WordPress Website Maintenance and Security Best Practices for Canadian Businesses

For Canadian businesses using WordPress, best practices for website maintenance and security include a combination of regular updates, backups, security audits, and tailored protective measures to safeguard against evolving threats.

Key practices are:

• Regular Updates: Keep WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated to patch security vulnerabilities. Automate updates for trusted plugins or review them weekly to avoid outdated code exposure.

• Comprehensive Security Audits: Conduct detailed vulnerability assessments covering the entire site, including Linux-based scans, API endpoint security, theme and plugin risk management. Custom theme development is recommended over drag-and-drop solutions for better security control and fewer vulnerabilities.

• Strong Authentication Measures: Avoid default usernames like "admin," use strong, unique passwords, and implement two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra security layer.

• Login Protection: Change the default login URL (e.g., /wp-login.php) using plugins like WPS Hide Login, and limit login attempts to prevent brute force attacks.

• Secure wp-admin Directory: Password-protect the wp-admin directory separately to prevent unauthorized access to the WordPress dashboard.

• SSL Certificate: Obtain and maintain an SSL certificate (HTTPS) to secure data transmission and improve SEO rankings. Most Canadian hosts offer free SSL via Let’s Encrypt.

• Regular Backups: Perform frequent backups of the entire website (files and database), with frequency depending on site activity—daily or weekly for active or e-commerce sites. Use reliable backup plugins like UpdraftPlus or BlogVault.

• Remove Unused Plugins and Themes: Delete inactive or unnecessary plugins and themes to reduce attack surfaces.

• Security Plugins: Use a single comprehensive security plugin such as Wordfence or Sucuri Security for malware scanning, firewall protection, and monitoring file changes. Avoid stacking multiple security plugins to prevent conflicts.

• Ongoing Monitoring and Maintenance: Weekly tasks include backups, updates, malware scans, and uptime checks. Monthly tasks include spam removal, database optimization, testing forms, reviewing analytics, and checking mobile responsiveness.

These practices, combined with a proactive approach to security tailored to the specific needs of Canadian businesses, help maintain a robust, secure WordPress website environment.