I’m just a newbie to Joomla!. So to help myself gain the basic and necessary knowledge I need to start with Joomla! I explore its official website and seek refuge on the provided resources.
Security is one of the main concern in web development. Of course, all your hardwork in putting up your Joomla! site will be put to waste when scumbags decided to hack and maliciously make alterations because of its weak security.
So while browsing through Joomla.org to look for security issues articles, I came across to a very interesting article which sums up the necessary reminders that a beginner should consider. The “What are the top 10 stupidest Joomla! security tricks?” tackles the most basic security error of the administrators during implementation of a new Joomla! Website or even maintaining an existing Joomla site.
As a popular known fact, Joomla! is an open source content manage system. It can be downloaded for free through websites which offer it for download. But creators of the powerful content management strongly advised users to download Joomla from trusted contributors or affiliate sites.
Though it is quite expensive to find a good hosting provider, it is also recommended by experts to find and invest into one. Being hosted by a good provider has major advantages over the free/cheap or shared hosting providers, which may not be too sleek with your security features. And remember that most of this providers may also host porn or gambling sites which you do not want to be associated with if you are planning to rank in the SERP. However, there are recommended providers that can host you Joomla site but always consider your Joomla site’s needs and requirements before picking a hosting provider.
If you are new to Joomla!, it is very important to keep back-ups whenever you made an update. Back-ups can truly save you a tremendous time from redoing your site whenever bugs and errors occurs. More importantly, do not just depend on your hosting provider to make back-up of your files.
Also, make sure that you make the necessary changes in PHP and Joomla! settings which can make your site more secure and less prone to hacks.
User names and passwords are instant access of hacker to invade your site. So be sure to have varied and unique user names and passwords.
Again, make the necessary changes once you have installed you Joomla! site. You might not need, and mostly you don’t, the pre-created set-up on the new Joomla! site. There can also be errors or bugs during the installation, so better check everything.
Creating a local development or testing server is the best thing you can do to avoid complications while making changes or updating your site.
One Joomla! feature is its ability for a third-party extension integration. But never make it a habit to download a free or unrecognized application and install it to you Joomla! sites. Some of which may contain malicious code that can attack and create damages to your Joomla site. Be extra vigilant about this.
Joomla! development is continuing so don’t get stuck with the old versions. Try out the new version of Joomla! since they are created to fix bugs of previous versions.
Another great way to learn Joomla especially for newbies like me is to read on Joomla forums. The Joomla! Forum can assist you whenever you encounter a problem with your site. There are people who may encounter the same or similar problems like yours and there are experts willing to share their expertise.
Unfortunately, after all your efforts, it is unavoidable that your Joomla! site can get cracked and hacked. Learn from these and eradicate all suspicious files, change your usernames and passwords, and rebuild your Joomla! site with your back-up. Make the necessary changes so that you won’t put your files or your Joomla! site in danger again.
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