Login Protection

We start with a look at who can log in and how. We list every user account, its role, last login and whether the person still works with you. We check for the default username “admin”, shared accounts, accounts with administrator rights that do not need them and email addresses that no longer exist. We review the login log if one exists, and the server access log, to see how many attempts your site faces and from where. Then we clean up accounts: remove or downgrade unneeded users, give each person their own login, assign the lowest role that lets them do their work and change usernames that are easy to guess. Next we raise password standards. We enforce long, unique passwords, encourage a password manager and block known leaked passwords where the tool allows. We then add two-factor sign-in for administrators and editors, using an authenticator app or hardware key rather than text messages where possible, and we issue backup codes and store them with you safely. We configure attempt limits that lock an address or username for a time after several failed tries, with sensible thresholds so real users are not blocked; see security plugin configuration. We add CAPTCHA or a similar challenge to login, registration and password reset forms, choosing a privacy-aware option and checking that it works with your forms and accessibility needs. Where it fits, we restrict the login page by country or address range, change its path, or require extra authentication for the admin area, always keeping a safe way back in. We turn off unneeded entry points, such as remote publishing methods that allow password guessing, and make sure error messages do not reveal whether a username exists. At server level, firewall rules can rate-limit requests to the login page and block abusive sources; see firewall configuration. For stores and member sites, we protect customer login areas with the same limits, but with a gentler approach, since customers must sign in easily. We test every step: normal login, wrong passwords, lockout and release, lost phone recovery, password reset and sign-in from a second device. We train your team to use the new steps and to spot phishing emails that ask for credentials. We set up alerts for admin logins from new places and for repeated failures, and keep logs for review; see website uptime monitoring. We keep backups current so that any problem can be reversed; see website backups and restoration. We cannot protect a login from a user who hands over their password, and no tool stops every attack, but strong passwords, a second factor and limited attempts remove most of the easy routes in.