Security has always been an issue with 3rd party website software. This is especially the case with WordPress and its plugins and themes. WordPress is one of the most commonly used website development systems in use today. The problem is not so much with WordPress and ancillary software – the developers are very good at patching any known security flaws. No, the problem is with some users who are too lazy or uninformed to update their installations regularly.

Why is it important to update WordPress etc? Because any security flaws in the software are open to exploitation by hackers! And as soon as WordPress or plugin developers announce that a security hole has been filled, hackers are free to try to find websites who haven’t patched that hole.

But with WordPress 5.5 things have changed. Up until version 5.5 it was possible to select the option to have WordPress update itself automatically, but it wasn’t until version 5.5 that you had the option and power to get it to update plugins and themes. However you still have to make the initial move – the auto-update facility isn’t turned on by default.

To enable auto-updates on plugins, select Plugins in the left hand menu in your WordPress dashboard. To the right of each plugin there will be a link to allow you to enable auto-updates on that plugin.

The process is similar for themes – select Appearance -> Themes from the left hand menu to see your themes. When you hover over a theme you will see a link to see Theme Details. Click on this, and then you will see a further link to enable auto-updates.

So go now, and select auto-updates for your plugins and themes, and make your WordPress site more secure.

If you need any assistance with your WordPress site, or if you’d like to try out WordPress for a new site, please do contact our friendly helpdesk by emailing [email protected] or calling 01381600580.