WordPress security vulnerabilities are an inevitable and unfortunate consequence of running your brand on the world’s most popular Content Management System.
WordPress’s unrivaled market dominance makes it a prime target for human hackers and malicious bots alike, both looking for weaknesses in your site that can be exploited to steal data, inject malware, or seize control of your entire site.
WPScan’s 2024 Website Threat report notes that vulnerabilities such as the ones we’ll look at in this guide continue to be a persistent problem for WordPress, with weak credentials and malware-infected pirate copies of premium plugins among the main causes.
Whether you’re an agency or business owner using your website to generate sales or leads, or a solo creator building a brand, these are threats you simply can’t afford to ignore.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is that a proactive approach to regularly scanning for vulnerabilities can prevent many of those threats from ever evolving into a real problem.
Below, you’ll learn about the most common WordPress vulnerabilities to look out for, how to detect them, and how to keep them at bay by strengthening your site security.
Common Vulnerabilities Affecting WordPress Sites
If you’re going to start looking for vulnerabilities, you need to know what you’re looking for.
By following the steps outlined later in this guide, you’ll start to receive regular security reports and alerts notifying you of vulnerabilities in your site.
The main offenders to look out for in those reports are:
1. Cross-site scripting (XSS)
We start with the most prevalent and potentially damaging of all, old-fashioned cross-site scripting.
Often referred to as XSS, this vulnerability allows bad actors to poison your WordPress site with malicious code, giving them the ability to execute scripts on your visitors’ web browsers.
Since your website otherwise looks above board, browsers have no way of knowing that these scripts aren’t legitimate and run them, meaning hackers essentially have free reign to steal data, redirect visitors to a different -usually harmful- website, or simply destroy your site with spam, unwanted pop-ups, and harmful content.
How serious is this problem?
Very serious, but don’t just take our word for it.
The team behind the leading security plugin WordFence analyzed 1599 WordPress plugin vulnerabilities reported over a 14-month period and discovered that cross-site scripting accounted for almost half of them.
At one point, the plugin was blocking as many as 1,500,000 XSS exploit attempts per day.
Now, consider that there are currently around 478 million websites running on WordPress. That’s 15,675 attempted attacks every day, with no telling if or when your site will be targeted.
From that alone, you’ll no doubt understand not only why XSS is reviled as the scourge of the WordPress ecosystem, but why it’s so important to find and fix these vulnerabilities as quickly as possible.
After all, it’s a lot easier to fix your website than it is to fix the damage done to your reputation when an XSS attack causes visitors to lose trust in you.
2. SQL injection
SQL injections attack your site at the database level, allowing hackers to run unauthorized commands.
By doing so, these criminals then access sensitive data (think credit card details, user’s personal information, change or delete data, or in some cases even take over control over the entire server.
Once the biggest threat to WordPress users, SQL injections aren’t as prevalent these days, but we’ve already seen a number of them throughout 2024, including those targeting high-profile sites such as The Wikimedia Foundation.
Even if your site isn’t operating at that level yet, it’s worth noting that 73% of reported cyber attacks in 2023 were from small businesses, so this isn’t something you can afford to ignore.
3. Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)
CSRF attacks take advantage of vulnerabilities in your site security to trick users into performing actions they didn’t mean to take.
For example, a cybercriminal may replace one of your legitimate links with a malicious one. When a user clicks on it, the malicious code sends a forged request to your website, which the site then fulfills.
This request could be for anything from making a purchase the user didn’t want to make, transferring funds into the hackers account, or installing malicious software on their browser.
Again, it doesn’t take much to imagine the kind of long-term damage this could do to your business.
“I visited your site and it stole all my money and gave my computer a virus” is not a good look for any business, causing the kind of reputational harm that you may not be able to bounce back from.
4. Outdated plugins/themes
From plugin glitches and faulty functionality to performance problems, outdated plugins and themes are often behind many common WordPress problems, including security issues.
It’s not unheard of for developers to simply abandon their themes and plugins, meaning those tools are no longer updated. When they’re no longer updated, they become easier to exploit because they haven’t received vital security patches and bug fixes.
This is why it’s so essential to stay on top of WordPress updates and only work with plugins and themes from reputable developers.
Best WordPress Vulnerability Scanners
| Plugin | Free Version? | Price (p/y) | Best For | Get Plugin |
| WordFence | Yes | $119 – $950 | Beginners, and small businesses | Get WordFence |
| Sucuri | Yes | $199.99 – $999.98 | High-traffic sites and eCommerce stores | Get Sucuri |
| Malcare | Yes | $149 – $499 | Busy website owners who want hands-off security | Get Malcare |
| WPScan | No | Custom Pricing | Security professionals and advanced users | Get WPScan |
| Jetpack Protect | Yes | $59.4 | Budget-friendly security | Get Jetpack Protect |
Search for ‘vulnerability scanning’ or ‘security scanning’ in the WordPress plugin depository, and you’ll be inundated with potential options.
