WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world, making it a common target for hackers across the Interwebs, but WordPress is still susceptible to hackers due to vulnerabilities in the hosting platform, as well as weak passwords.
Hackers are cyber criminals that are a serious threat to businesses and individuals. The best way to protect your WordPress web design from hackers is to create a strong password. Maintain maximum security with these tips on how to create secure passwords.
Defend Your WordPress Web Design! Strong Passwords to Protect From Hackers
How hackers crack your password
Somewhere in a dark, dreary basement, there’s a guy on his computer typing code all day and night. His goal? To withdraw every cent from your savings account. This is what most people think of when they hear “hacker.” While this can happen, it is not the most common way hackers crack your password.
Most hack attacks are simple processes that don’t involve typing binary code all day. One common way hackers crack your password is by asking politely. They collect your personal information that can be easily accessed online, call the customer service center of a website posing as you and reset your password.
Hackers can also steal your password through the use of spyware. They use keylogging malware to log your keystrokes as you type until they steal your user credentials. Regularly scan your computer for malware and viruses to prevent a spyware infection.
The most common way that hackers crack your password is by guessing! A common mistake web users make is creating easy to remember passwords, which also happen to be easy to guess.
Passwords to avoid
Password fatigue is the use of simple passwords or default passwords on all accounts. This is a mistake because if a hacker breaks into one of your accounts, they’ll have access to the rest of your accounts.
Two of the most common passwords people use are “password” and “123456.” These passwords are easiest targets for hackers, and they are likely their first guesses.
Avoid using birth dates, phone numbers, and the names of family members. All this information can be easily found on the Internet. You would be surprised at the amount of information any person can find about you online.
People opt to use easy passwords because they are easy to remember. But, remember: if the password is easy to remember, it is easy for a hacker to guess.
How to make a secure password
You may have guessed that a strong password is going to be difficult to remember. You’re right! The strongest passwords are obscure and hard to remember.
Instead of “auntmay123” try one of the hardest passwords in the world: “7X8g*kN6#a$L&*0K!” The strongest passwords are a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. These passwords can be easily made using a password generator.
“%Des1Pup4Sec&6!” is one of those difficult password examples you can use and may be easier to remember than a generated password. This is a creative trick to create a strong password using a combination of unrelated words to create a new word. For example, combine the words “design,” “puppy,” and “security” to create the word “despupsec.” Next, implement a mix of upper and lower-case letters with numbers and symbols.
For the best security, change your strong passwords as often as once a month.
An extra layer of security
Now that you have a strong password, you need an extra layer of security. Gmail and Yahoo have recently implemented a phone-based authentication service after Yahoo faced multiple password hacking controversies in recent years. Use phone authentication to protect your personal and business accounts.
Avoid using a company phone or phone shared with multiple people. Instead, invest in a separate phone line that is only accessible to one person for the best security. Keeping the phone a secret keeps you in complete control.
Hackers Are Not Wizards, But We Are
While hackers have a basic understanding of manipulation, they are not web wizards. While we know generating a strong password for a WordPress site is not the main focus of web design, protecting your website and business image is an aspect of web design strategy. At Mvestor Media, our web design wizards will create a WordPress web design that is both beautiful and secure.
