iControlWP offers several automatic ways to make your WordPress websites more secure.
In this article we will cover what is currently available, and what is coming in future iControlWP releases.
iControlWP WordPress Security Options
There are currently around 10 different security based features in the iControlWP control panel. These are:
- Sucuri Malware Scanner
- Tool: Automatic Reset Authentication Keys and Salts
- Tool: Change WordPress database table prefix
- Tool: Change WordPress database user password
- Option: Enable/Disable WordPress file editing
- Option: Enable/Disable SSL Login
- Option: Enable/Disable SSL Admin
- Obscurity: Hide WordPress version publicly
- Obscurity: Hide Windows Live Link
- Obscurity: Hide RSD Link
Accessing and running the iControlWP security features
All the security options are accessed on a per-site basis – there is currently no bulk security options.
To access the security options for each site, select to manage the site from the sites listing view. One of the tab for the site manager will have a padlock icon and this represents the security settings page.
Scrolling down through this page will list out all the site security options available to you for this site.
Site Security Section
Security Options Explained
Each of the security options available deserves an explanation with what they are, and when you should use them.
Sucuri Malware Scanner
This is not a full-blown Sucuri Malware Scan – for this you will need to contact Sucuri and obtain a full license for they complete scanning product.
More information on this tool can be found here.
Automatic Reset Authentication Keys and Salts
This should be done regularly to ensure stale logged-in users are removed from accessing your site.
More information on this tool can be found here.
Change WordPress database table prefix
If your current WordPress database table prefix is the default “wp_”, use this tool to change it. Remember to always have a valid, recent backup of WordPress before doing this.
More information on this tool can be found here.
Change WordPress database user password
Not important to change too often, but useful to do regularly to ensure that up-to-date access to your databases are maintained.
More information on this tool can be found here.
Enable/Disable WordPress file editing
This is quite an important WordPress option and should ideally be enabled on all sites. It will prevent any logged-in users from using the WordPress system to write and change files such as plugins and themes.
More information on this tool can be found here.
Enable/Disable SSL Login and Admin
This should only be enabled if you have a valid SSL certificate on your site. If you don’t, you wont be able to login.
A self-signed certificate should also work, but it really depends on your hosting configuration.
Security through Obscurity options
These are security options as such, but they do help to mask the current configuration and version etc. of your WordPress site.
The future of iControlWP WordPress Security Management
Around mid-2013 we released our own custom-built WordPress Security Plugin – Shield Security.
The level of protection that this plugin now offers WordPress sites is huge and we want to expand this to enable bulk security management through this plugin.
We will build an interface to the plugin from within iControlWP that will let you manage the settings for all your WordPress sites without ever having to visit the site in question.
Furthermore, you will be able to update settings in bulk, without the need to go to each individual site.
This, and more, is coming to iControlWP in the coming months.
“…we want to expand this to enable bulk security management through this plugin.”
I’m using this plugin on all my sites and all my client sites so I look forward to your future security features.
Great plugin guys.
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