How To Enhance Your WordPress Login Security: 8 Effective Tips

With over 40% of all websites on the internet powered by WordPress, it’s no surprise that it has become a prime target for cyberattacks. In fact, studies show that WordPress gets over 90,000 attacks every single minute. 

The primary gateway for these attacks is the WordPress login page. 

Attackers perform cyberattacks like brute force attacks on the login page. Brute force is a cyberattack that uses trial and error to crack sensitive information, such as login credentials and credit card information.

A successful brute force attack can cause data breaches, and a single breach can cost businesses a lot of money and damage their reputation. To make matters worse, the cost is rapidly rising with every passing year. Hence, securing WordPress and neglecting login page security are simply not options anymore.

Therefore, in this article, we will teach you essential steps you can take to improve your WordPress login security, but before that, let’s understand why the WordPress login page is prone to vulnerabilities. 

Why WordPress Login Page is Vulnerable to Brute Force Attacks

WordPress login page is easily accessible by anyone, including cyber attackers, because it can be effortlessly accessed by entering /wp-login.php in front of your domain. Once attackers land on your WP-Admin page, they can easily perform brute force attacks.

As we discussed, brute-force attacks use combinations of passwords. For example, the hacker may try combinations like yourname123, password123, 123456, or other common passwords.

The more common your password, the easier it is for a hacker to crack it. A study by NordVPN stated that passwords like 123456 took hackers less than one second to guess. 

However, it is worth noting that most successful brute force attacks use stolen or lost credentials from previous data breaches, which can be super problematic for users using similar passwords for multiple accounts.

08 Effective Strategies For Enhancing WordPress Login Security

Now that you know why you need to secure it, let’s find out how to secure your WordPress login. In this section, we will list nine effective strategies for enhancing your WordPress login security using All-in-One Login.

1. Change the Default Login URL 

In the previous section, we discussed the dangers and vulnerabilities of the default WordPress login page. 

But did you know there is a way to reduce the risks? 

You can reduce the risk of brute force attacks by changing your default WordPress login URL. Before we share how to do it, make sure to create a backup for your WordPress, as intervention with admin files can cause your website to shut down.

Changing the default login URL of a WordPress site is an intelligent way to add an extra layer of security against brute force attacks and unauthorized access attempts. It’s always best to use a reputable plugin like All-in-One Login because manually modifying your core WordPress files is a big no-no. 

It can break your site or cause it to misbehave.

Moreover, remember to change it to something unpredictable. Changing it to /admin or /custom-login will not help. Thus, try to come up with something less predictable. You can also use numbers to enhance WordPress login security, such as confidential-secure-access-123.

Lastly, bookmark your new login URL to avoid losing it. This change will impact all users who log in to your Website, so inform them promptly.

To change it, navigate to All-in-One Login >> Login Protection tab >> Change Login URL subtab.

Enable the feature using the toggle button, and enter your new login URL in the Login URL box.

Save changes in the end, and you can test your new login URL.

2. Use Strong and Unique Passwords

We discussed brute force attacks and how hackers use common combinations to guess your password or use credentials from previous breaches. Thus, using difficult passwords and not using the same password for multiple accounts can minimize the chances of a successful brute force attack. 

While creating a password, make sure to abide by the best password-creating practices. For example, your password should be longer than 14 characters, not contain important dates—like your or your loved ones’ birthdays—and should be a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. 

A rule of thumb is your password should not be easy to remember. 

You can create strong passwords using services like 1Password’s Password generator tool. Let’s take an example of a strong password from the mentioned app.

There you go! There is a strong password that can’t be guessed.

You can use password managers to store these passwords for future use. Password managers allow you to manage and save your passwords within a few taps. Allowing you to use complex passwords without worrying about forgetting them.

Lastly, do not use the same passwords for multiple accounts, even on different, completely unrelated apps or services. Credential stuffing is a cyber attack that occurs when hackers use stolen credentials to log in to another unrelated service.

For instance, suppose a group of hackers successfully breached a major department store and obtained thousands of usernames and passwords. They would then use those credentials to log in to national bank accounts.

3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication requires users to verify their login attempts using another factor. Even if the password is correct, the hacker still needs to authenticate their verification using another factor, which usually requires typing an OTP sent to the webmaster’s phone. 

Hence, it traps the hacker who does not have access to the second verification factor.

2FA is one of the best security measures, as it helps even if your password is leaked or hacked. Let us walk you through the WordPress 2FA login setup.

Implementing 2FA is effortless with All-in-One Login. To enable, switch to the Security tab and then the 2FA subtab. You’ll see a toggle switch.

Slide it open, and a QR code will pop up.

Scan it with a TOTP app such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, etc, to receive a one-time password on your phone.

Enter the OTP in the input box and finish the configuration using the Verify OTP button.

4. Limit Login Attempts

Limiting login attempts means limiting the total number of attempts a user can make from one IP address. It prevents brute force attacks, reduces server load, and mitigates the risk of credential stuffing.

It automatically blocks an IP address after meeting the set limit of incorrect attempts. For example, you can set that number to 3, and after three incorrect attempts, the IP address will be temporarily blocked without your interaction.

Brute force attacks involve automated scripts that repeatedly try different username and password combinations to gain access to your site. By limiting login attempts, you can block consecutive failed login attempts from the same IP address, making it highly laborious for hackers to keep guessing.

