How to Hide WordPress Version in Headers for Better Security
Explanation
If you're looking to hide the WordPress version number from your site, this code snippet is just what you need. It's all about keeping your site a bit more secure by not advertising which version of WordPress you're using.
Here's what the code does:
- Removes the WordPress version from the HTML header: This is where the version number usually appears in the source code of your site. By removing it, you're making it harder for potential attackers to know which version you're running.
- Removes the WordPress version from RSS feeds: Just like in the HTML header, the version number can also appear in your site's RSS feeds. This code ensures it's stripped out from there too.
By adding this code to your theme's functions file, you're taking a simple step to enhance your site's security. Remember, it's always a good idea to keep your WordPress installation up to date to protect against vulnerabilities.
Code
<?php
/**
* Hide WordPress version number from the HTML header and RSS feeds.
*
* This function removes the WordPress version number from the HTML header and RSS feeds
* for security purposes, preventing potential attackers from knowing the version of WordPress
* being used.
*
* @package wp-dudecom
*/
/**
* Remove WordPress version number from the HTML header.
*/
function wp_dudecom_remove_wp_version() {
remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_generator');
}
add_action('init', 'wp_dudecom_remove_wp_version');
/**
* Remove WordPress version number from RSS feeds.
*
* @param string $generator_type The type of generator to filter.
* @return string An empty string to remove the version number.
*/
function wp_dudecom_remove_rss_version($generator_type) {
return '';
}
add_filter('the_generator', 'wp_dudecom_remove_rss_version');
?>
Instructions
File Location: Add the following code to your theme's functions.php
file or a custom plugin file.
Prerequisites:
- Access to your WordPress site's file system (via FTP or hosting file manager).
- Basic understanding of how to edit WordPress theme files.
Implementation Steps:
- Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
- Navigate to Appearance > Theme Editor if you are editing the
functions.php
file directly. Alternatively, use an FTP client or your hosting provider's file manager to access your theme files. - Open the
functions.php
file of your active theme. - Copy and paste the provided code snippet at the end of the
functions.php
file. - Save the changes to the
functions.php
file. - Clear your site cache if you are using a caching plugin to ensure the changes take effect immediately.
- Verify that the WordPress version number is no longer visible in the HTML header and RSS feeds by viewing the source code of your site and checking the RSS feed.
By following these steps, you have successfully hidden the WordPress version number from your site's HTML header and RSS feeds, enhancing your site's security.
If you need further assistance or want to explore more advanced WordPress functionalities, consider reaching out to the experts at wp-dude.com.