If you’re running a WordPress website, you may have heard about Google cracking down on websites that aren’t secure. This is because a lack of security can lead to a loss in engagement and lower search engine rankings.
You may also be seeing a warning message on your WordPress / website editor login page, or in your browser’s address bar. This is caused by a change in the way Chrome and other browsers label HTTP pages with password or credit card form fields.
1. You don’t have an SSL certificate
If your website is asking users to enter personal information such as credit card numbers or email addresses, you need an SSL certificate. An SSL certificate protects this data from hackers, enhances trust between customers and helps to improve your search engine ranking on Google.
An SSL certificate allows secure communication between a web browser and your website’s server. This technology is used by millions of online businesses and individuals to protect their sensitive data from tampering or theft.
You can check the status of your SSL certificate by logging into your hosting account’s control panel. If you use a shared web host, you should see an option to generate, view, upload, or delete SSL certificates.
Your web host should also provide you with a list of all of the certificates installed on your site. If you don’t have access to that information, there are some free online tools you can use to check the certificate status.
Most of these tools will also allow you to check the expiration date of your SSL certificate, which is something you should do at regular intervals. Your certificate authority or SSL service will send you reminders about your certificate’s expiration, so be sure to follow these instructions as soon as possible.
There are three types of SSL certificates: Domain validated (DV), Organization validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV). The DV certificate only proves that the person running the website controls the domain name. OV and EV certificates are more complex and typically take longer to get.
You can check the status of a certificate by navigating to the SSL/TLS page in your hosting’s control panel and clicking Manage SSL Sites. There, you’ll be able to find all of the installed certificates on your website and their respective expiration dates.
When a user’s browser sees that a website isn’t secure, it will display a warning message to let them know that their connection to the website is not private. This will cause them to lose trust in the site and may prevent them from completing transactions or providing any other personal information.
2. You’re using an old version of WordPress
If you’re using WordPress and your site says not secure wordpress, it could mean that you’re running an outdated version of the platform or that your website isn’t properly secured. Thankfully, there are many ways you can make your WordPress site more secure.
One of the easiest ways to make your website more secure is to update it regularly. These updates contain security patches that help protect your site from malicious hackers and spammers.
Another way to protect your website is by using an SSL certificate. These certificates are used by websites from Google to Facebook to small businesses to encrypt data and secure connections between users and the website.
Whether you choose to purchase an SSL certificate or to install it manually, the process is easy and takes less than 15 minutes.
Aside from making your WordPress website more secure, it also increases its performance and user experience. This means more people will be able to find your site and browse it.
An SSL certificate is especially important if your website allows visitors to input their passwords or credit card information. These fields are particularly sensitive and can potentially allow hackers to eavesdrop on sensitive data.
If your website isn’t secure, visitors are likely to feel uncomfortable and may leave quickly without purchasing anything or providing their personal details. The most common reason is that your website isn’t using SSL to encrypt data.
This is why it’s so important to keep your WordPress site up to date, so you don’t become a victim of cyber attacks.
Ensure your website is secure by installing an SSL certificate, updating your WordPress plugins to use HTTPS and using a good anti-spam plugin.
Aside from making your WordPress site more secure, it also increases its performance and helps you avoid scammers and fraudulent activity. Using an SSL certificate is also a great way to improve your search engine rankings.
If you’re unsure about which WordPress version to upgrade to, you can check the latest versions by logging into your WordPress dashboard and clicking on the “Updates” tab. You can also run an SSL certificate checker by going to the Tools section of your WordPress admin panel and clicking on “SSL Test.”
3. You’re using an outdated plugin
WordPress is a great platform to build a website, but it can have some issues. This can include security issues. However, there are a few things you can do to fix the issue and make your site more secure.
First, you need to figure out what’s causing the error. For example, you may be using a plugin that doesn’t have an SSL certificate. This can cause a message to appear that says “not secure.” If so, you’ll need to get an SSL certificate or update your website.
If your website isn’t secure, it can be harmful to your visitors and your brand. It can also lead to search engine penalties. This can cost you money and prevent potential clients from visiting your site.
You can check if your plugin is outdated by looking at its support forum. This will let you see how many support requests have been made and how often they’re answered. If there are a lot of questions, it’s likely that the plugin isn’t being maintained.
Outdated plugins can slow down your site’s speed and cause errors and other unexpected behaviour. They can also lead to broken links and pages, which can negatively affect your SEO.
Similarly, old plugins can also lead to security vulnerabilities. If they’re outdated, hackers can use them to access your site and steal data.
A common way to determine whether a plugin is outdated is to look at its readme file. If it doesn’t have an updated version, it probably isn’t being maintained. You can also try contacting the developer to find out whether they’re still working on it.
Another way to tell if a plugin is outdated is by checking its last dev update date. This will help you know if the plugin is still being developed and tested by its developer.
You can check if your plugin is outdated with the help of Outdated Plugin Notifier. This tool will let you know if your plugin is out of date and suggest you remove it or replace it.
4. You’re using an old version of WordPress
WordPress is an open-source software platform that allows you to create websites without needing to learn coding. Its intuitive interface allows users to build sites quickly and easily, while ensuring security. It’s used to power more than half a billion websites worldwide, including TechCrunch, Variety, and The New Yorker.
Although originally a blogging platform, WordPress is now one of the most flexible content management systems (CMSs) on the market. Thanks to its extensible plugin architecture, WordPress is capable of implementing almost any type of website.
This flexibility has allowed it to become a global phenomenon, with WordPress now available in more than 70 languages and supporting a wide range of platforms from personal blogs to multinational corporations with huge traffic counts. According to estimates from W3 Techs Web Technology Surveys, WordPress powers around 43% of all the websites on the internet.
As an open-source software, WordPress is free for everyone to use and improve. The community of developers and users collaborate on it, creating features that are constantly evolving and improving.
While this is an excellent feature for anyone looking to create a website, it can sometimes cause issues if not implemented properly. This is often due to outdated code or security problems with the CMS.
The best way to avoid these issues is to update your site regularly and install new, secure plugins as needed. It’s also a good idea to use SSL certificates, which add an extra layer of security to your site.
It’s also a good idea to run regular backups of your site, as this will ensure that you always have a copy of your site on hand should anything go wrong. This will save you time and money, as it’s much easier to restore a website than to start from scratch.
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems on the market, and for good reason. The platform is easy to use and doesn’t require a technical background, so it’s ideal for users of all skill levels.
