company that provides regular server maintenance, security monitoring, backups and support for currently supported versions of PHP and other required technologies.
Managed WordPress hosting can also be useful for website owners who do not want to handle every technical responsibility themselves. Depending on the provider, managed hosting may include automated updates, backups, malware scanning, performance optimisation and other security-related services.
It is also worth checking whether your hosting provider offers features such as firewalls, DDoS protection and isolated accounts. A reliable host can provide an important layer of protection before an attacker even reaches your WordPress installation.
2. Install an SSL Certificate
An SSL/TLS certificate allows your website to use HTTPS and encrypts information transmitted between a visitor’s browser and your web server. This is particularly important when visitors submit passwords, contact information, payment details or other sensitive data.
Modern browsers also make HTTPS important for user trust. A website that does not use HTTPS may display security warnings or otherwise appear less trustworthy to visitors.
After installing an SSL certificate, make sure your entire website consistently uses HTTPS. You should also check that images, scripts and other resources are loaded securely rather than through outdated HTTP connections.
SSL does not protect a WordPress site from every type of attack, but it is an essential part of a modern website security setup.
3. Choose High-Quality Themes and Plugins
Themes and plugins extend WordPress by adding designs and functionality, but they can also introduce security risks. Vulnerabilities can occur when software contains coding flaws, is poorly maintained or is no longer supported.
For this reason, download themes and plugins from trustworthy sources and research their update history before installing them.
If you are looking for WordPress design inspiration, you can also explore our guide to 5 Best WordPress Themes to understand some of the considerations involved when selecting a theme.
Avoid installing plugins simply because they offer features you might use once. Every additional plugin increases the amount of software that needs to be maintained.
Regularly review your installed plugins and themes. Deactivate and delete anything you no longer need, and replace abandoned software with actively maintained alternatives where appropriate.
When evaluating a plugin, consider its update frequency, developer reputation, compatibility, documentation and user reviews. Security should be more important than having a long list of features.
4. Update WordPress Core Regularly
Keeping WordPress updated is one of the simplest and most important security measures you can take.
WordPress developers regularly release updates that may include security fixes, bug fixes, performance improvements and new functionality. Security updates should be applied as soon as reasonably possible, particularly when they address vulnerabilities that could affect your installation.
WordPress supports automatic updates for some releases, but website owners should still monitor their installations and ensure that major updates are applied appropriately.
Before making significant updates, maintain a recent backup so that you have a recovery option if something goes wrong. You should also make sure your themes and plugins are compatible with the WordPress version you plan to install.
If you work with WordPress development or want to understand the role developers play in maintaining modern websites, our article about Developer in 2024 provides additional context.
5. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
A strong password is important, but it should not be your only protection for administrator accounts.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds another verification step when someone attempts to sign in. Depending on the method used, the second factor may involve an authentication app, security key or another verification mechanism.
This can help protect accounts even if an attacker manages to obtain a password. For websites with multiple administrators, enabling 2FA for privileged accounts can provide an additional layer of protection.
You can use a reputable WordPress security or authentication plugin to add 2FA functionality. Always choose software that is actively maintained and compatible with your WordPress installation.
6. Use Strong, Unique Passwords
Weak or reused passwords remain a common security problem. Your WordPress administrator password should be long, unique and difficult to guess.
Avoid using passwords based on your name, website address, business name or other information that could be publicly associated with you. You should also avoid using the same password for WordPress and other online accounts.
A password manager can help generate and store unique passwords without requiring you to remember every password manually.
The same principle applies to other WordPress users. Review accounts regularly and remove users who no longer require access to your website.
7. Limit User Permissions
Not every person working on your website needs administrator privileges.
WordPress provides different user roles with varying levels of access. Give each user only the permissions required to complete their responsibilities. For example, someone who only needs to write and edit articles may not need full administrative access.
Limiting permissions can reduce the potential impact of a compromised account. If an ordinary content account is compromised, an attacker should not automatically gain the same control as an administrator.
Review your user list periodically and remove inactive or unnecessary accounts.
