With WordPress being an open source CMS (Content Management System), there is a chance your website could become vulnerable to malicious activity.

Any website is at risk to malicious activity, but since we focus on WordPress websites, here are some simple steps to keep your install more secure.

• Keep WordPress up-to-date
  When there is a WordPress update, update WordPress. This can be as simple as clicking a button. A lot of times the update could be removing security holes, bugs, and any other exploit that can make your website vulnerable.

• Users
  Only give users admin privileges when necessary. If someone only needs to add and update posts, there is no need to give that user full “admin” privileges.

• Passwords
  Everyone has heard this before, but create strong passwords for your login. When creating/changing your password, WordPress will tell you if the password you have chosen is considered “strong”.

• Keep plugins updated
  Check plugins weekly and see if there is an update. Again, this can be security holes, bugs, or any other exploit that needs to be addressed.

• Make sure you have a backup
  If something does go wrong, you can always revert your site to an earlier version when there wasn’t any issues. This will save you the headache of searching the files, plugins, etc and trying to fix the issue.

The chance your website becomes targeted or “hacked” is pretty low, especially if you are just a small business or a personal website. Large companies can have full teams dedicated to their websites security.

But, it is always better to stay on the safe side.