The username that doubles your hack risk

The username that doubles your hack risk

When setting up WordPress, many people name their main account "admin." It feels logical. It's also the first thing attackers guess.

Here's why it matters. To break in, a hacker needs two things: your username and password. If your username is "admin," you've handed them half the puzzle for free. Their software then just hammers password guesses.

The fix is easy:
— Create a NEW user with a unique name (not your site's name either)
— Give it the "Administrator" role
— Log in as the new user
— Delete the old "admin" account, assigning its posts to the new one

WordPress asks what to do with old content during deletion, so nothing is lost.

Don't worry, this is fully reversible until you confirm the delete.

In plain words: never use "admin" as your username; a unique name removes half of what a hacker needs.