If you use “admin” as the default administrative login for your WordPress site, it may be vulnerable to hacking.  News outlets are reporting and Matt Mullenwag is discussing the recent Brute-force botnet attacks on WordPress sites with the default “admin” account, and the take away is: change the username, use a strong password.

How Do I Change My Username?

If you click on the Users link from your dashboard, you’ll notice that usernames cannot be changed once they are created.  Instead, you’ll need to create a new user account and assign administrative rights to that account.  When the new account is created, you can then DELETE the existing admin account.  Full instructions including screenshots are available here.  Note you will also need to change the email address in General Settings if that address is the the one you used to set up your original admin account.

How do I change my password?

Unlike the username, you CAN change your password from the Users link on your dashboard.  Consider these tips when picking a password, or consider using a password generator.  You can also install a password generator plugin, if you want password generation to be integrated with new user creation.  And remember when you change your password, don’t share it with anyone.  

 What else can I do to keep my WordPress site safe?