Title: Change WordPress directory for security?
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# Change WordPress directory for security?

 *  [gummy_bear](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gummy_bear/)
 * (@gummy_bear)
 * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/change-wordpress-directory-for-security/)
 * Hello Forum,
 * I was looking through my cpanel visitor log today and noticed some sort of malicious
   auto scanner that was scanning my site with lots of different random directory
   guesses. Most of them didn’t exist – returning a 503. The the malicious scanner
   then guessed the folder & file combination of /wordpress/wp-login.php (which 
   is where my current WP 2.9.2 resides) I wasn’t hacked or anything but it got 
   me a bit worried…
 * I was wondering if it would be wise to change the wordpress directory to something
   less obvious? – which I think is just a case of changing the current /wordpress/
   folder name to whatever I want and then changing ‘WordPress address (URL)’ via
   the WP admin – is this the correct method? Are their any further implications?
 * Also I was thinking of installing some sort of WP secure plugin like the ‘Secure
   WordPress’ plugin – how effective is this plugin? Any more/better recommendations?
 * I’m particularly security concious/paranoid (lol) due to the blog being integrated
   within an e-commerce store. Hope you understand.
 * Thanks : )

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/change-wordpress-directory-for-security/#post-1513523)
 * You’ll want to change both of the URLs in Settings/General to `http://www.yourdomain.
   com/new-directory` and then change the directory name.
 * The random bots will continue to sniff around, no matter where you move to. They’re
   generally looking for exploits in older versions of WordPress. Keep your copy
   of WordPress up-to-date and follow some (if not all) of the [recommended security measures](http://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress),
   and you should be fine.

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

The topic ‘Change WordPress directory for security?’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 1 reply
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * Last activity: [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/change-wordpress-directory-for-security/#post-1513523)
 * Status: not resolved

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