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11 Top Reasons Why WordPress Sites Get Hacked (& How to Prevent It)

By Naveed Ahmed | Reviewed by Syed Balkhi | October 4, 2024 | Reader Disclosure

Many website owners worry about their WordPress sites getting hacked. I’ve been working with WordPress for over 15 years, and I understand this concern well. Getting hacked is very frustrating and can harm your business. While hackers try to attack all kinds of websites, some common mistakes can make your WordPress site an easier target. In this article, I’ll be sharing the main reasons why WordPress sites get hacked so you can take steps to protect your website better.

Why Is WordPress Targeted by Hackers?

First, it’s important to understand that it’s not just WordPress. All websites on the internet are vulnerable to hacking attempts. The reason that WordPress websites are a common target is that WordPress is the world’s most popular website builder. It powers over 43% of all websites, meaning hundreds of millions of websites across the globe. This immense popularity gives hackers an easy way to find websites that are less secure so they can exploit them.

Hackers have various motives for hacking a website. Some are beginners who are just learning to exploit less secure sites. Others have malicious intentions, such as distributing malware, attacking other websites, and sending spam.

With that said, let’s look at some of the top causes of WordPress sites getting hacked so you can learn how to prevent your website from getting hacked.

1. Insecure Web Hosting

Like all websites, WordPress sites are hosted on a web server. Some hosting companies do not properly secure their hosting platform. This makes all websites hosted on their servers vulnerable to hacking attempts. This can be easily avoided by choosing the best WordPress hosting provider for your website. Properly secure servers can block many of the most common attacks on WordPress sites. If you want to take extra precautions, then I recommend using a managed WordPress hosting provider.

2. Using Weak Passwords

Passwords are the keys to your WordPress site. You need to make sure that you are using a strong, unique password for each of the following accounts because they can all provide a hacker complete access to your website:

Your WordPress admin account
Your web hosting control panel account
Your FTP accounts
The MySQL database used for your WordPress site
All email accounts used for WordPress admin and hosting

All these accounts are protected by passwords. Using weak passwords makes it easier for hackers to crack the passwords using some basic hacking tools. You can easily avoid this by using unique and strong passwords for each account. See our guide on the best way to manage passwords for WordPress beginners to learn how to manage all those strong passwords.

3. Unprotected Access to WordPress Admin (wp-admin)

The WordPress admin area gives a user access to perform different actions on your WordPress site. It is also the most commonly attacked area of a WordPress site. Leaving it unprotected allows hackers to try different approaches to crack your website. You can make it difficult for them by adding layers of authentication to your admin directory.

First, you should password-protect your WordPress admin area. This adds an extra security layer, and anyone trying to access WordPress admin will have to provide an extra password. If you run a multi-author or multi-user WordPress site, then you can enforce strong passwords for all users on your site. You can also add two-factor authentication (2FA) to make it even more difficult for hackers to enter your WordPress admin area.

4. Incorrect File Permissions

File permissions are a set of rules used by your web server. These permissions help your web server control access to files on your site. Incorrect file permissions can give a hacker access to write and change these files. All your WordPress files should have a 644 value as file permission. All folders on your WordPress site should have 755 as their file permission. See our guide on how to fix the image upload issue in WordPress to learn how to apply these file permissions.

5. Not Keeping WordPress Up to Date

Some WordPress users are afraid to update their WordPress websites. They fear that doing so will break their website. Each new version of WordPress fixes bugs and security vulnerabilities. If you are not updating WordPress, then you are intentionally leaving your site vulnerable. If you are afraid that an update will break your website, then you can create a complete WordPress backup before running an update. This way, if something doesn’t work, then you can easily revert back to the previous version. You can learn more in our beginner’s guide on how to safely update WordPress.

