Yes. Just like other CMS systems, WordPress can be attacked. Common risks include vulnerable plugins, outdated software, and insufficiently secured accounts. With professional maintenance, secure hosting, and multiple security layers, you can significantly reduce these risks.
Table of contents
- Why is WordPress often seen as insecure?
- How do you secure a WordPress website?
- Is WordPress secure enough for large organizations?
- Is WordPress more or less secure than other CMS systems?
- Who is responsible for the security of a WordPress website?
- Frequently asked questions about WordPress security
- Conclusion: WordPress is secure, provided it's properly set up and maintained
Why is WordPress often seen as insecure?
Because of its popularity, WordPress is an attractive target for cybercriminals. This doesn't mean the CMS itself is insecure. In fact, most vulnerabilities are found in plugins and themes.
The State of WordPress Security research by Patchstack shows that in 2025, about 91% of registered vulnerabilities related to plugins and 9% to themes.
Security therefore mainly depends on how a WordPress website is developed, set up, and maintained. With reliable plugins, secure hosting, and regular maintenance, many security risks can be limited.
How do you secure a WordPress website?
A secure WordPress website consists of multiple security layers. Just installing a security plugin isn't enough. For business websites, the following five measures are important.
1. Regularly update WordPress and plugins
Outdated software poses a major security risk. Updates to WordPress, plugins, and themes regularly fix known vulnerabilities. Therefore, carry out updates structurally and prioritize critical security updates. With custom websites, it's important to check that updates don't cause issues with existing functionalities and integrations.
2. Two-step verification and secure access
With two-step verification (2FA), you add an extra layer of security to the login process. Passkeys also offer a secure and user-friendly option. Additionally, limit employees' access rights to what they actually need. For example, a content editor doesn't need to be able to install plugins or change technical settings.
3. Reliable hosting and a firewall
A secure WordPress website starts with reliable hosting. Professional hosting offers protection through, among other things, a web application firewall (WAF), DDoS protection, HTTPS, and monitoring. This allows malicious requests to be blocked and suspicious activities to be detected faster.
4. Being critical of plugins
Plugins make WordPress flexible, but they can also introduce security risks. Therefore, choose reliable plugins that are actively maintained and remove unused software. At Studio Brabo, we combine proven WordPress technology with smart custom work, so we limit unnecessary dependencies on external plugins.
5. Backups, monitoring, and recovery
No website is completely protected against security incidents. That's why regular backups and monitoring are essential. Backups must be stored securely and tested periodically so that the website can be restored quickly and reliably in the event of an incident.
Is WordPress secure enough for large organizations?
Yes, WordPress can also be suitable for larger organizations with extensive requirements regarding security, user management, and integrations. However, a larger organization usually requires more than the standard WordPress settings.
Think of different user roles for marketing, communication, and IT, secure authentication, controlled integrations with company systems, and clear agreements on updates and incidents. Responsibilities regarding security and technical management must also be well-defined.
For organizations with specific compliance or security requirements, an assessment must also be made as to whether the entire technical setup meets those requirements. WordPress is only one part of the solution. The hosting environment, software used, integrations, and internal processes are at least as important.
Also read our article about WordPress for large organizations.
Is WordPress more or less secure than other CMS systems?
WordPress is not automatically more or less secure than, for example, Drupal, TYPO3, or Sitecore. Every CMS has its own security risks, dependencies, and maintenance requirements.
WordPress has a large ecosystem of plugins and developers. This offers a lot of flexibility but also requires careful selection of software and active maintenance. With other CMS platforms, specific hosting requirements, licenses, or vendor dependencies may play a larger role.
The most important question is therefore not which CMS never has vulnerabilities, but which platform your organization can properly secure, manage, and maintain. A professionally set up and actively maintained CMS is usually a better choice than a platform where technical management is insufficiently arranged.
Who is responsible for the security of a WordPress website?
WordPress security is a shared responsibility of the organization, the digital agency, and the hosting provider. Who performs which tasks depends on the agreements made.
| Key responsibilities | |
| Organization | Internal security guidelines, informing employees, and passing on changes in access rights. |
| Digital agency | Secure development, plugin selection, updates, technical maintenance, monitoring, backups, and incident handling. |
| Hosting provider | Security of the hosting environment, infrastructure, and network. |
| Joint | User management, secure access, security requirements, and clear agreements on responsibilities. |
Frequently asked questions about WordPress security
Many WordPress plugins are reliable, but not every plugin is maintained equally well. Therefore, choose actively developed plugins from reliable providers, check for known vulnerabilities, and remove software you don't use.
No. A security plugin can provide additional protection, but it doesn't replace secure hosting, updates, access management, monitoring, and backups. Good WordPress security consists of multiple measures that complement each other.
Yes. WordPress and the plugins and themes used must be updated to fix known vulnerabilities. In addition, monitoring, backups, and checks are important to keep the website secure and reliable. Read more about our WordPress maintenance and support.
Conclusion: WordPress is secure, provided it's properly set up and maintained
WordPress is a secure and future-proof choice for business websites, provided the technical foundation is properly set up and the website is actively maintained. The biggest security risks usually aren't in WordPress itself, but in vulnerable plugins, outdated software, and insufficiently secured access. With reliable hosting, carefully selected plugins, and professional maintenance, these risks can be significantly limited.
Want to have a secure WordPress website developed?
Studio Brabo develops custom WordPress websites for organizations that demand high standards of flexibility, ease of use, and technology. We combine smart custom solutions with reliable hosting, security, and professional maintenance.
