Hardening Dictionary

SSL/TLS

Definition

SSL/TLS encrypts traffic between browsers and your server so passwords and cookies are harder to sniff.

Also called: SSL, TLS, HTTPS, SSL certificate, TLS certificate

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Why it matters for WordPress

Login forms, cookies, and customer data should never ride cleartext HTTP on modern sites. Browsers also mark non-HTTPS sites as insecure, which hurts trust and SEO.

How it shows up in practice

  • Padlock in the browser
  • Certificate expiry causing scary warnings
  • Mixed content (HTTPS page loading HTTP scripts)

What to do

  1. Force HTTPS at the host or in WordPress URLs.
  2. Monitor certificate expiry (many hosts auto-renew Let’s Encrypt).
  3. Fix mixed content so scripts and forms stay on HTTPS.
  4. Remember: HTTPS protects the pipe; it does not patch vulnerable plugins.

Guide: SSL certificates basics.

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