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WordPress powers 43% of all websites. That makes it a popular target. But WordPress itself is not insecure — most WordPress hacks exploit outdated plugins, weak passwords, or misconfigured servers. Here’s what actually matters for keeping your site safe.
1. Keep Everything Updated
The most common WordPress security issue, by a wide margin, is outdated plugins. When a vulnerability is discovered and patched, hackers immediately start targeting sites still running the old version. Enable automatic updates for security releases and review major updates promptly.
2. Use a Strong Admin Password
Brute force attacks — trying thousands of password combinations — are automated and constant. A 16-character password with mixed case, numbers, and symbols is essentially uncrackable by brute force. A password manager makes this painless.
3. Change the Default Admin Username
Every WordPress site used to default to “admin” as the username. Bots still try this constantly. If your username is “admin,” change it.
4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
2FA means that even if someone gets your password, they still can’t log in. Plugins like WP 2FA make this straightforward to implement.
5. Limit Login Attempts
After 5 failed login attempts, lock the IP for 30 minutes. This stops brute force attacks cold. Login LockDown or Wordfence handles this.
6. Use a Web Application Firewall
A WAF filters malicious traffic before it reaches WordPress. Cloudflare’s free plan provides basic WAF functionality. Wordfence Premium or Sucuri provide more comprehensive protection.
7. Keep Backups You’ve Actually Tested
Backups aren’t security — they’re disaster recovery. If your site is hacked and you have no clean backup, recovery is expensive and sometimes impossible. Daily automated backups stored off-server (not just on your hosting account) are essential. Test restoring a backup at least quarterly.
8. Use HTTPS Everywhere
SSL is table stakes in 2025. Every site should be served over HTTPS with a valid certificate. Beyond security, Google uses HTTPS as a ranking signal and Chrome actively warns users about non-secure sites.
What You Don’t Need to Worry About
You don’t need to hide that you’re using WordPress (security through obscurity doesn’t work). You don’t need to manually review every plugin’s source code. And you don’t need to rebuild your site regularly for security reasons — an updated, well-configured WordPress installation is genuinely secure.
The 80/20 of WordPress Security
If you do only three things from this list, make them: keep everything updated, use strong unique passwords with 2FA, and maintain tested backups. Those three actions prevent the vast majority of WordPress security incidents.
