Boost Your Website Security for WordPress

Laptop open with a cell phone and a padlock laying on the keyboard.

Who Can Access Your Website?

Think about your house for a moment. When a roommate moves out, you probably change the locks or at least collect the spare keys. You wouldn’t leave the old key on the doorstep, hoping no one will try to use it! 

If you haven’t updated your website’s admin privileges in a while, you’re leaving the door wide open to security breaches. Your website should only be accessible to the people who need it, and only for as long as they need it. No one should have access to your website except a few, trusted colleagues.

We’ll take you through the essential steps in improving your website and network security, and give you tips on how careful security monitoring can help ensure you’re safe from security threats.

Who Can Get Into Your Website Admin Area?

Your website connects you with customers, showcases your products or services, and ultimately drives sales. It’s a critical asset to your business. But have you ever stopped to think about who has the “keys” to your website?

Access lists grow over time

Just like how you might collect keys from a departing employee or a housemate moving out, your website’s admin access should be regularly reviewed and audited.

Over time, numerous people — team members, contractors, or even third-party support providers — may be granted admin-level access to your site. These users are legitimate and trustworthy, but it’s easy for the list to grow unchecked. And just like forgotten keys sitting in a drawer, those access privileges may no longer be necessary, or even safe.

How Does Access Create Security Threats?

Think of it like this: if you gave a contractor a spare key to your house, you’d expect them to return it once they no longer needed it. The same principle applies to your website. Admin access allows users to make changes that could affect the performance, security, and overall integrity of your site. When their work is done, their access should be terminated.

More access, more problems

This isn’t just a matter of keeping things organized — it’s a security risk. The more user accounts that have access to your site, the higher the chances that someone might accidentally — or maliciously — cause harm. Unused or forgotten admin access creates security vulnerabilities akin to leaving the back door of your business wide open.

Who Needs Admin Access?

Not everyone involved in your website needs to have full access. In fact, many user roles only need limited access to perform their tasks. Consider whether contributor or editor access will provide all the features needed. Here are a few examples of how user access levels might differ based on tasks.

Regular access

  • Team members: Designers and developers often require full access to build or update your site.
  • Content contributors: Writers that are posting blog content will usually need contributor access
  • Ongoing support: Team members who are making small changes to the website will often do so with editor level access.

Short-term access

  • Contractors: Freelancers or temporary workers may need elevated access (editor or admin) to implement specific changes or add features.
  • Plugin support: When troubleshooting or adding new functionality, plugin or theme developers might need to log in with admin rights.

While these are all legitimate users, consider whether their access is still needed after their tasks are complete. Some might need to maintain regular access, and some should be removed from your access list as soon as the job’s done.

Conduct a Website Security Audit

Just as you might collect keys at your physical office or home when a team member leaves, your website should be regularly audited to see who has access. Here’s a simple security audit checklist you can follow:

Review User Access

Periodically go through the list of users who have admin access to your website. Do they still need it? Are there people who no longer require access because their work is done? Every unnecessary admin access opens the door to potential data breaches, so it’s okay to be a bit ruthless when you’re compiling a list of who to cut from your website access.

Remove Unnecessary Accounts

If you find users who don’t need admin access anymore, remove them. This includes team members who have left, contractors who have finished their work, and even third-party support who are no longer assisting you. You can always re-add users if they return to your company for another project, but keeping them off the admin access list in the short term reduces your list of website vulnerabilities.

Use Role-Based Access

Not all users need full admin privileges. Consider using role-based access control (RBAC) or limiting permissions where possible. This can help you provide access based on necessity without opening up your entire site to unnecessary risks.

Regularly Update Passwords

This may seem basic, but it’s important. A surprising number of hacking attempts are focused on cracking your passwords, so regularly changing your website’s admin passwords and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) can significantly enhance security. It’s a simple but effective way to mitigate risks because it immediately removes access from anyone who shouldn’t still have it.

Monitor Activity

Monitor the activity logs to see who’s logging in and making changes. The best data security measures are ongoing, so ideally you’d be watching your site’s dashboard to see who’s logging in and making changes on a daily or weekly basis.

Get help boosting your website security against cyber threats

Regular website security audits can help ensure access is tightly controlled. But there are lots of different ways bad actors can breach your sensitive information, and these security issues aren’t always obvious to website owners.

Outdated software can create security loopholes. Brute force attacks can threaten sites with malicious code. Today’s hackers are sophisticated, bombarding websites — even small mom-and-pop shops — with relentless attacks that will cause weak security measures to fail.

We can help you boost your website’s safety with security measures like multi-factor authentication, security testing, regular updates for your web applications, and a monthly security scan. Get started by booking a vulnerability assessment today!