Just because your blog is small, that doesn’t mean you’re immune from getting hacked. Hackers sometimes prefer to target smaller websites because they know those tend to have less protection.
Increase Your Blog’s Security In Four Easy Steps
Most people are unaware of how vulnerable they are in the current cyber landscape. But with each new electronic device or Internet-connected platform you bring into your home or office, you increase the risk level.
For example, the average homeowner doesn’t know that a savvy hacker can gain access to his home using nothing more than a few simple tools. As one article shows, a fixed-code garage door system can be hacked using nothing more than a child’s toy.
Another investigation revealed that certain DIY home alarm solutions — such as SimpliSafe — can be easily disabled by a burglar who’s armed with the right tools. These illustrations show how hostile the cyber landscape has become.
If criminals have taken the time to figure out ways to hack garage door openers and home alarm systems, it’s just as likely they’ve figured out how to breach vulnerable blogs (which are unfortunately a dime a dozen).
The good news is that you don’t have to sit back and pray. If you take a proactive approach to your blog’s security, you may be able to prevent it from being compromised. Here are a few helpful suggestions:
Conduct Regular Backups
Although it’s not going to protect you from getting hacked, conducting regular backups on your blog can give you a safety net in case something happens. At the very least, it ensures you don’t lose everything.
Various backup tools are available on the market — many of which are free — but it’s worth spending a few dollars to get a tool that exports your entire database with images, files, and anything else in your blog’s content folder.
BackupBuddy is a good choice for people who run WordPress blogs.
Always Perform Updates
Updates are annoying, but do not neglect them. When your CMS platform releases an update, it’s almost always for a very specific reason.
One of the primary purposes is to patch a security issue or eliminate a vulnerability from a previous version. The longer you wait to update, the more you’re exposed to threats.
Practice Better Password Hygiene
Faced by all the different accounts you have to maintain across different platforms — email, social media sites, marketing tools, devices, etc. — it’s all too easy to fall into the rut of using the same simple passwords.
They’re easy to remember and require little effort to type. But you really ought to use stronger passwords, and vary them across your accounts.
Contrary to what you might think, hackers don’t necessarily use complicated methods to breach a blog or website, because so often, they don’t have to. In many cases, they simply crack a password, then find it works at multiple locations for a given user.
This tool will help you figure out how secure your password honestly is and provide some tips for making it harder to guess.
Delete Unnecessary Plugins
Did you know that themes and plugins are often used as entry points for hackers with malicious intentions?
“When you shop for a theme or plugin, look for a theme or plugin with current support requests that have been answered in a timely manner, good star ratings, and recent and frequent updates,” front-end WordPress developer Angela Bowman writes.
It’s also smart to review the plugins you have installed regularly and delete any you no longer use. This reduces the number of potential entry points into your blog.
Start Protecting Your Blog Today
You might think your blog is insignificant and unlikely to be targeted by hackers, but your small size actually makes the site more highly sought. Hackers assume you don’t take cyber security seriously and regard you as an easy victim.
You can prove them wrong by performing simple, yet effective improvements that prevent unwanted access and protect your data.
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