{"id":55,"date":"2026-07-14T07:38:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T07:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helpdesq.tech\/?p=55"},"modified":"2026-07-14T07:38:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T07:38:32","slug":"understanding-and-preventing-brute-force-attacks-on-your-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.helpdesq.tech\/?p=55","title":{"rendered":"Understanding and Preventing Brute Force Attacks on Your Website"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Waking up to discover that hackers have taken over your website is one of those frustrating experiences no one would want to face. To avoid becoming the next victim of the ever-growing number of hacks, you must protect your website from all the different kinds of attacks, including prevalent ones like brute-force attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brute force attacks are responsible for 5% of all data breaches, and among breaches caused by hacking, 80% involve brute force attacks or compromised credentials. The good news is that protecting your site against brute force attacks can be done in just a few minutes if you have the right tools. Let me briefly explain a few basics about brute force attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Brute Force Attack?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A brute force attack is a method hackers use to gain unauthorised access to a system by repeatedly trying different combinations of usernames and passwords until the correct one is found. These attacks are usually not done manually, as it would take way too long to guess the right combination. Instead, attackers use automated tools to test thousands or even millions of credential combinations quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If successful, a brute force attack can have severe consequences, including unauthorised access to sensitive information, data breaches, and disruption of website functionality. These outcomes can damage a business\u2019s reputation, result in financial losses, and even lead to legal issues if customer data is compromised. The risks associated with brute force attacks are why website owners and admins must implement the steps I am about to share. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steps to Protect Your Website Against Brute Force Attacks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Changing the Login Page URL<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The default login page URL for popular platforms like WordPress is widely known, making it an easy target for brute force attacks. For WordPress, the default login page is typically \u201cyourwebsite.com\/wp-admin.\u201d Anyone visiting that page can directly access the login form and attempt various username and password combinations to get access to the site\u2019s backend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By hiding or changing this URL, you greatly reduce the likelihood of attackers or their bots finding and exploiting the login page. Tools like the WPS Hide Login<\/a> plugin make it easy to customise the login URL without requiring advanced technical skills. Simply install the plugin and change the default login page to a unique URL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, instead of using the default \u201cyourwebsite.com\/wp-admin,\u201d you can change it to something like \u201cyourwebsite.com\/supersecurelogin.\u201d This will confuse automated bots programmed to target default login pages, minimising the attack surface. However, be sure to choose a URL you can easily remember since you\u2019ll need it to access your site\u2019s backend in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disabling XML-RPC<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For those who may not know, XML-RPC (Extensible Markup Language Remote Procedure Call) is a WordPress feature that allows remote connections between your website and external applications via HTTP. While useful for some functionalities, like enabling mobile app access or posting to your site via email, it is often unnecessary for most websites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, attackers frequently exploit XML-RPC to perform brute force attacks, leveraging its capability to attempt multiple password combinations quickly. You can disable XML-RPC on your site by adding the following small code snippet to the .htaccess file: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<Files xmlrpc.php><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

order deny,allow<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

deny from all<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/Files><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can find the .htaccess file in the WordPress folder of your website using your hosting provider\u2019s file manager. Disabling XML-RPC on sites that do not need it makes your website more resilient to brute force attacks while improving overall security. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Limiting Login Attempts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Limiting login attempts is an effective way to prevent brute force attacks by restricting the number of times someone can enter incorrect login credentials. You can use a plugin like Limit Login Attempts<\/a> to enforce this by blocking repeated failed attempts and locking out suspicious users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the Limit Login Attempts plugin is installed on your site, go to its settings and specify the maximum number of incorrect login attempts allowed before users are locked out for a period you define. You can also create a whitelist and denylist of IP addresses and usernames to automatically allow or block. In addition to these features, plugins like Limit Login Attempts provide logs and notifications of login activity, helping you monitor and respond to potential threats in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional Best Practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These are more measures you can use to further strengthen the security of your website: <\/p>\n\n\n\n