Recommended WordPress Plugins
WordPress can be extended through the use of "plugins" to add features and functionality, as well as some that are designed towards strengthening security of your WordPress installation. Some plugins have been developed by WordPress, while others have been developed through third parties. More information on using WordPress plugins can be found in the Installing a WordPress Plugin knowledgebase article.
FatCow recommends the use of the following plugins for enhancing the accessibility and safety of your WordPress website. Please remember that these plugins are optional features, and are developed and supported by members of the WordPress community.
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The WordPress Firewall 2 plugin - protects your WordPress website against hackers by blocking common attacks and potential malicious activity against a WordPress website
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The W3 Total Cache plugin - reduces the page loading time of your website to make it more easily accessible for visitors
If you are interested in reading more about WordPress plugins, you can view the complete list of available plugins at the WordPress website at: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/.
Safeguarding your WordPress Installation
The WordPress Firewall 2 plugin is capable of blocking some of the common attacks against WordPress that hackers use to get into sites, including:
- Blocking directory traversals (../, ../../etc/passwd, etc.) in application parameters
- Blocking SQL queries (union select, concat(, /**/, etc.) in application parameters
- Blocking WordPress-specific terms (wp_, user_login, etc.) in application parameters
- Blocking field truncation attacks in application parameters
- Blocking executable file uploads (.php, .exe, etc.)
To install this plugin:
- Log in to WordPress at www.example.com/wp-admin (where example.com is your domain)
- On the left side of the screen, go to Plugins >> Add New
- In the search bar that appears, type in "WordPress Firewall 2" and click Search Plugins
- The WordPress Firewall 2 plugin should be the first result listed. Click Install Now below its name to install the plugin
Additionally, you can find out more information about this plugin by visiting the WordPress Firewall 2 site: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-firewall-2/