WordPress Security Checklist (Practical Steps to Keep Your Site Safe)

If you’ve ever had that sudden fear like “what if my site gets hacked tonight?”, you’re not overthinking. WordPress sites get probed all day by automated bots. Most attacks aren’t personal. They’re just looking for easy targets: weak passwords, outdated plugins, and websites with zero protection.

This WordPress security checklist is built for real site owners. No heavy technical talk. Just clear steps you can actually follow, whether your visitors are coming from America, Europe, or Africa.

Also, two pages you should keep bookmarked:
How to Backup WordPress and
WordPress Speed Optimization Guide.

What This Checklist Protects You From (In Simple Terms)

Most WordPress security problems fall into a few buckets:

• Brute-force login attempts (bots trying thousands of passwords)
• Outdated plugins/themes with known vulnerabilities
• Stolen admin logins (phishing, reused passwords, weak passwords)
• Malware injections (spam links, redirects, hidden pages)
• Bad permissions or misconfigurations that make attacks easier

The goal is not “perfect security.” The goal is to be a hard target and catch issues early.

Security Checklist: Do These First (Highest Impact)

1) Use Strong Passwords (And Stop Reusing Them)

This is the easiest win. And honestly, it’s where many hacks start.

• Use long passwords (12+ characters) for all admin accounts
• Do not reuse passwords from Facebook, Gmail, or other sites
• Use a password manager if you can (it makes life easier)

Real-life example: A lot of people lose sites because they used the same password for email and WordPress. Once the email is compromised, the site is next.

2) Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for Admins

2FA means even if someone steals your password, they still can’t log in without the extra code.

• Enable 2FA for admin accounts and anyone with “Editor” or higher access
• If you run a store, protect the main admin account like it’s your bank account (because it basically is)

3) Update WordPress Core, Plugins, and Themes

Outdated plugins are one of the most common entry points.

• Turn on auto-updates for trusted plugins if it fits your workflow
• Remove plugins you’re not using (inactive plugins can still become risky)
• Delete unused themes, especially old ones you’ll never activate

Tip: If you’re nervous about updates breaking your site, do a backup first. Seriously. Start here:
How to Backup WordPress.

4) Install One Solid Security Plugin (Don’t Stack Three)

A good security plugin helps with login protection, firewall rules, malware scanning, and alerts.

• Pick one main security plugin and configure it properly
• Enable login protection (rate limiting, lockouts, bot protection)
• Turn on email alerts for critical events (new admin user, file changes)

Important: Avoid running multiple “all-in-one security plugins” at the same time. They can conflict and create weird issues.

5) Make Backups Non-Negotiable

A security checklist without backups is incomplete. If something goes wrong, backups are your escape route.

• Backup both files and database
• Store backups off-site (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
• Keep multiple restore points (at least 5–10 backups)

Use this guide to set it up the right way:
How to Backup WordPress.

Security Checklist: Lock Down Your WordPress Login

6) Change the Default Admin Username (If You Still Use “admin”)

If your main username is “admin,” bots already know half of your login. Create a new admin with a unique username, log in with it, then remove the old one.

7) Limit Login Attempts and Add Bot Protection

• Enable login attempt limits (lockouts after repeated failed tries)
• Add CAPTCHA or anti-bot protection if your site gets hammered
• Block suspicious IPs if they repeatedly attack

Real-life example: Some sites get thousands of failed logins per day. Limiting attempts alone can stop a huge percentage of attacks.

8) Require Strong Passwords for All Users (If You Have Members/Authors)

If your website has multiple users (authors, customers, subscribers), enforce stronger password rules at least for higher-level roles.

• Admins and editors must use strong passwords + 2FA
• Remove old user accounts that don’t need access anymore
• Review user roles and keep permissions minimal

Security Checklist: Harden Your Site Settings

9) Disable File Editing in WordPress Dashboard

WordPress includes a built-in theme/plugin editor. If a hacker gets into an admin account, that editor makes it easier to inject malicious code. Disabling it reduces risk.

Note: This is a standard hardening step. If you’re not comfortable editing config files, ask your developer or hosting support.

10) Use SSL (HTTPS) and Force HTTPS Sitewide

HTTPS is basic trust now. It also protects logins and data in transit.

• Install an SSL certificate (most hosts offer it for free)
• Force HTTPS across the entire site
• Fix “mixed content” warnings if images/scripts still load via HTTP

11) Check File Permissions (Don’t Leave Doors Open)

Wrong file permissions can make it easier for malicious changes to happen.

• Use recommended file/folder permissions (your host can confirm)
• Avoid giving “write access” everywhere unless absolutely necessary

12) Hide Sensitive Details and Keep Your Environment Clean

• Remove abandoned plugins (no updates, no support, no thanks)
• Don’t install “nulled” themes/plugins (this is a very common malware source)
• Keep your hosting panel credentials as secure as your WordPress admin

Real-life example: Many hacked sites trace back to a “free premium theme” someone downloaded from a random source. It worked… and it also quietly installed a backdoor.

Security Checklist: Hosting and Network Protection

13) Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) If Possible

A WAF blocks a lot of bad traffic before it even reaches WordPress.

• Some security plugins include firewall features
• Some hosts provide firewall protection at the server level
• A CDN with security features can also help (especially for global traffic)

14) Choose Good Hosting (Because Cheap Hosting Can Be a Security Problem)

This is awkward to say, but it’s true: weak hosting often means weak security.

• Look for hosts that offer malware scanning, firewalls, and daily backups
• Make sure support is responsive (security issues don’t wait)

If you want a practical guide for this, see:
Best WordPress Hosting.

Security Checklist: Monitoring and Maintenance

15) Enable Activity Logs (Especially on Multi-User Sites)

If you have authors, staff, or clients logging in, activity logs can save you. You can quickly see:

• Who logged in and when
• What changed (plugins installed, settings edited, users created)
• Whether something suspicious happened overnight

16) Schedule Regular Malware Scans

• Run a scan weekly (or more often for busy sites)
• If you see unexpected redirects or spam pages, scan immediately

17) Clean Up Your Site Every Month

This is the “boring but powerful” habit that keeps sites safe.

• Remove unused plugins/themes
• Review admin users and delete accounts that shouldn’t exist
• Check if any pages/posts were created without you noticing
• Confirm backups are running and stored off-site

Quick Q&A

Do I need a security plugin if I have good hosting?

Good hosting helps a lot, but a security plugin adds protection at the WordPress level: login rules, alerts, scans, and hardening features. Using both is the safest approach.

Can security plugins slow down my website?

They can if you enable every heavy feature at maximum settings. Usually, the best approach is: turn on the important protections first (firewall/login protection/alerts), then add extras only if needed.

What are the biggest mistakes people make?

• Using weak passwords and no 2FA
• Ignoring updates for months
• Installing nulled themes/plugins
• Not having off-site backups

Where can I learn the official WordPress security basics?

This WordPress resource covers hardening steps in an official way:
Hardening WordPress (WordPress.org).

Final Word: Your “Minimum Security Setup” (If You Only Do 7 Things)

If you want a simple plan you can actually stick to, do these:

• Strong passwords for all admins
• 2FA for admins and editors
• Weekly plugin/theme/core updates
• One solid security plugin configured properly
• Daily or weekly off-site backups
• Limit login attempts and block bots
• Remove unused plugins/themes every month

If you do that consistently, you’ll avoid a huge percentage of common WordPress security disasters.

Next step:
How to Backup WordPress and
How to Fix Common WordPress Errors.

Your website is an asset. Protect it like one.