8. Keep Regular Backups
Security measures can reduce risk, but no website is completely immune to attacks, technical failures or human mistakes. A reliable backup strategy gives you a way to restore your website if something goes wrong.
Your backup system should cover important website files and databases. Ideally, keep copies in a location separate from your main hosting environment so that a server problem or security incident does not destroy both the website and its backups.
Test your backups periodically rather than assuming they will work when needed. A backup that cannot be restored is not a reliable recovery solution.
9. Use a Security Plugin and Monitor Your Website
A reputable WordPress security plugin can provide additional tools such as malware scanning, login protection, firewall functionality and security alerts. However, a plugin should complement good security practices rather than replace them.
Website owners should also monitor their sites for unusual activity. Unexpected administrator accounts, unfamiliar plugins, sudden redirects, modified files or unusual login attempts can indicate that something needs investigation.
If you discover suspicious activity, avoid simply deleting individual files without understanding what happened. Consider restoring from a known-clean backup and investigating the underlying cause.
10. Follow Secure Web Design and Coding Practices
Security is not completely separate from web design and development. Poorly implemented custom code can introduce vulnerabilities, while outdated development practices can make a website harder to maintain. For more information about the broader role of web and graphic design, explore our related guide.
When making custom changes to a WordPress site, use reputable development practices and avoid copying unknown code snippets without understanding what they do.
For broader web development guidance, you can read our article on How to Improve Your Coding Style and Skills.
Good website design should also consider usability, performance, accessibility and security together. If you are working with a professional designer, it is also useful to understand the mistakes to avoid when hiring a web designer. Our guides on 3 Best Web Design Trends and Highly Effective Web Designs provide additional information about modern web design considerations.
Although the examples in this article focus on WordPress, many security principles also apply to other content management systems and e-commerce platforms. Agencies exploring alternative website development approaches can also learn about white-label Webflow solutions and how they can support agency growth. If you are considering alternatives or working across different platforms, our Essential Guide to Shopify Web Design offers further reading on another widely used web platform.
WordPress Security Checklist
| Security practice | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Use reputable hosting | Provides a stronger server-level security foundation |
| Enable HTTPS | Encrypts data exchanged between visitors and your website |
| Update WordPress | Helps address known security vulnerabilities |
| Update plugins and themes | Reduces exposure to vulnerabilities in third-party software |
| Use strong passwords | Makes accounts harder to compromise |
| Enable 2FA | Adds another layer of login protection |
| Limit user permissions | Reduces unnecessary administrative access |
| Maintain backups | Helps you recover after incidents or technical failures |
| Remove unused plugins | Reduces unnecessary software and potential attack surfaces |
| Monitor website activity | Helps identify suspicious behaviour early |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WordPress secure?
WordPress can be secure when it is properly maintained and configured. However, security also depends on hosting, plugins, themes, passwords, user permissions and other factors. Keeping all components updated is an important part of maintaining a secure website.
How often should I update WordPress?
You should monitor WordPress, plugins and themes regularly and install security updates promptly. Before major changes, maintaining a current backup is a sensible precaution.
Do I need an SSL certificate for WordPress?
Yes. HTTPS is now a standard expectation for modern websites. An SSL/TLS certificate encrypts data transmitted between the visitor and the website and helps establish user trust.
Can plugins make WordPress less secure?
Yes. Poorly maintained, vulnerable or abandoned plugins can introduce security weaknesses. Use reputable plugins, keep them updated and remove those you no longer need.
Is a security plugin enough to protect my WordPress site?
No security plugin can guarantee complete protection. A security plugin can provide useful additional controls, but website owners should also use strong passwords, 2FA, regular updates, reliable backups, secure hosting and appropriate user permissions.
Conclusion
WordPress provides a flexible platform for building blogs, business websites, online stores and many other types of websites. However, maintaining security requires ongoing attention.
Start with the basics: choose reliable hosting, use HTTPS, keep WordPress and third-party software updated, install only trusted themes and plugins, use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Regular backups, restricted user permissions and website monitoring can provide additional protection.
Security is not a one-time task. As your website grows and its software changes, review your security practices regularly. Taking these preventative steps can reduce common risks and help keep your WordPress website safer for both you and your visitors.