Securing Your WordPress Website with SSL: The Ultimate Guide

As a full-stack developer and professional coder, I know firsthand the critical importance of securing your WordPress site with SSL. With WordPress powering over 40% of all websites on the internet, it‘s a prime target for hackers and cybercriminals looking to exploit vulnerabilities and steal sensitive data.

Consider these alarming statistics:

WordPress Security Statistics	Value
WordPress sites hacked per minute	90
Percentage of hacked CMS sites that are WordPress	90%
Average time a WordPress vulnerability is exploited after discovery	7 days
Percentage of WordPress sites that are outdated and vulnerable	70%

Sources: WordPress.org, Sucuri, WPWhiteSecurity

As you can see, the threat to unsecured WordPress sites is very real. But there‘s good news – implementing SSL on your WordPress site is one of the most effective ways to protect against these threats.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive deep into everything you need to know about securing your WordPress site with SSL, from the technical basics to advanced best practices. Whether you‘re a seasoned developer or a WordPress newbie, you‘ll come away with actionable steps and expert insights for locking down your site. Let‘s get started!

SSL vs. TLS: What‘s the Difference?

First, let‘s clarify some terminology. While SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is still commonly used to refer to website encryption, it‘s technically been deprecated and replaced by TLS (Transport Layer Security).

SSL is the predecessor to TLS and the two terms are often used interchangeably. However, there are some key differences:

• SSL is an older protocol with known vulnerabilities, while TLS is the newer, more secure version
• The latest version of SSL is 3.0, while TLS is currently on version 1.3
• SSL uses weaker encryption algorithms like RC4 and SHA-1, while TLS uses stronger ones like AES and SHA-256

For these reasons, you should always use TLS instead of SSL whenever possible. All modern web browsers support TLS and many have begun phasing out support for the older SSL protocols.

Throughout the rest of this guide, we‘ll use the term "SSL/TLS" to refer to the encryption protocol in general, but just remember that TLS is the preferred standard.

How SSL/TLS Works: A Technical Overview

Now that we‘ve clarified the difference between SSL and TLS, let‘s take a closer look at how the protocol actually works to secure communication between a web server and browser.

The SSL/TLS protocol uses a combination of asymmetric and symmetric cryptography to establish a secure connection. Here‘s a simplified overview of the process:

1. The client (web browser) sends a request to the server to establish a secure connection
2. The server responds with its SSL/TLS certificate, which includes its public key
3. The client verifies the certificate with the issuing Certificate Authority (CA) to ensure its validity
4. If the certificate is trusted, the client generates a random symmetric key and encrypts it with the server‘s public key
5. The server decrypts the symmetric key with its private key, and the client and server now share a secret key
6. The client and server use the shared symmetric key to encrypt and decrypt data transmitted between them

This process is known as the SSL/TLS handshake and it happens behind the scenes every time you connect to a website over https. The handshake ensures that only the client and server can read the data being transmitted, preventing man-in-the-middle attacks and eavesdropping.

SSL/TLS certificates also provide authentication, verifying the identity of the website and server you‘re connecting to. This helps prevent phishing attacks and ensures you‘re sending data to the intended recipient.

*Image source: SSL.com*

The Importance of SSL/TLS for WordPress Security

So why is SSL/TLS so important for WordPress sites in particular? As the most widely used content management system (CMS) in the world, WordPress is a common target for hackers looking to exploit known vulnerabilities.

In fact, a study by WPWhiteSecurity found that 70% of WordPress installations are vulnerable to attack due to running outdated software. And according to Sucuri, 90% of all hacked CMS sites are WordPress.

SSL/TLS helps mitigate these risks by encrypting sensitive data like login credentials, form submissions, and payment information. This prevents hackers from intercepting the data and using it for malicious purposes.

But the benefits of SSL/TLS extend beyond just security:

• SEO: Google has stated that SSL/TLS is a ranking factor, so sites with encryption enabled may rank higher in search results.
• Trust and credibility: The padlock icon and https in the browser address bar are visual indicators that your site is secure, increasing visitor trust and confidence.
• Compliance: If you accept payments or collect sensitive user data, you may be required to use SSL/TLS to comply with regulations like PCI-DSS and GDPR.
• Performance: While encryption does add some overhead, the performance impact is minimal and can be outweighed by the benefits of HTTP/2, which requires SSL/TLS.

In short, SSL/TLS is essential for any WordPress site that values security, SEO, user trust, and compliance. So let‘s look at how to actually implement it.

Implementing SSL/TLS on Your WordPress Site

The process of implementing SSL/TLS on your WordPress site will vary depending on your hosting provider and plan. Many managed WordPress hosts like WP Engine and Kinsta include SSL/TLS certificates by default, while others like HostGator offer a mix of free and paid options.

If your host doesn‘t provide SSL/TLS, you can purchase a certificate from a third-party Certificate Authority (CA) like Let‘s Encrypt, Comodo, or DigiCert. You‘ll then need to install the certificate on your server and configure WordPress to use https.

For the purposes of this guide, we‘ll focus on implementing SSL/TLS on a WordPress site hosted with HostGator.