If you need a little help narrowing down your options, these five tools are our top recommendations, chosen not just for their accuracy and effectiveness in identifying threats, but also for other important factors including:
- Additional features – These plugins don’t just scan your website. They serve as a one-stop security suite, offering additional tools such as firewalls, login security features, and malware removal. Using a comprehensive suite allows you to maintain maximum security without the need for multiple plugins.
- Cost – We’ve included options at various price points so that all users can find a plugin that works for them regardless of budget.
- Reputation – We also considered each plugin’s standing within the WordPress community, examining reviews and user feedback on essential details like usability and customer support.
1. WordFence
A popular choice for beginners and small businesses, WordFence offers a robust security suite including malware scanning, firewall, and login security. Its user-friendly interface and competitive pricing make it an attractive option.
Boasting over 5 million active installations, Wordfence is an industry-leading security suite that offers real-time threat detection, malware scanning, login protection, and more.
Its user-friendly features and competitive pricing make it a popular choice among beginners and small businesses.
2. Sucuri
Designed primarily -though not exclusively- with high-traffic sites and eCommerce sites in mind, Sucuri enjoys a solid reputation thanks to highly accurate vulnerability detection, as well as effective features like DDoS protection and firewalls.
Although far from the cheapest option on the block, premium upgrades also include performance optimization and site backup features, making it a good value-for-money package.
3. Malcare
Malcare is the ultimate automated malware scanning, removal, and prevention tool for time-starved site owners looking to put as much of their security on autopilot without compromising the integrity of their site.
4. WPScan
A powerful tool for security professionals and advanced users, WPScan offers comprehensive vulnerability scanning and penetration testing capabilities. Its flexible API allows for integration into custom security workflows, making it a strong contender for enterprise-level brands with their own proprietary security tools.
5. Jetpack
A free extension for the widely-used Jetpack plugin, Jetpack Protect offers free daily malware scans and valuable tools such as brute-force attack protection and an automated Web Application Firewall.
The ideal option for existing Jetpack users or those with a limited budget, you can also buy just the scanning tool for under $5 per month, billed yearly at $59.40 per year.
Step-by-Step Guide to Scanning Your WordPress Site
1. Backup Your Website
As with any WordPress maintenance task, it’s always a good idea to back up your files and databases before running any scans.
Sure, it’s unlikely that anything will go wrong during this process, but isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?
We prefer to use UpdraftPlus as our backup tool of choice as it’s fast, reliable, and easy-to-use.
2. Install and Run a Security Plugin
If you don’t already have a WordPress security plugin in place, now is the time to get one. Pick one of the top five tools listed above and install it on your WordPress site.
For the sake of this tutorial, we’re using WordFence.
Once your plugin is activated, you’ll need to add a license key to sync your site with WordFence’s security services.
Follow the on-screen instructions to get a free or premium license and paste it into the field provided. Before clicking Install License, confirm that you want security and vulnerability alerts sent to your email address. If you don’t, you won’t know a vulnerability has been found unless you’re actively logged into WordPress and looking at your WordFence screen.
3. Analyze the Scan Report
As soon as the plugin is installed and ready to go, head to WordFence – Scan and click Start Scan to generate your first security report.
How long the scan takes generally depends on the size of your site, though for most sites, expect no more than a few minutes maximum. When it’s done, you’ll have a detailed report of any vulnerabilities you need to address.
The finished WordFence security report breaks down your site into the following key components:
- Posts, comments, and files
- Themes and plugins
- Users
- URLs.
Each section shows you any vulnerabilities that may be in place, with the option to read more about the problem so that you can learn how to fix it.
Importantly, the plugin also categorizes WordPress vulnerabilities by priority.
High-priority vulnerabilities are the biggest threats to your site and should be addressed immediately.
Medium-priority vulnerabilities are still significant but may not pose as immediate a risk.
Low-priority vulnerabilities are less critical and can be addressed at a later time.
Work through each item in order of priority, taking time to first confirm that the problem genuinely exists.
Although plugins like WordFence are highly accurate, WordPress’ under-the-hood complexity means that things are occasionally flagged as a threat when they aren’t.
Just recently, theme developer Undsgn alerted their users to a false positive raised by the plugin which looked to be a critical error but was, in fact, entirely safe and put there by design.
With that in mind, it’s always worth double-checking.
Naturally, some issues like outdated plugins are easy to confirm, though others may require you to do a little digging such as by speaking to a theme or plugin’s customer support or consulting the WordPress community via forums.
4. Apply Vulnerability Fixes
Assuming there are genuine vulnerabilities in your site, it’s time to get to work on fixing them.
Again, start with those critical, high-priority problems such as XSS exploits and SQL injections and work, and work your way down to low-priority tasks such as misconfigured settings.
Naturally, some of these issues (plugin updates, for example), are going to be relatively straight-forward.
