I’ve got something on my mind that’s super important for keeping your WordPress site in top shape, and yup, it’s got a little to do with tidying up.
But worry not, this isn’t about spring cleaning your closet; it’s about two simple yet mighty actions you can take today to ramp up your site’s security big time.
1. Declutter Your Plugins: A Key Step to a More Secure WP Site
Plugins are the backbone of WordPress’s versatility, enabling us to add endless functionalities with just a few clicks.
However, it’s easy to fall into the trap of “plugin hoarding.” We experiment with various plugins, seeking the perfect ones for our needs, but often forget to remove the ones we no longer use.
The truth is that every plugin on your WordPress site also introduces a potential security risk.
This risk is typically low for plugins that get frequently updated and have a reputable team of developers behind them.
However, outdated plugins or those that no longer receive updates become vulnerabilities waiting to be exploited.
Hide My WP Ghost is your first line of defense, providing essential alerts for outdated plugins and themes that are present on your site via its Website Security Check feature.
To complement this feature, we also recommend regularly auditing your plugins and uninstalling the ones that don’t serve any purpose.
A good rule of thumb is, “If you’re not actively using it, lose it.”
2. The Less, The Merrier: Remove Unnecessary User Accounts
Here’s a piece of golden advice for keeping your site secure: Only give access to those who really need it.
And remember, it’s not just about deciding who gets in; it’s also crucial to make sure that when someone’s job is done, their access is cut off. So, what do you do?
As soon as someone no longer needs to be on your site, you should delete their user account right away.
To do this, go to Users → All Users.
Once you identify the account you want to remove, hover over it and click on Delete. Note that this option will only appear if you’re the administrator.
Why is it so important to remove unnecessary accounts?
Each user account, especially the ones with significant permissions, is a potential vector for unwanted changes or breaches.
Moreover, people often reuse passwords across multiple sites. If one of these sites is compromised, it could put your WordPress site at risk too.
Removing these inactive accounts is a simple, 60-second process that significantly mitigates such risks.
Paring Down to Power Up
The security of your WordPress site can be significantly bolstered by regularly auditing and removing plugins and user accounts that are no longer necessary.
Think of it as minimalism for your website: by keeping only what you truly need, you make your site faster, more efficient, and, most importantly, more secure.
