How A WordPress Security Plugin, Can Keep Your Blog Safe

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about blog security. I’m a “WordPressian” so my advice may have very well been more applicable for you if you use WordPress as your blogging platform. Using this blog platform gives you the advantage of using plugins to do a host of things. Blog security is important, and a WordPress security plugin can very well help you improve your blog’s security.

However, before downloading a WordPress security plugin be sure you have followed other basic techniques and tips to ensure your blog is already clean before securing it.

When we think about our blogs, a lot of us think of it as a separate entity from the computer system on which we write it. But, keep in mind that securing your computer is just as important to securing your blog as getting a plugin.

Be mindful to keep your virus protection program up to date. If you don’t have one there are free ones such as Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast. There are many other antiviral programs on the market that are fairly cheap. It’s worth it.

Searching for and finding a WordPress Security Plugin should be rather simple. You can look up and install a security plugin from your WordPress dashboard plugins section.

There are a few that many bloggers use standard and there are a few I will have here that I haven’t seen on anyone’s list while exploring but that I have come across. It does take a few moments to find them but when you have these plugins set up they will help you with securing your blog properly.

1-Bullet Proof Security (BPS Security)
This WordPress security plugin writes a .htaccess file and keeps it locked to prevent hackers from getting in
to your site and taking it over. I thought it was a little tricky to figure it out since I am not a technical person but got it working. Check out their FAQ after looking them up in the WordPress Plugin Directory they explain what they do much better than I can.

2-Akismet
Spammers are kept at bay with this much talked about plugin. This will keep comments as spam for your review. You can then review and decide whether to discard or keep them. Word to the wise this thing is pretty good, I learned that the hard way…from my experience, if it says a comment is spam it’s most likely right.

3-Login Lockdown
This was one of those free plugins that seemed to be on everyones list. It was one of the first security plugins I installed. The plugin will lock your admin login area after a certain amount of failed attempts to log in. Can be a bit pesky if you forgot your password and it keeps you locked out when you’d like to do a post. It seems to work fine and I’d rather have a lock out for a few minutes or hours than have some unauthorized user getting in to my blog.

4-Conditional Captcha
I don’t know if this is technically a security plugin, but I think it is. It works by presenting captchas in your comment area if it thinks a user may be a bot attempting to spam your blog. The captcha is presented so a human would be able to fill it out but a bot wouldn’t. I can’t vow that it works but hey it’s one more layer of just in case.

WordPress Security Plugins can be a significant part of the arsenal you use to fend of hackers and pesky spam commenters. While you are working on a secure blog keep in mind that even with your best efforts you could still get hit.

To keep the headache you’ll have to a minimum if something ever happens it’s also a good idea to back up your site on a regular basis. There are plugins for that as well. You can use a free one such as WordPress Database Backup or purchase one such as BackUpBuddy to do the job.

Next up…What to do if you get hacked and how to prevent it in the first place.

To Your Success,
ShelleyN

P.S.This is by no means and exhaustive list of WordPress security plugins. But, I’ve shown you mine now show me yours…Leave a comment and let the rest of us know what you do to keep your secure blog. Looking forward to your comment.