Others, however, may be a much bigger challenge depending on your level of WordPress expertise.
Clicking on the Details tab provides you with a simple breakdown of the problem, typically with a Learn More link that takes you to further instructions on how to deal with technical matters such as malware removal or incorrect file permissions.
You’ll also find lots of information and tutorials to help you strengthen your WordPress security here on the UnlimitedWP blog.
- If your problems are plugin related the answers you need may be in How to Fix 4 Common WordPress Plugin Problems.
- Having a tough time with themes? Here’s our guide to fixing WordPress theme problems.
Best Practices for Ongoing WordPress Security
That was a close call, wasn’t it?
Your WordPress security scanner picked up those problems just in time and now you’ve fixed them, averting what could have been a disaster.
Sure, everything is back to normal now, but wouldn’t it be better to proactively prevent those problems occurring in the future rather than scrambling to react the next time they put your site in jeopardy?
We certainly think so, and always recommend staying on top of regular maintenance tasks to ensure your site runs safely, smoothly, and securely.
You can use our comprehensive WordPress Maintenance Checklist to help ensure you’ve covered all the bases, but for now, let’s focus on the main security-focused tasks to take care of:
1. Set up automatic scans and daily backups
Practically all premium WordPress security plugins allow you to put your site security scans on autopilot, with the resulting report delivered directly to your inbox.
That’s just one of the many reasons it’s almost always worth investing in a paid plan rather than relying on their free, feature-restricted counterparts, especially when it comes to something as critical as security.
Assuming your plugin does offer this feature, enable it and set up an automated scan schedule so that you can regularly monitor your site without having to manually launch a scan every time.
With your schedule set, don’t forget to ensure you’ve opted-in to notifications and that those notifications will be sent to an email address you’re guaranteed to check.
2. Enable 2-Factor Authentication
Even the most technically secure website in the world is only as good as its strongest password.
There’s a reason why weak credentials like password or 123456 consistently appear in lists of the most-hacked passwords:
They’re so blatantly obvious that even an inexperienced hacker taking a wild shot in the dark could guess them without much effort.
So, at the absolute bare minimum, you should be adopting a strong password policy, ensuring that:
- Every user has a unique password containing a combination of letters, numbers, and characters.
- Those passwords are changed on a regular basis.
Having said that, who really wants to do the bare minimum for a business asset that plays a vital role in their brand?
Not us, and -if you’ve taken the time to read this far- we’re sure not you either.
So, we encourage you to go beyond that and implement Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), adding an extra line of defense between your wp-login page and your account.
If your WordPress security suite doesn’t include 2FA features, look at installing a WordPress 2FA plugin such as:
Once installed, these tools prompt users to complete a verification task (typically entering a code sent to a cell or email account) in addition to entering their regular password.
Of course, 2FA can sometimes feel like an inconvenience for users, but that’s precisely the point.
If it inconveniences a legitimate user for a few seconds while they check their email or text messages, imagine how inconvenient it’s going to be for a would-be hacker who has no access to those devices.
3. Update Core WordPress, Themes, and Plugins Regularly
Finally, we come to those all-important updates.
All those seemingly endless problems that come from outdated plugins? They won’t be a problem if you simply come up with a strategy to manage those updates.
That might mean weighing up the pros and cons of WordPress automatic updates.
It might mean configuring your email settings, and ensuring update notifications are always highlighted at the top of your inbox so that you can act on them quickly.
It could mean deciding whether to outsource WordPress maintenance to an agency or freelancer or perhaps even recruiting a new hire to handle this and other site-related tasks.
Whatever you decide, be proactive about it. You may be surprised at what a difference it makes.
Scanning for WordPress Vulnerabilities: Your Key Takeaways
Website vulnerabilities may be an unavoidable consequence of doing business in the modern age, but at least with a proactive approach to WordPress security, they’re relatively easy to detect and eliminate.
To recap, here are the most important steps you need to take to keep your site safe from harm and deliver a secure experience for your users:
- Understand critical WordPress vulnerabilities – As a WordPress user, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with issues like cross-site scripting, SQL injections, and cross-site request forgeries. That way, you‘ll have a better idea of the biggest potential threats to look out for when running security scans.
- Use WordPress security plugins to conduct regular scans – Install WordFence, Sucuri, or any other top securite suite tool and set a scan schedule to regularly monitor your site, ensuring detailed security reports are sent to the right inbox.
- Fix vulnerabilities in order of importance – Work down from high-priority, critical errors to low-priority tasks, making sure to check for false positives as you do so.
- Regular maintenance can help you reduce the risk of security threats – Whether you do the work yourself, hire a freelancer, or outsource to a WordPress agency, ensure there’s someone responsible for managing updates and keeping your site in top condition.
Need more support to secure your website? Considering outsourced WordPress maintenance as the most cost-effective approach for your business? Talk to us today to discover how we can help.