Essential Web Hosting Security Measures Every Beginner Needs

There is a dangerous myth in the world of websites. It goes like this:

“I don’t need to worry about security. My site is just a small blog about gardening. Who would want to hack me?”

Here is the uncomfortable truth: Hackers don’t care who you are.

In 2025, hackers rarely sit in dark rooms targeting specific individuals. Instead, they write automated programs (bots) that roam the internet 24/7, testing millions of websites for unlocked doors. They are looking for resources, not secrets. They want to use your server to send spam emails, mine cryptocurrency, or attack other websites.

If you leave your front door open, they will walk in—regardless of whether you are a global bank or a local bakery.

In this guide, we will walk you through the 5 Essential Security Locks you need to install on your website immediately. Best of all? Most of them are free.

1. The “Padlock”: SSL Certificates (HTTPS)

You have seen the little padlock icon next to a URL in your browser. That represents an SSL Certificate.

What It Does

When a visitor sends data to your website (like a password or credit card number), it travels across the internet.

• Without SSL (HTTP): That data travels as plain text. A hacker sitting in a coffee shop on the same Wi-Fi could read it.
• With SSL (HTTPS): The data is encrypted. Even if a hacker intercepts it, it looks like scrambled nonsense.

Why You Need It (Even for Blogs)

You might think, “I don’t sell anything, so I don’t need SSL.” Wrong.

1. Trust: Google Chrome marks all non-SSL sites as “Not Secure”. This scares visitors away instantly.
2. SEO: Google officially ranks secure sites higher than insecure ones.

How to Get It for Free

Never pay for a basic SSL certificate. A non-profit organisation called Let’s Encrypt provides them for free.

• Action: Log in to your hosting dashboard (cPanel/Site Tools). Look for “SSL/TLS Status” or “Let’s Encrypt.” Click the button that says “Run AutoSSL” or “Enforce HTTPS.”

2. The “Front Door Key”: Strong Passwords & 2FA

It sounds obvious, but 81% of data breaches are caused by weak or stolen passwords.

If your password is Password123 or Bakery2024, your site will be hacked. Bots can guess these in seconds using “Brute Force” attacks.

The Rules of the Key

1. Use a Password Manager: Tools like Bitwarden (free) or 1Password generate and store complex passwords, like Xy9#mP2$vL!q. You never have to remember them.
2. Unique Usernames: Never use “admin” as your username. That gives hackers 50% of the login puzzle for free.
3. Enable 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication): This is your safety net. Even if a hacker steals your password, they cannot log in without the code from your phone.
   • Action: Install a security plugin like Wordfence or Solid Security to enable 2FA on your WordPress login page.

3. The “Bouncer”: Web Application Firewall (WAF)

A firewall is a security guard that stands between your website and the rest of the internet. It checks every visitor’s ID before letting them in.

How It Works

If a visitor looks suspicious—for example, if they are visiting from a known malicious IP address or trying to upload a virus—the firewall blocks them instantly.

Free vs. Paid Firewalls

• Plugin Level (Free): Plugins like Wordfence or WP Defender run on your website. They are excellent for beginners. They block known attackers and alert you to suspicious activity.
• Server Level (Host): Some quality web hosts, like EncodeDotHost, include a WAF at the server level, such as Imunify360. This protects your site automatically without you needing to configure anything.
• DNS Level (Advanced): Services like Cloudflare sit before your website. They block attacks before they even reach your server. (The free tier of Cloudflare is highly recommended for every UK business).

Recommendation: Install either the free Wordfence or WP Defender plugin immediately. They are the gold standard for WordPress security.

4. The “Internal Locks”: File Permissions

This is a technical step, but it is critical. Your website is made of files (folders, images, code). “Permissions” tell the server who is allowed to read, write, or execute those files.

If your permissions are too loose (like leaving a window open), a hacker can upload their own malicious files to your server.

The Golden Numbers

• Folders: Should be set to 755.
• Files: Should be set to 644.
• wp-config.php: This is your most sensitive file (it holds your database password). It should be set to 440 or 400.

How to Check Them

1. Log in to File Manager in your hosting panel.
2. Look at the column labelled “Permissions.”
3. If you see any folder set to 777 (Open to Everyone), right-click it and change it to 755 immediately. 777 is a massive security risk.

5. The “Hidden Door”: Disable XML-RPC

This is a vulnerability that 90% of beginners overlook.

XML-RPC is an old feature on WordPress designed to let mobile apps talk to your site. However, it is rarely used today (the REST API replaced it), but hackers love it. They use it to try thousands of passwords at once without getting blocked.

How to Disable It

You don’t need to write code.

• Option A: Use a plugin to Disable XML-RPC.
• Option B: If you are comfortable editing files, add this code to your .htaccess file:

# Block WordPress xmlrpc.php requests
<Files xmlrpc.php>
order deny,allow
deny from all
</Files>

Disabling this file can instantly reduce the load on your server and stop thousands of attack attempts per day.

The “Safety Net”: Automated Updates

Outdated software is the #1 cause of WordPress infections. When WordPress releases an update, they publish a list of the “security holes” they fixed. Hackers read this list and immediately start scanning for websites that haven’t updated yet.

The Strategy:

1. Enable Auto-Updates: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Dashboard > Updates and click “Enable automatic updates for all new versions of WordPress.”
2. Themes & Plugins: Enable auto-updates for plugins you trust. For critical plugins (like WooCommerce), you might want to update manually after taking a backup.
3. PHP Version: As we discussed in our [Speed Guide], using an old version of PHP (like 7.4) is a major security risk. Ensure your host is running PHP 8.1+.

Choosing a Secure Host (What to Look For)

You can put 10 locks on your door, but if the building collapses, you are still in trouble. Your host plays a huge role in your security.

When shopping for hosting, look for these security features:

1. Imunify360 / BitNinja: These are server-level security suites that automatically scan for malware and block bad bots.
2. Account Isolation (CloudLinux): This ensures that if another website on your shared server gets hacked, the infection cannot spread to your site.
3. Daily Off-Site Backups: If the worst happens, you need a clean copy of your site to restore.

Conclusion

Security is not a “set it and forget it” task. It is a habit.

By installing an SSL, using a Firewall (preferably at DNS, Server and Plugin level), and keeping your Software Updated, you are already more secure than 95% of the websites on the internet. You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert; you just need to make yourself a harder target than the guy next door.

Hackers are lazy. If they rattle your door handle and find it locked, they will move on to the next house. Make sure yours is the one that stays shut.

Further Reading: Now that you know what hosting is, learn how it connects to your domain name in our guide: The Difference Between a Domain Name and Web Hosting.