Step 1: Install a Free SSL/TLS Certificate from HostGator

To add a free SSL/TLS certificate to your WordPress site hosted on HostGator:

1. Login to your HostGator control panel
2. Navigate to SSL/TLS > SSL Certificates
3. Click the "Add" button next to your domain name
4. Select the free "Let‘s Encrypt" option and click "Install"

After a few minutes, your SSL/TLS certificate should be successfully installed and you‘ll see a "Certificate installed" message.

Step 2: Configure WordPress to Use HTTPS

Now that your SSL/TLS certificate is installed, you need to configure WordPress to use https instead of http. You could update your site‘s URLs directly in the database, but a simpler method is to use a plugin.

One of the most popular WordPress SSL/TLS plugins is Really Simple SSL. To set it up:

1. Install and activate the Really Simple SSL plugin in your WordPress dashboard
2. Go to Settings > SSL
3. Check the "Enable SSL" option and save changes
4. Check the "Auto replace mixed content" option and save changes again

Really Simple SSL will automatically detect your SSL/TLS certificate and update all http URLs to https, including in the WordPress database and configuration files.

Step 3: Update Hard-Coded HTTP URLs

While Really Simple SSL will handle most of the http to https conversion, it‘s possible that some hard-coded http URLs may slip through the cracks, especially in themes and plugins.

To identify and fix any remaining mixed content issues, you can:

1. Use the "Inspect" tool in Chrome to check for insecure resources on your pages
2. Install and activate the Better Search Replace plugin to update any http URLs in your WordPress database
3. Manually update any http URLs in your theme and plugin files

Here‘s an example of how to use Better Search Replace to update http URLs in your WordPress database:

1. Go to Tools > Better Search Replace
2. Enter your site‘s http URL in the "Search for" field (e.g. http://example.com)
3. Enter your site‘s https URL in the "Replace with" field (e.g. https://example.com) 
4. Select all the database tables you want to update (usually wp_posts, wp_postmeta, wp_options, and wp_usermeta)
5. Click "Run Search/Replace" 

*Image source: WordPress.org*

After running Better Search Replace, use the "Inspect" tool in Chrome again to verify that all resources are now loading over https. If everything looks good, your WordPress site should now be fully secured with SSL/TLS!

Advanced SSL/TLS Configuration and Best Practices

Now that you have SSL/TLS up and running on your WordPress site, there are a few additional configuration options and best practices to consider for optimal security and performance.

Enable HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)

HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) is a web security policy that forces browsers to only interact with your site over a secure HTTPS connection. Essentially, it tells browsers to always use https, even if the user types in http.

Enabling HSTS helps prevent man-in-the-middle attacks and ensures that users can‘t accidentally connect to your site over an insecure connection. To enable it, you‘ll need to add the following code to your site‘s .htaccess file:

<IfModule mod_headers.c>
    Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains"
</IfModule>

This tells browsers to always use https for your site and any subdomains for the next year (31536000 seconds).

Implement a Content Security Policy (CSP)

A Content Security Policy (CSP) is an additional layer of security that helps prevent cross-site scripting (XSS), clickjacking, and other code injection attacks. It works by specifying which domains a browser should consider to be valid sources of executable scripts.

To implement a CSP, you‘ll need to add the appropriate headers to your site‘s .htaccess file or server config. Here‘s an example of a basic CSP that only allows scripts to be loaded from the site‘s own domain:

<IfModule mod_headers.c>
    Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src ‘self‘;"
</IfModule>

You can also use a plugin like Content Security Policy Manager to configure your CSP settings from the WordPress dashboard.

Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF)

A web application firewall (WAF) is a security tool that monitors, filters, and blocks HTTP traffic to and from your website based on a set of predefined rules. It acts as a barrier between your site and incoming requests, preventing common attacks like SQL injection, XSS, and DDoS.

Many hosting providers, including HostGator, offer a WAF as part of their managed WordPress plans. There are also several WordPress plugins that provide WAF functionality, such as:

• Wordfence Security
• Sucuri Security
• Cloudflare

In addition to blocking malicious traffic, a WAF can also help improve website performance by caching static content and absorbing sudden spikes in traffic.

Keep WordPress and Plugins Updated

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to keep your WordPress site secure is to always run the latest version of WordPress core, plugins, and themes. Outdated software is one of the most common vectors for WordPress attacks, as hackers can easily exploit known vulnerabilities.

To automate the update process, you can enable auto-updates for WordPress core and plugins in your wp-config.php file:

define( ‘WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE‘, true );
add_filter( ‘auto_update_plugin‘, ‘__return_true‘ );

Just be sure to thoroughly test any updates on a staging site before pushing them to production, as occasionally an update can break functionality or introduce new bugs.

Conclusion and Additional Resources

Securing your WordPress site with SSL/TLS is a critical step in protecting your users‘ data and maintaining a trusted online presence. By following the steps and best practices outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your site is encrypted, authenticated, and protected against common threats.

But as a full-stack developer and professional coder, it‘s important to remember that website security is an ongoing process, not a one-time setup. Stay vigilant, keep your software updated, and always be on the lookout for new vulnerabilities and attack vectors.

Here are some additional resources to help you stay on top of WordPress security:

• WordPress Security Codex
• WPScan Vulnerability Database
• OWASP Top Ten Web Application Security Risks
• WordPress Security Plugins
• Let‘s Encrypt Free SSL/TLS Certificates

With the right knowledge, tools, and mindset, you can create a secure and successful WordPress site that both you and your users can trust.