6. Not Updating Plugins or Theme

Just like the core WordPress software, updating your theme and plugins is equally important. Using an outdated plugin or theme can make your site vulnerable. Security flaws and bugs are often discovered in WordPress plugins and themes. Usually, theme and plugin authors are quick to fix them. However, if a user does not update their theme or plugin, then there is nothing they can do about it. Make sure you keep your WordPress theme and plugins up to date. You can learn how in our guide on the proper update order for WordPress, plugins, and themes.

7. Using Plain FTP instead of SFTP/SSH

FTP accounts are used to upload files to your web server using an FTP client. Most hosting providers support FTP connections using different protocols. You can connect using plain FTP, SFTP, or SSH. When you connect to your site using plain FTP, your password is sent to the server unencrypted. That means it can be spied upon and easily stolen. Instead of using FTP, you should always use SFTP or SSH. You don’t need to change your FTP client. Most FTP clients can connect to your website on SFTP as well as SSH. You just need to change the protocol to ‘SFTP – SSH’ when connecting to your website.

8. Using Admin as WordPress Username

Using ‘admin’ as your WordPress username is not recommended. If your administrator username is ‘admin’, then you should immediately change that to a different username. For detailed instructions, check out our tutorial on how to change your WordPress username.

9. Nulled Themes and Plugins

There are many websites on the internet that distribute paid WordPress plugins and themes for free. You may feel tempted to use those nulled plugins and themes on your site. Downloading WordPress themes and plugins from unreliable sources is very dangerous. Not only can they compromise the security of your website, but they can also be used to steal sensitive information. You should always download WordPress plugins and themes from reliable sources such as the developer’s website or official WordPress repositories. If you can’t afford to buy a premium plugin or theme, then there are always free alternatives available for those products. These free plugins may not be as good as their paid counterparts, but they will get the job done and, most importantly, keep your website safe. You can also find discounts for many of the popular WordPress products in the deals section on our website.

10. Not Securing wp-config.php WordPress Configuration File

The wp-config.php WordPress configuration file contains your WordPress database login credentials. If it is compromised, then it will reveal information that could give a hacker complete access to your website. You can add an extra layer of protection by denying access to the wp-config file using .htaccess. Simply add this code to your .htaccess file:

<files wp-config.php>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</files>

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11. Not Changing WordPress Table Prefix

Many experts recommend that you should change the default WordPress table prefix. By default, WordPress uses wp_ as a prefix for the tables it creates in your database. You get an option to change it during the installation. It is recommended that you use a more complex prefix. This will make it harder for hackers to guess your database table names. For detailed instructions, see our guide on how to change the WordPress database prefix to improve security.

Cleaning Up a Hacked WordPress Site

Cleaning up a hacked WordPress site can be painful. However, it can be done. Here are some resources to get you started on cleaning up a hacked WordPress site:

Signs your WordPress site is hacked (and how to fix it)
How to scan your WordPress site for potentially malicious code
How to find a backdoor in a hacked WordPress site and fix it
What to do when you are locked out of WordPress admin (wp-admin)
Beginner’s guide on how to restore WordPress from backup

Bonus Tip

For rock-solid security, Sucuri provides malware detection and removal services as well as a website firewall that will protect your website against the most common threats. Read the story of how Sucuri helped us block 450,000 WordPress attacks in 3 months.

Alternatively, you can take advantage of our affordable WPBeginner Professional Services. If your website has been hacked, then our team of experts can clean up malicious code, files, and malware to make sure your sensitive data is safe. Pricing starts at $249.

Conclusion

We hope this article helped you learn the top reasons why a WordPress site gets hacked. You may also want to see our guide on how to protect your WordPress site from brute force attacks and our expert pick of the best WordPress security plugins to protect your site.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

FAQs

What are the most common types of WordPress attacks?

The most common WordPress attacks include:

Brute force attacks: Hackers attempt to guess your login credentials by trying multiple combinations of usernames and passwords.
SQL injection attacks: Hackers inject malicious code into your website’s database to gain unauthorized access.
Cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks: Hackers inject malicious code into your website’s content to steal user information or redirect them to malicious websites.
Malware infections: Hackers install malicious code on your website to steal data, redirect traffic, or launch further attacks.
DDoS attacks: Hackers flood your website with traffic from multiple sources to overwhelm your server and make your website unavailable to legitimate users.

