WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world — which makes it the most targeted. That doesn't mean WordPress is inherently insecure. It means that anything used at that scale becomes worth automating attacks against.
The good news is that most WordPress hacks are entirely preventable.
Outdated plugins and themes
This is the most common entry point by a significant margin. Plugins and themes regularly release updates that patch known security vulnerabilities. When a vulnerability is disclosed, automated scanners look for sites still running the old version. If your site isn't updated, it's found and exploited.
Keeping plugins and themes current closes the majority of attack surface.
Weak or reused passwords
Admin accounts with weak passwords, or passwords reused from other services that have been breached, are a straightforward target for brute force and credential stuffing attacks. Two-factor authentication on admin accounts makes this attack vector largely irrelevant.
Poorly coded plugins
Not all plugins are well-built. Some introduce vulnerabilities through poor coding practice — SQL injection, cross-site scripting, file inclusion flaws. Sticking to reputable, actively maintained plugins reduces this risk.
Cheap or insecure hosting
Some hosting environments have poor security configuration at the server level. A well-configured host applies server-level protections that make it harder for attacks to succeed even when they're attempted.
How NC Digital approaches this
We keep plugins, themes, and WordPress core updated as part of our maintenance plans. We use hosts — Krystal for WordPress sites — with strong security track records. And we set up sites with sensible security defaults from the start.
Read more about our website maintenance plans or find out what to do if your site has already been hacked.