WordPress Security and You

WordPress is a very flexible and easy to work with system for designers, developers and users. As a result, it has grown to be the go-to platform for a significant number of people and companies alike.

At Production Monkeys, we are no exception. We feel that the platform is an excellent value proposition for us as well as our users and use it as the backend for the majority of our websites.

Unfortunately, the great popularity of the WordPress platform has made it a desirable target for hackers. As I write this, there is a massive distributed attack sweeping the Internet. Websites that fall victim to this attack are hijacked and made to seek out and attempt to compromise other websites. It’s scary stuff, but there are steps we can take to protect ourselves.

First and foremost, at Production Monkeys, we always configure our hosting accounts with strong passwords. When we install WordPress, we never use the user name “admin” for administrative purposes. This user name is always hackers first point of entry. If you have a WordPress site with an administrative level user named Admin, please contact us immediately and we’ll help you fix this.

The final piece of security I’m going to write about is in your hands. I’ve written before about the importance of strong, unique passwords. Let me take this opportunity to urge you to update your WordPress password as soon as possible with a new, strong password.

If you need help checking your admin users, changing your password, or would just like us to individually review your website’s security, don’t hesitate to give us a call.