How can I prevent my WordPress site from getting hacked?

Here are some tips to prevent your WordPress site from getting hacked:

Use strong and unique passwords for all your accounts.
Keep your WordPress software, themes, and plugins up to date.
Choose a reliable and secure web hosting provider.
Install a security plugin to further protect your website.
Regularly back up your website to ensure you can restore it in case of a hack.
Be careful about downloading themes and plugins from untrusted sources.
Limit access to your WordPress admin area.
Use two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security.

What should I do if my WordPress site gets hacked?

If you think your WordPress site has been hacked, take the following steps:

Change all your passwords immediately.
Scan your website for malware and remove any malicious code.
Restore your website from a backup.
Contact your web hosting provider for assistance.
Consider hiring a security expert to help you clean up your website and improve its security.

What are some good WordPress security plugins?

Here are some of the best WordPress security plugins:

Wordfence Security
iThemes Security (formerly Better WP Security)
Sucuri Security
All in One WP Security & Firewall
Jetpack

What is a brute force attack?

A brute force attack is a type of attack where hackers try to guess your login credentials by repeatedly trying different combinations of usernames and passwords. This can be automated using special tools that rapidly try thousands of combinations per second. It’s important to use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication to protect your website from brute force attacks.

What are the signs that my WordPress site has been hacked?

There are several signs that your WordPress site may have been hacked, including:

Your website is loading slowly or is unavailable.
You see strange content or code on your website.
You receive spam or phishing emails from your website.
You see unusual activity in your website’s analytics.
Your website is redirecting to a different website.
Your search engine rankings have dropped significantly.
You are unable to log into your WordPress admin area.

How can I protect my wp-config.php file?

You can protect your wp-config.php file by adding the following code to your .htaccess file:

<files wp-config.php>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</files>

This code will prevent anyone from accessing the wp-config.php file directly. This is a good security measure, but it’s not foolproof. Hackers may still be able to access the file through other vulnerabilities.

Why is it important to use a managed WordPress hosting provider?

Managed WordPress hosting providers offer a number of security benefits, including:

Regular security updates and patches.
Advanced firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
Malware scanning and removal services.
24/7 security monitoring and support.

If you’re serious about protecting your website from hackers, then I recommend using a managed WordPress hosting provider. They can provide you with the peace of mind that your website is secure.

How can I change my WordPress table prefix?

You can change your WordPress table prefix during the installation process. If you’ve already installed WordPress, you can change the prefix by following these steps:

Create a backup of your database.
Open your wp-config.php file.
Find the following line of code:

$table_prefix  = 'wp_';

Change the ‘wp_’ prefix to a different prefix, such as ‘mysite_’.
Save the wp-config.php file.
Run the following SQL query in your database to update the table names:

RENAME TABLE wp_users TO mysite_users;
RENAME TABLE wp_posts TO mysite_posts;
RENAME TABLE wp_comments TO mysite_comments;

Replace ‘wp_’ and ‘mysite_’ with your actual prefixes.

What are some of the best WordPress security practices?

In addition to the tips above, here are some best practices for WordPress security:

Use a strong and unique password for your WordPress admin account.
Keep your WordPress software, themes, and plugins up to date.
Use a secure web hosting provider.
Install a security plugin.
Back up your website regularly.
Limit access to your WordPress admin area.
Use two-factor authentication.
Be careful about downloading themes and plugins from untrusted sources.
Scan your website for malware regularly.
Monitor your website’s logs for suspicious activity.

By following these tips, you can significantly reduce the risk of your WordPress site getting hacked. Remember, security is an ongoing process. You need to stay vigilant and update your security practices regularly to keep your website safe.

If you’re interested in learning more about tech news, feel free to visit my website: www.naveedahmed.me.

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