We have installed a set of WordPress Plugins to provide basic security and functionality for your Blog. We have also installed some additional Plugins you might wish to consider. There are numerous other Plugins available from WordPress you are free to use to expand your site, provided you remain within Guild guidelines, and only use free versions.

There follows a description of the installed Plugins, along with any options selected, and any outstanding actions required. The Plugins are:

Security and Performance Plugins

Akismet: The purpose of Akismet is to protect your site from SPAM, particularly in the Comments that can be made on your Posts and Pages. Akismet is highly recommended for protection from SPAM.

However you will need to activate Akismet and set up your own, free Personal non-Commercial Akismet account, and obtain your unique API key. The process is as follows:

• Select Dashboard Plugins – Installed Plugins. Select Akismet from the list and click on activate. You will see the Activate settings page with the old API key. Select the option Disconnect Account.
• You are now invited to Set uo your Akismet Account. This takes you to an Akismet Account setup screen in a separate tab.
• Select Personal Account.
• Although a personal account is free you will be asked for a voluntary payment of £nn/year. There is a slider to adjust the amount. Move it all the way to the left so it says £0/year and the payment details fields disappear.
• Fill out the email, first and last name, and URL fields, and check the three boxes to confirm your site has no ads, doesn’t sell products, and doesn’t promote businesses. Then press Continue with Personal Subscription.
• A verification code will be sent to the email address you entered above. Copy and paste this into the box provided.
• A sign up complete screen is presented with further instructions. A further email will be sent with your API key.
• Return to the tab with your Akismet settings screen and select ‘manually enter API key’.
• Copy and paste the key into the settings screen.
• Make any other desired settings changes. You might want the check the box to show the number of approved Comments from each Comment author.
• Save the changes. Your Akismet is activated.

Should a SPAM comment get past Akismet you should mark it as SPAM so Akismet can learn. Dashboard – Comments gives a list of Comments with the most recent on top. Hover your cursor over a comment to bring up a menu which includes a Spam option.

Also you should regularly (fortnightly) check your SPAM folder for any genuine comments and mark them as ‘not SPAM’. This will make Akismet more accurate. To do this go to Dashboard Settings – Akismet Anti-Spam. This will give statistics on blocked SPAM and, and, in the Settings section, a link to your SPAM folder which holds all SPAM blocked in the last 15 days,

Limit login attempts reloaded: This limits the number of login attempts from an IP address allowed. The default settings are 4 attempts allowed before a lockout of 20 minutes. Four lockouts results in a 24 hour lockout. These can be altered but the defaults work OK. The only relevant logins are yours, and any associate administrators/publishers.

LiteSpeed Cache: This improves page caching performance. No action is required.

Loginizer: This helps you fight against bruteforce attack by blocking login for the IP after it reaches maximum retries allowed. 

reCapture: This puts a reCapture object on any form, including Comments, that users may use to communicate with you. Settings allow you to chose between Version 2 and Version 3, reCaptures, and enable it for various types of form. It is set up for Version 3, and only for Comments. Version 2 is adequate for a single user blog. This produces an “I am not a Robot checkbox”. If you choose to change t Version 2 reCapture you will also need to get new API keys from Google. There is a link on Dashboard reCapture – Settings.

You can also add a reCapture to forms, such as a Contact Form, that you might implement with WP Forms Lite (see the Functional Plugins section). If you allow users to register and login you may want to implement Version 3 and include other types of form.

Wordfence Security: This provides a Firewall, and anti-virus, and anti malware scanning. A summary of threats it has encountered in the previous week is presented on the Dashboard. It also has its own Dashboard giving access to greater detail.

The only action necessary is to change the email address for Wordfence notifications to your own. This is found in Dashboard Wordfence – All Options.

Backup Plugin

Updraft Plus: Your site will automatically be backed up daily, and backups will be kept for 31 days. However you may wish to keep your own backups in a safe place of your own choosing. Updraft Plus has been installed and activated, and can be accessed via Dashboard Settings – UpdraftPlus Backups.  Simply click the Backup Now button on the Backup/Restore (default) tab to perform a manual backup to the Guild’s server.

Your backup will be listed on the Backup/Restore page along with a Restore button, and access to the backup log. Simply press the Restore button to restore the backup. You will be offered a selection of components to restore. If in doubt check them all, click Next, and then click Restore. When the restore is complete and you are happy with it, click Delete Old Directories. Additional restores will not be possible whilst these exist.

If you wish to backup to  your own storage, such as a Dropbox, select the Settings tab. Here you will be presented with a range of options. Select the one that represents the storage you have access to, and follow the instructions (these will vary depending on the storage you choose).

You can also use the Settings tab to set up scheduled backups.

Functional Plugins

Subscribe2: Subscribe2 allows you to maintain a list of Subscribers to your Blog. It is described in detail on the Subscriber Management Page.

WP Forms Lite: This allows you to design forms that can be included in Pages on your site.. A simple Contact Me form and Page have been implemented to allow users to contact you (see the Static Pages and Menu section).

 Sassy Social Share : This Plugin provides sharing icons to provide links to social media. There is a large number of icons to chose from. The initial set of links chosen is:

• Facebook
• WhatsApp
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Mail
• Print
• Facebook Like
• Tweet

There are options for a static and a floating set of icons. In the initial configuration the static icons are placed at the bottom of Pages and Posts, and the floating icons are disabled. Share counts are enabled. This can be reconfigured as you wish.

Activity Plugins

Page Views Count: This allows you to a place a visitor count on each Post and Page, and and a count of site visits in the Sidebar. It is set to show on Posts and Pages. This can be changed for Posts or Pages, and overridden for individual Posts or Pages.