Every WordPress user needs to understand WordPress Security Best Practices when installing and managing WordPress plugins. There are over 37,000 WordPress plugins available on the WordPress.org repository. It’s amazing that we have access to so many WordPress plugins. However, this does not mean you should go crazy and begin installing every WordPress plugin that catches your eye. Over 17,000 WordPress plugins have been left untouched for over 2 years. Unmaintained WordPress plugins can result in vulnerabilities for your website if you are not careful.
WordPress Security Best Practices Tip: Avoid Unmaintained Plugins
Wordfence recently completed a study of the WordPress Plugin Repository. They found that 17,383 WordPress plugins had not been updated in the last 2 years and 3,990 WordPress plugins had not been updated since 2010. The problem with leaving WordPress plugins unmaintained is that they can become susceptible to vulnerabilities. The team at Wordfence found 22 vulnerable WordPress plugins that are currently available for download, some of these plugins also had thousands of active downloads and installs. Read the full list to ensure you aren’t using any vulnerable WordPress plugins.
How to evaluate if a WordPress Plugin is reliable?
Every WordPress website manager needs to monitor their existing WordPress plugins and the future plugins they decide to install. Here’s some important advice for evaluating whether you should install a WordPress plugin for your website:
- Check the plugins last update. (If longer than 2 years, you should carefully examine it)
- Check the plugins star rating and user feedback
- See if the plugin is compatible with the latest version of WordPress.
- Check the number of active installs for the plugin.
With so many WordPress plugins available for download, you need to be careful to pick and choose the right WordPress plugin for your website. Unnecessary plugins can slow your site down and create security vulnerabilities for your website. We recommend evaluating your WordPress plugins every month to ensure you are following the WordPress security best practices. Keep your WordPress plugins up to date and if you are no longer using a WordPress plugin, uninstall it. Learn about the monthly WordPress Maintenance Service we provide for all of our clients.
Kiwise Digital WordPress Maintenance Service
Kiwise Digital provides a monthly WordPress maintenance service for all our clients. For $75 +GST (per month).
The Kiwise WordPress Developer Team will ensure:
- Your WordPress website is safely backed up.
- Your WordPress website, WordPress plugins and WordPress theme up to date.
- We’ll also conduct tests to check if any issues arise post update.
- We’ll monitor your Google Analytics and Google Search Console alerts.
- Bonus One Hour FREE tech support for quick 20 minute jobs.
Pay annually and get 20% off! Read the full details of our Monthly WordPress Maintenance Service. Get in touch with our team if you require further information.
Contact Kiwise Digital For More Information
Have any other questions about WordPress Security best practices for plugins? Contact our team using our online contact form below or call our Auckland office at 09-551 5526.
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