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As the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world by a dominant margin, many users are drawn to WordPress because of its simplicity, performance, and security features. The reality is that WordPress is far more secure than many of the alternatives, but there is always room for improvement when it comes to web security. With cyber attacks on the rise and research indicating that roughly 30,000 websites are hacked each day, it's imperative that businesses take securing WordPress seriously.
Securing WordPress with iThemes Security
One of the most effective ways of doing so is by downloading security plugins, and in this blog post we'll review a plugin that's been receiving considerable attention: iThemes Security. Formerly known as the WP Security plugin, iThemes Security has everything from the original plugin plus numerous supplemental features, and has been downloaded nearly 5 million times.
Installing iThemes Security
If you've ever been turned off by the difficulty of installing a complex WordPress plugin, then iThemes Security will be refreshingly simple. Searching for the plugin in the WordPress administration panel is hassle-free, and you can install it immediately. Upon installation, you can activate it straightaway and start benefiting from its security features.
At this point in the installation, you'll be prompted to take the initial steps to protecting your site, including backing it up and allowing file updates. Creating a backup is an important precaution whenever it comes to web security, and this can be helpful if you make any errors further on in the iThemes Security installation process. In fact, it is strongly advised to back up your site before installing any type of plugin that can interfere with your database. This is something to keep in mind especially if you're installing the plugin after already being hacked, since then you're more likely to experience trouble setting it up.
How does iThemes Security Help?
Although the plugin itself is extremely lightweight and easy to handle, iThemes Security will help securing WordPress on multiple fronts.
Preventing infiltration: Weak passwords are one of the most common web security mistakes made by WordPress users. With iThemes Security, you'll have a straightforward way to improve your login info and passwords, preventing hackers from gaining access to your site.
Another effective way that the plugin protects your WordPress site is by allowing you to implement an away mode, which will make your admin space inaccessible during hours that you're not working. Likewise, you'll be able to hide the login area by changing the URL of your login screen, further defending yourself from hacking attempts.
Detecting threats: The plugin excels in detecting changes to your database that can indicate that your site has been compromised. With brute force protection, file change detection, and 404 detection, iThemes Security will immediately recognize activity that could indicate your database has been infiltrated.
Backing up: If the worst case scenario happens, and your WordPress site does get hacked, then with iThemes Security you'll be able to recover from the setback without much difficulty. With the plugin, all it takes is a couple of clicks to set up automatic database backups and have them emailed to you according to your preferences.