Limiting login attempts can tremendously help your WordPress login security. Here’s how you can enable WordPress login limit attempts using All-in-One Login.

Navigate to AIO Login >> Login Protection tab >> Limit Login Attempts subtab.

Enable the feature using the toggle button and fill in the following input boxes with your desired settings:

• Maximum Attempts — the number of incorrect attempts a user can make before a temporary block. 
• Timeout — the time in minutes that the IP will be locked out after a selected number of incorrect attempts.
• Lockout Message — the message that will be shown to the locked-out users.

Save changes, and there you go!

5. Enable CAPTCHA on Login Pages

Captcha prevents bot login and filters bot traffic on your website. Adding reCAPTCHA or hCAPTCHA to your login page can help fight malicious scripts that roam the internet and try to compromise any website they can enter.

Google’s reCAPTCHA offers several types of Captchas, including v2, v2 invisible, and v3. In this blog post, we discussed how to add reCAPTCHA in WordPress. Check out the blog post for detailed documentation.

Here’s a brief about each:

• reCATPCHA v2: The common “I’m not a robot” reCAPTCHA that requires you to click on a box to prove you are a human.
• reCATPCHA v2 Invisible: This one does not need human intervention and can distinguish between a human and a robot based on their activity and browsing history.
• reCAPTCHA v3: The latest version that evaluates an interaction on a scale of numbers where 0.0 is definitively a bot, and 1 is definitively a human. 

Now that you understand all the common reCAPTCHA versions let’s see how you can add it to your site to enhance your WordPress login security.

Navigate to All-in-One Login >> Security tab >> Google reCAPTCHA subtab.

Enable the feature using the toggle button. 

Enter your site and secret key—refer to the aforementioned article for documentation. Then, choose your preferred version and theme.

Finally, save changes to complete the configuration.

If your reCAPTCHA is not working, check out 04 Actionable Ways To Fix reCAPTCHA Not Working in WordPress.

6. Disable WordPress Login Hints

By default, WordPress provides login hints, which can unintentionally expose information to attackers. These hints appear when a user attempts to log in with incorrect credentials and can help a potential attacker determine whether a username or email address exists on the site.

For example, the message “Unknown username. Check again or try your email address “ reveals that the username doesn’t exist in the directory, which means the hacker should use a different username now.

If the username is correct and your password is not. WordPress will display: “The password you entered for the username [username] is incorrect.” This confirms that the username is valid, so an attacker can focus on guessing the correct password.

Disabling these hints can help enhance WordPress login security, as every piece of information can be helpful for hackers.

To disable WordPress login hints, you can use a plugin like Wordfence, which allows you to modify the default login error messages.

By disabling login hints, you can make it harder for attackers to gather information about valid usernames or email addresses on your site, enhancing security.

7. Use SSL to Encrypt Data

Secure Socket Layer (SSL) plays a critical role in securing your WordPress login by encrypting the data transmitted between the user’s browser and your server. 

Simply put, SSL encrypts sensitive data, such as login credentials, when users log into a website. When a user logs into WordPress without SSL, their username and password are sent in plain text over the network. This makes it easy for hackers to intercept and steal login credentials through a Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack.

Conversely, when a user logs into a WordPress using HTTPS, the sensitive data is encrypted, preventing hackers from eavesdropping or altering.

Additionally, it also prevents session hijacking. 

Session hijacking occurs when attackers steal sessions by stealing cookies and session tokens. Later, they use these tokens to impersonate the user, which helps them gain unauthorized access.

In a nutshell, SSL helps secure communication during the entire session—from when the users land on the website until they leave.

If you do not currently use SSL or HTTPS, you can get your certificate for free using a service like Let’s Encrypt.

8. Regularly Update WordPress Core, Themes, and Plugins

For our final tip, we recommend regularly updating your WordPress, including its core, themes, and plugins.

95% of WordPress vulnerabilities arise from plugins and 4% from themes. These two are usually the culprits when WordPress gets compromised. Thus, regularly monitoring and updating your themes and plugins can protect not only your WordPress login security but it protects your website overall.

Firstly, most WordPress themes and plugins receive frequent updates to patch security flaws. Regular updating can ensure that you receive security fixes in a timely manner. 

Secondly, regular updates also help sort out compatibility issues. For example, All-in-One Login, the complete login security plugin, might be incompatible with another plugin, Wordfence, that we used to disable login hints.

In that case, updating your plugins may fix the problem, allowing you to utilize both security solutions simultaneously. 

Lastly, outdated software can be a gateway for malware, which can compromise your website’s security and provide backdoor access to attackers. Once attackers gain access, they can install malicious scripts, steal login credentials, or take over user accounts. Updates often include security patches that prevent attackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities, keeping your login page and site safe.

To reduce workload, you can take advantage of WordPress’s auto-update feature, which automatically updates a plugin as soon as the update is available.

Final Remarks

WordPress login security should be your first priority because the login page is the prime target for hackers. It is their preferred gateway to enter WordPress, so it is essential to secure the web login page.

Remember, WordPress login security is not a one-time thing; you should monitor WordPress user login activity regularly to protect WordPress from thousands of incoming attacks.

Therefore, never be complacent about your WordPress login security. Monitor your WordPress regularly and promptly address any suspicious activity.

To protect your login page, download All-in-One Login now!

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