Is WordPress easily hacked?

One of the most used and popular web content management systems nowadays is WordPress, something that also puts it exposed to be attacked by hackers, since more than one would like to have control of a website made with this platform; that is why, today we will talk about ¿Is WordPress easily hacked?

Common ways to hack WordPress

There are many ways for your website to be hacked, however, the most commonly used in WordPress are the following:

The first entry point for attacks is through outdated themes and plugins, although installing and updating these in WordPress is very easy, some don’t take the time to do so, leaving the website exposed for them to take control.

That’s why one of the recommendations is to keep WordPress updated to the latest version, as well as the plugins and themes of the platform and in case you want to understand better you can learn the dangers of plugins, something simple but believe me it will save you headaches.

Another option that puts your website at risk is the weak login data, where currently you can choose the admin username when installing WordPress, even change it at any time you require; however, there are many WordPress with the default admin username, which gives way to any intruder as it has half the information to access your WordPress as administrator.

However, if you add to this the fact that you have a very simple and easy-to-guess password, or even that you use other online services that are not always secure, you are easily exposed to unwanted attacks. But don’t worry, because in this case, the solution is simple, such as changing the administrator’s username, changing the WordPress login URL as an additional measure, of course, to avoid giving hackers clues at login and finally, limit access attempts.

A third way of attack can be through database injections, which is perhaps the method most used by hackers lately, because if they manage to get into your database you are already lost, because they can do whatever they want and without limits. Although it is not up to you whether the databases are secure, you can try changing the database prefix, protecting the .htaccess file and using htaccess as a firewall.

This is a delicate subject, that’s why you should have security warnings and for that Google offers one, having a Google Webmaster Tools account you can manage your websites, it will even warn you if you have to update your WordPress, you could try it.

Finally, WordPress has secure services, among them you can use a managed WordPress like WordPress.com, make backups of everything, for them you have many plugins that automate daily backups, or you can hire a hosting specialised in the platform.

You may wonder why someone would want to attack your website if it is possibly not that popular, but don’t get complacent, no one is exempt from an attack on their website, so keep this in mind and be careful.