Let's take a few minutes to address how to set up your WordPress usernames. Usernames can pose a significant security vulnerability in WordPress. To minimize your chance of being hacked follow these simple rules:
- Never use ‘Admin' as a user name.
- Always use strong passwords.
- Severely limit the number of users with an ‘Administrator' role if you have a multi-author blog.
Step 1: Ensure that there is no Username listed as ‘Admin'. If you installed WordPress as outlined in ‘How to Install WordPress', then no ‘Admin' username should be listed, but we'll double-check it. Select ‘Users' from your Dashboard.
Step 2: You'll see a list of usernames. If ‘Admin' is not listed then no further action needed. If it is listed continue with this tutorial.
Step 3: Select “Add User” at the top of the User List page. Enter a new Username. Enter the new user's email address. This is critical should you lose or forget your password. Enter a new, strong password. Finally, change the ‘Role' from ‘Subscriber' to ‘Administrator'. Click ‘Add New User'. Once this is done you can safely remove the ‘Admin' user from the list.
Read more articles in the How to Build Your Bulletproof Blog series:
- How to Build Your Blog – Introduction
- How to Select and Buy Your Domain Name
- How to Buy Web Hosting for Your New Blog
- How to Point Your Hover Domain to Your Bluehost Account
- How to Install WordPress
- How to Set Up WordPress User Names
- Configuring WordPress Permalinks
- Configuring WordPress General Settings
- How to Choose a WordPress Theme
- How to Install a WordPress Theme
- How to Install WordPress Plugins
- WordPress Security and Backup
- How to Publish Your First WordPress Post
- How to Create Your First WordPress Page