If you’re a website owner, you probably already know that online security is key. Cyber attacks and data leaks are becoming increasingly common. Therefore, you may be wondering how you can protect your WordPress site from both malicious interferences and potential accidents.
The answer to your worries might be WordPress managed hosting. It has many benefits over shared hosting, including increased security. Managed hosting can help prevent attacks on your site and add extra protections in case of disaster.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of what managed hosting is, as well as its benefits. Then, we’ll look at four ways WordPress managed hosting can boost your website’s security. Let’s jump in!
An Introduction to WordPress Managed Hosting
Managed hosting is a type of web hosting in which the provider takes on responsibility for managing some or all aspects of the server and website. This can include patching software, performance monitoring, and providing support to website owners.
Managed hosting completely contrasts with unmanaged hosting, where the provider leaves all management tasks to the website owner. It can be more expensive than unmanaged hosting, but it will likely provide inexperienced WordPress users with peace of mind.
Since managed WordPress hosting is specifically designed for the Content Management System (CMS), you can expect better website speed and performance, enhanced WordPress support, as well as updates. In terms of updates, this means that you’ll never have to worry about whether or not your website or plugins are out-of-date or slowing down your site.
However, perhaps the biggest benefit of managed WordPress hosting is increased security. With this option, your website will be hosted on a secure server. You’ll also get access to enhanced security features that are unavailable with other hosting types. Additionally, the WordPress experts who manage your account can provide an extra, human layer of security. They’ll even perform (or schedule) regular backups so that your data is always safe.
How WordPress Managed Hosting Can Boost Your Website Security (4 Ways)
Now that you know the basics of WordPress managed hosting, let’s dive deeper into how it can boost your website security.
1. Data Loss Prevention
It’s no secret that data loss can devastate any website, especially eCommerce sites that store sensitive customer information. Whether it’s caused by a server crash or human error, the consequences can be expensive and challenging to recover from.
That’s why having a WordPress managed hosting solution is so important. Managed hosting providers will take care of all the technical aspects of your website, including security and backups. That means if something goes wrong, your data will be safe and you’ll quickly be able to get your site up and running again.
Backing up your website is crucial because it will help you recover from any of these worst-case scenarios. For example, if hackers access your site or if you accidentally delete something, you can restore your site from backup data.
In a nutshell, you won’t have to worry about losing critical data in an emergency. Managed WordPress hosting services will have a clear disaster recovery plan. This can enable you to focus on more exciting (maybe growth-related) aspects of your online business.
2. Expert Security Advice
As we mentioned, managed WordPress hosting typically includes expert security advice to help you keep your site safe from hacks and other vulnerabilities. With managed hosting, you can rest assured that your site is in good hands.
For example, experts can ensure that your site complies with all the necessary web security standards. You’ll have around-the-clock security monitoring and regular updates. Both of these things can help prevent incompatibilities and downtime before they happen.
One of the most important aspects of website security is the proper implementation of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TSL) certificates. Managed hosting can provide your site with a dedicated SSL or TLS certificate, which will encrypt all traffic to and from your pages.
This is essential for protecting your site from hackers and other cybercriminals. With experts keeping your SSL/TLS certificate up-to-date, you won’t have to worry about them expiring and leaving your site at risk.
Another critical element of website security is malware scanning and removal. Malware is a severe threat to any website and can cause significant damage if you don’t remove it quickly. Managed WordPress hosting will scan your site regularly for malware and safely get rid of it.
Other security features typically included with managed hosting are uptime monitoring and DDoS attack protection. Finally, Managed WordPress hosting can provide SOC 2 Type II protection. This is a high level of security compliance with the stringent requirements of the Payment Card Industry (PCI).
3. Firewall Protection
One of the most important website security measures is a firewall. As the name suggests, firewalls work by creating a barrier between your website and the rest of the internet. They do this by inspecting incoming traffic and blocking anything that looks suspicious. This helps to keep your website safe from malware, hackers, and other cyber threats.
Managed hosting providers often make network-level firewalls available. This is a very effective way to protect your website from attack.
Some of the best managed hosts, such as WP Engine, will come with their own proprietary firewall.
Others will include a service like a Cloudflare Web Application Firewall (WAF). WAFs work by inspecting HTTP traffic and blocking anything that appears dangerous. Managed hosts typically offer a WAF as part of their services because they are an essential tool in keeping websites secure.
4. Dedicated Resources
If you’re running a website that deals with sensitive information such as financial transactions, it’s important to ensure that your server is secure. One way to do this is to choose a managed hosting provider that doesn’t share resources or environments with other websites. This means you can be confident that any malicious websites aren’t using your server.
However, it isn’t just malicious websites that you need to be concerned about when you share an IP address on a shared server. Google’s algorithms will also downgrade your website if it’s sharing resources with any websites considered spam or adult.
Essentially, a managed hosting provider can guarantee a secure environment. This way, you can be sure that your website won’t be penalized by Google’s algorithms, and you can focus on providing your users with a great experience.
Having dedicated resources is also vital for eCommerce websites. That’s because these sites may need dedicated resources to ensure that they can handle large spikes in traffic.
For example, during a big sale event, you may experience a significant increase in the number of visitors to your site. This can strain your server and cause your website to run slowly or even crash. By having dedicated resources, such as a separate server or increased bandwidth, you can be sure that your website can handle the increased traffic without issue.
Conclusion
If you’re concerned about website security and want an added layer of protection, managed hosting might be for you. By opting for managed WordPress hosting, you can gain top-notch security features and expert monitoring.
To recap, here are four ways that managed WordPress hosting services can boost your website’s security:
- Data loss prevention
- Expert security advice
- Firewall protection
- Dedicated resources
Do you have any questions about how managed WordPress hosting can improve website security? Let us know in the comments section below!
