checklist for new WordPress websites for security enhancements

General Security Enhancements

Update WordPress core, themes, and plugins to the latest versions

Remove any unused themes and plugins

Enable automatic updates for WordPress core, themes, and plugins

Change the default "admin" username to a unique username

Limit login attempts and use strong passwords

Set up two-factor authentication for user logins

Disable XML-RPC functionality

Restrict access to wp-admin and wp-login.php by IP address

Enable security features like HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) and Content Security Policy (CSP)

Regularly scan your website for malware and vulnerabilities

File and Directory Permissions

Set the correct file permissions for wp-config.php, .htaccess, and other sensitive files

Restrict access to wp-admin and wp-includes directories

Disable directory listing in the root directory

Database Security

Change the database table prefix to a unique prefix

Limit database access by granting permissions only to necessary users

Regularly backup the database

SSL/TLS Encryption

Install and configure an SSL certificate for secure HTTPS connections

Enforce HTTPS for all pages on the website

Use secure protocols and ciphers

Firewall and Security Plugins

Install a firewall plugin to block malicious traffic

Install security plugins such as Wordfence or Sucuri

Monitor and log security events

Brute Force Protection

Implement a CAPTCHA or reCAPTCHA on login and registration forms

Use a security plugin to block IP addresses with multiple failed login attempts

Consider implementing two-factor authentication

Limit the number of login attempts allowed before locking out the user

Enable login notifications to alert you of any suspicious login attempts

Regularly review and update your password policies to ensure strong passwords are being used

Consider using a password manager to securely store and manage login credentials

Security Headers

Add security headers such as Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and X-XSS-Protection

Disable XML-RPC if not needed

Configure HTTP security headers to prevent common vulnerabilities

Implement strict-transport-security header to enforce HTTPS connection

Enable X-Content-Type-Options header to prevent MIME-sniffing attacks

Set up Referrer-Policy header to control how much information is passed in the HTTP Referer header

Add Feature-Policy header to restrict which browser features can be used on your site

Implement Content-Type-Options header to prevent browser from MIME-sniffing a response away from the declared content-type

Monitoring and Maintenance

Regularly scan the website for malware and vulnerabilities

Monitor website access logs for suspicious activity

Keep track of security news and updates for WordPress and plugins

Remember to regularly review and update your security checklist to adapt to new threats and vulnerabilities.