Changing Your User Name Can Help Protect Your Blog

If you are still using ‘admin’ as your user name in your blog login then imagine that robot from the TV series Lost in Space warning you of danger. Now your name may not be Will Robinson (The young boy in the series) but imagine that you hear that robot calling your name. I did the other day when I signed into my blog.

I knew that there was a danger in not changing that user name but I got lazy. I have sat through webinars, telesminars and ever read that using ADMIN as your user name could make you a target for hackers! It is so true and I have been hacked more than once.  So I resolved to change my user name and I survived the task.

The Easy Way I Changed My ADMIN to Another User Name

I REPLACED MYSELF. I was listed as the ADMINISTRATOR for my blog with an ADMIN user name. I signed in ,with what I hoped would be the last time, with that oh so obvious ADMIN. Then I tried to delete myself as a user. DUH, it would not delete me because I was signed in. Ha Ha. So I had ADD A NEW USER then sign out and sign back in as the new user. Then, and only then, could I delete that unwise user with ADMIN as the handle.

Ok, here are the steps:

1. Sign in with your existing user name and password

2.  Create a new user with the same role ADMINISTRATOR.

NOTE: I had to use a different email address because each user has to have different email address

3. Log out of your blog

4. Log in again but this time as the new user.

5. Delete the old “admin” user and assign all posts created by that user to your new user. The system will ask you what you want to do with the posts and links owned by the “admin” user. When asked what to do with the posts and links owned by the “admin” user, select the “Attribute all posts and links to” option, choose the new user from the drop down list, and click “Confirm Deletion”.

Once the user is removed, you have the option to change the new user’s email address if a different one was used to create it. Oh, and be sure that when you choose that new user name that you do not use your name. That is just toooo easy for the energetic hacker.

Let me know when you change that user name!