7 replies
I've been thinking of an easy way to keep my large websites secure. After alot of research I've come up with something very simple to ensure my websites are extremely safe.

Note: I have a few websites only each hosted on different hostgator accounts.

This is for wordpress only

- I export all the content from my website using the wordpress export to xml option. It exports everything starting from posts, pages to comments. I do this once a week for ech of my websites.

- I have copies of the themes I use on each website.

The idea is ... if for some reason my website security is compromised or is hacked, I can simply get a new hosting account (change domain nameservers to that host) and install wordpress on it. I can then import my wordpress xml backup for that site. I then have to upload my theme and my website is back up. It takes just 30 mins if you know what you're doing.

I think this would be way faster than
- trying to figure out which files on your server are compromised
- trying to contact your host to back up your files.

For someone who has more than one website on the same host, it may not be applicable. Since I own only a few large wordpress websites, I feel it is a good enough option for me.

What do you guys think?
#fail #safe
  • Profile picture of the author webfighter
    Name server changes can take a lot more than 30 minutes to be realized in many cases.

    Having a backup at is always good however. You can also look into scripts like WP-Twin (currently being promoted here at WF) that can "clone" wp-blogs in a matter of minutes (or seconds).

    This way, if your files were compromised as a result of some password stealers (very common) and not due to vulnerabilities in your server/files - you can simply change your passwords, delete the whole thing and restore the full backup. The downtime in this case should be really low.

    wenfighter
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    • Profile picture of the author leclaims
      I think it's great that you're being proactive about the security of your website. It sounds like a good plan, let's just hope you never have to implement it.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    I'd rather just export the database and zip all the current files in the cpanel file manager, download the database and the zip file. That's a very complete backup and easy to restore your sites to any host.
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    • Profile picture of the author Davioli
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      I'd rather just export the database and zip all the current files in the cpanel file manager, download the database and the zip file. That's a very complete backup and easy to restore your sites to any host.
      You'd be achieving the same thing yeah?
      I've done something like that when transferring hosts before. It was really complicated.
      I guess it might be a better option for someone who's experienced with databses and stuff.
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    • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      I'd rather just export the database and zip all the current files in the cpanel file manager, download the database and the zip file. That's a very complete backup and easy to restore your sites to any host.
      That's what I do...
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  • Profile picture of the author cashcow
    If you only use the export tool and export the .xml file you will only be saving your posts and pages. You will lose any wordpress settings and any settings of plugins that you have.

    It's much better to backup up the database (and also the theme and plugins like you are doing). It's not complicated to backup that database at all - just go into cpanel, phpmyadmin, pick the database and click export.

    There is even a wordpress plugin that will do that for you and then email it to your email. Then you wont have to do that part manually.

    Lee
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    • Profile picture of the author Davioli
      Originally Posted by cashcow View Post

      If you only use the export tool and export the .xml file you will only be saving your posts and pages. You will lose any wordpress settings and any settings of plugins that you have.

      It's much better to backup up the database (and also the theme and plugins like you are doing). It's not complicated to backup that database at all - just go into cpanel, phpmyadmin, pick the database and click export.

      There is even a wordpress plugin that will do that for you and then email it to your email. Then you wont have to do that part manually.

      Lee
      Ohh.. Plugin setting is something I never thought of. Good point.

      I've been using the All in one seo plugin options at the end of my pages to have a custom description for certain pages. Would I lose those setting then?
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