In this article, we take a look at the benefits to a WordPress security audit as well as some of the WordPress plugins which can get the job done.
Only a small percentage of people who use WordPress opt into having a WordPress security audit and unfortunately, if this is you, then you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage from a security perspective. You see, by having a security audit (whether it be using a WordPress plugin or paying an agency to perform one) you are having all of your website’s security flaws pointed out to you. With this information you are able to patch up these flaws and ultimately strengthen your security for the best. With that in mind, today we are going to be looking at how a security audit can benefit you as well as some of the options to have one performed.
The Benefits to a Security Audit
Below is a short list of the main benefits for opting to have a security audit performed on your website.
Vulnerabilities. All websites have vulnerabilities. Some big, some small. Some exploitable, some not. If you haven’t had a security audit performed on your website before then the chances are that your website has a fair number of vulnerabilities. With a WordPress security vulnerabilities audit report, you are able to pinpoint the security issues with your website and have them sorted.
Logs. If you decide to use a WordPress site scanner plugin, a lot of these plugins keep logs of any security inconsistencies which it spots. This allows you to keep yourself informed about your security system without having to lift a finger. Additionally, if any security flaws are spotted, they are stored in the logs.
There are many benefits to having a security audit take place and simply put, there are no negatives to it. Only benefits.
Hiring an Agency
In all honesty, unless you are willing to shed out thousands to pay a high-end agency to put your website through a WordPress security audit, it isn’t worth it. A security audit should be as thorough as possible and unfortunately for smaller businesses, paying thousands is the only way to get it done properly. While hiring smaller agencies can be effective, a lot of things that they point out are things which you can find out yourself using one of the many plugins out there. Fortunately, there are plenty of plugins available to everyone which are free of charge.
Using WordPress Plugins
As mentioned above, unless you’re willing to shed out thousands then using a variety of different WordPress plugins is what you’re looking to do. Don’t let them be misleading. Just because they don’t come with a high price tag attached that doesn’t mean that they aren’t effective! Below are some of the best WordPress site scanner options out there.
WP Security Audit Log. With this plugin, a short scan is performed on your website and any flaws which are spotted are stored in an “audit log”. With this log, you are able to patch any issues which the plugin has detected. Additionally, this plugin can be used to track the productivity of each user.
WordPress Security Scan. The WordPress Security Scan isn’t actually a WordPress plugin but is a website service. With it, you simply enter your websites domain into the search bar, allow a few minutes for it to audit your website, and take a look at the audit report which it provides you with.
These are the two best tools out there for a security audit and if you’re looking to get more out of them, there is a premium version of WP Security Audit Log available!
