"5 Lesser-Known WordPress Security Tips to Safeguard Your Site in 2024"

When it comes to protecting your WordPress site from potential threats, common security measures like using strong passwords and keeping plugins updated are essential. However, with the evolving landscape of cyber threats, it’s crucial to implement additional layers of security. In this guide, we’ll uncover five lesser-known yet highly effective WordPress security tips to keep your site safe in 2024.

1. Limit XML-RPC Access

What is XML-RPC? XML-RPC is a WordPress feature that allows data to be transferred between your site and external applications. It’s commonly used for features like remote publishing, but it also opens up potential vulnerabilities, such as facilitating brute force attacks and DDoS attacks.

• Why Disable or Limit It? Attackers can exploit XML-RPC to amplify brute force attacks by attempting thousands of password combinations simultaneously.
• How to Manage XML-RPC Access:
  • If you don’t use any plugins or services that require XML-RPC (like the Jetpack plugin), consider disabling it altogether. You can use a plugin like Disable XML-RPC.
  • Alternatively, if you need to keep XML-RPC active, you can use security plugins like Wordfence or configure your server to limit access to trusted IP addresses only.

Tip: Always monitor your server logs for any suspicious XML-RPC activity, as it can be an indicator of ongoing attacks.

2. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) Headers

What is CSP? A Content Security Policy (CSP) is an added layer of security that helps prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, clickjacking, and other code injection attacks. It does this by defining which resources (like scripts, styles, or images) are allowed to load on your site.

• Setting Up CSP Headers: You can add CSP headers to your site using your server’s configuration file. For example:
  • Apache: Add the following lines to your .htaccess file:

Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline';"

Nginx: Add this to your site’s configuration file:

add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline';";

Header set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains"

Header set X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff"

Header set X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN"