75+ Mindblowing WordPress Cybersecurity Statistics for 2025

Did you know that 72% of WordPress sites have experienced at least one security breach? Even more concerning, nearly half of these sites still don’t have a recovery plan in place!

Here at WPBeginner, we’ve been tracking WordPress security trends and helping our users protect themselves against evolving cyber threats. We’ve consistently found that most security breaches can be prevented with the right knowledge and tools.

Over the years, we’ve developed a proven security strategy. It includes using secure WordPress hosting, doing regular backups, implementing a content delivery network, and using a password manager.

The research we’ve gathered confirms that these fundamental security measures are more important than ever. And luckily for you, we’ve compiled these essential WordPress security statistics for 2025 so you can make informed decisions about protecting your WordPress site.

Ultimate List of WordPress Security Statistics

We’ve gathered the latest WordPress cybersecurity statistics and organized them into these categories. Just click any section to jump straight there:

Let’s get started.

WordPress Security Overview

If you’re running a WordPress website, then you might be surprised to learn just how many security threats you face every day. Let’s look at some eye-opening WordPress security statistics that show why protecting your site should be a top priority.

1. WordPress websites face 90,000 attacks every minute.

This massive number isn’t surprising, given that WordPress powers over 43% of all websites on the internet.

With such a large market share, WordPress has become an attractive target for cybercriminals. The more popular a platform becomes, the more attention it gets from those with malicious intent.

If you’re already concerned about these WordPress security threats, you might want to check out our complete guide on WordPress security. It covers everything you need to know about keeping your site safe.

2. Over 7 of 10 WordPress sites have reported experiencing at least one security breach.

These security breaches affect WordPress websites of all sizes, showing that no site is immune to attacks. The high rate of security incidents highlights why having a solid backup strategy is essential for every WordPress site owner.

That’s why we recommend using Duplicator, which is a reliable WordPress backup plugin that creates complete copies of your files and database. It’s what a lot of our partner websites use to keep their content safe.

With Duplicator, you can quickly restore your site to a working state if a security breach occurs. Instead of spending hours trying to recover your hacked site, you can restore it to a clean backup in a few clicks.

Plus, with scheduled automated backups, you’ll always have a recent copy of your site ready. You can learn more about the backup plugin in our Duplicator review.

More General WordPress Cybersecurity Statistics

• Around 13,000 WordPress websites get hacked every day, totaling 4.7 million sites yearly.
• 4 in 10 WordPress websites have at least one vulnerable piece of software installed.
• Over 60% of WordPress sites that got hacked were running outdated software.
• Nearly one-third of the top million websites run vulnerable WordPress versions.
• 58% of abandoned plugins reported by PatchStack, a WordPress security plugin and vulnerability discloser, get removed from the WordPress repository.

Common WordPress Security Vulnerabilities and Threats

Now that you understand the scale of WordPress security threats, let’s look at where these vulnerabilities commonly occur. The results might surprise you.

3. 9 out of 10 WordPress vulnerabilities come from plugins, not WordPress core.

When most people think about WordPress security vulnerabilities, they assume the problem lies in WordPress itself. However, plenty of research has shown that plugins are actually the biggest security risk for your website.

This is why choosing the right plugins is essential for keeping your site secure. You should always download plugins from trusted sources like the official WordPress repository or reliable premium plugin developers.

When in doubt, you can consult review platforms like the WPBeginner Solution Center. This is where we’ve carefully selected the most reliable WordPress plugins, themes, and tools for different needs.

Not sure how to pick the right plugins? Check out our guide on how to choose the best WordPress plugins for your website.

4. Free plugins account for 91% of third-party WordPress vulnerabilities.

On the other hand, premium plugins and themes only account for about 9% of reported vulnerabilities.

This doesn’t mean free plugins are inherently unsafe. We often recommend them in our plugin reviews for those with a strict budget.

The key is to download free plugins from the official WordPress repository. The repository has strict guidelines and will notify you if a plugin hasn’t been tested with the latest WordPress version.

Also, plugins being untested doesn’t mean they are automatically unsafe. That said, it’s worth being cautious. Every WordPress site is different, so what works safely on one site might cause issues on another.

That’s why we always recommend testing new plugins in a safe environment first. We like to use WordPress Playground or a local testing environment. This way, you can check for any security issues or conflicts before installing plugins on your live site.

5. According to PatchStack, cross-site scripting (XSS) accounts for 47% of all WordPress security vulnerabilities.

This type of security threat happens when hackers inject malicious code into your website. This can then steal visitor data or redirect them to harmful sites.

Think of XSS like a burglar sneaking their own door into your house. Once they create this entrance, they can come and go as they please, potentially stealing sensitive information from you and your visitors.

To protect your site from XSS attacks, you need to add proper HTTP security headers. We recommend using Cloudflare, which makes it easy to implement these security measures.

Other reliable options include Sucuri, All in One Security, and Really Simple SSL. You can learn more about these WordPress security plugins in our WPBeginner Solution Center.

More Common WordPress Vulnerabilities

• After cross-site scripting, broken access control (14.3%) and cross-site request forgery (11.3%) round out the top security threats.
• According to Wordfence, a WordPress security plugin, SQL injections rank as the third most common attack type. This is where attackers try to corrupt your database.
• Over 70% of known WordPress vulnerabilities already have security patches available.
• Nearly 6 in 10 WordPress vulnerabilities can be exploited without logging in.
• About 65% of security threats are rated as medium-level risks, which often involve attacks requiring contributor or author access.

WordPress Malware and Attack Patterns

Let’s take a closer look at how hackers actually attempt to breach WordPress sites. Understanding their patterns can help you better protect your website.

6. Malicious files were found on over 1 million WordPress sites in the past year.

Hackers can plant malicious files on your WordPress site through various entry points. Common vulnerabilities include outdated plugins, weak passwords, compromised themes, and unsecured file permissions.

We talk more about this in our article on why WordPress sites get hacked.

If you suspect your site has been hacked, then our WPBeginner Pro Services team can help. Our hacked site repair service includes comprehensive WordPress security scans that identify vulnerabilities, malware cleanup, and quick site restoration.

Our hacked site repair service starts from $249. You will get complete malware removal, thorough security updates, and a clean site backup.

Feel free to book a consultation call with our team by clicking on the button below. This way, we can figure out the best way to help your website succeed.

Alternatively, if you prefer the DIY route, you can read our article on signs your WordPress site is hacked and our beginner’s guide on how to fix a hacked WordPress site.

7. Hackers spend 88% of their time just trying to break into websites.

This surprising statistic reveals something important about WordPress security. Most hackers invest the majority of their effort just attempting to gain initial access to your site. Once they’re in, the actual damage happens quite quickly.

This is why your first line of defense—preventing unauthorized access—is absolutely important. Strong passwords and multi-factor authentication are your best tools for stopping break-in attempts. We’ll cover these essential security measures in more detail later in this article.

It’s also important to find and remove a hacker’s backdoor after cleaning your site. Otherwise, they can easily regain access even after you’ve removed the malicious code.

For more information, check out our guide on how to find a backdoor in a hacked WordPress site and fix it.

8. 55% of websites with database malware have at least one fake administrator account.

A hacker with admin access can do serious damage to your WordPress site. They can install malicious plugins, modify your content, steal user data, or even lock you out of your own website.

That’s why properly managing user roles and permissions is crucial for WordPress security.

To protect your site from unauthorized admin access, we recommend limiting login attempts to prevent brute force attacks and restricting admin access to specific IP addresses. You should also regularly review your user list for suspicious accounts.

You can also check out our list of vital tips to protect your WordPress admin for step-by-step guidance.

9. SEO spam is one of the most common types of WordPress attacks, affecting over 234,000 websites.

SEO spam is where hackers inject spam content into your pages. The purpose is to steal your site’s search engine rankings and redirect your visitors to malicious websites.

The most sneaky part? The majority of these attacks use hidden content that your visitors can’t see but search engines can. Hackers basically piggyback on your site’s good reputation to promote their scams or malicious content.

Thankfully, WordPress security services like WPBeginner Pro Services and WordPress security plugins can help you detect and remove SEO spam before it damages your rankings.

Besides that, we also recommend installing All in One SEO (AIOSEO).

This WordPress SEO plugin comes with a powerful SEO audit checklist that scans your website for SEO issues. It will alert you about critical problems and suggest improvements to protect your site’s search rankings.

You can learn more about these features in our detailed AIOSEO review.

More WordPress Malware Statistics

• 69% of WordPress infections involve malware injections and malicious redirects.
• 75% of identity attacks don’t use malware, relying instead on phishing and social engineering.
• Over 70% of malware attacks target specific websites rather than random targets.
• 4 in 10 malware attacks lead to data leaks, compromising sensitive information.
• Hackers’ primary motivations are financial gain (77%) and learning about security (64%).
• The Balada Injector accounts for 21% of malware injections, redirecting visitors to scam sites.
• Sign1 malware has affected 57,000 sites, showing fake CAPTCHA prompts to steal user data and redirect them to scam pages.
• SocGholish has caused 12% of infections, tricking users with fake browser updates to install malware.
• Hidden content makes up 26% of SEO spam, concealing malicious code from site owners.
• DDoS attacks have grown by 31%, with 44,000 daily attacks overwhelming website servers to make them inaccessible.
• Credential stuffing remains the most common attack. This is where hackers use stolen username and password combinations to break into WordPress sites.
• Database attacks target the wp_options and wp_posts tables in 70% of cases.
• DNS TXT records malware has been found on 23,820 sites. This malware creates hidden backdoors to maintain access even after cleaning.
• Bogus URL shorteners have infected 16,000 sites, redirecting users to low-quality ad-filled pages.
• 52% of sites have experienced significant business disruption from ransomware.
• 83% of attacked sites have paid the ransom to regain access to their data.
• Over 50% of ransomware victims have paid more than $100,000 in ransom payments.

eCommerce Security Trends

Now let’s look at some concerning statistics about online store security, especially for WordPress and WooCommerce sites.

10. 80% of eCommerce websites have suspicious security issues (issues that hackers can exploit).

The most common security issues include:

• Outdated JavaScript that creates vulnerabilities attackers can exploit.
• Analytics and ad scripts running during checkout that could lead to data theft through malicious advertising.
• Unpatched or outdated software that makes your site vulnerable to attacks.
• Missing HTTP security headers that leave your site exposed.
• Suspicious double checkout that forces users to enter credit card data more than once, which could indicate a security risk.

One surefire way to protect your online store from these threats is to use a secure WordPress hosting provider with built-in security features.

We use SiteGround here at WPBeginner. It includes automatic updates for WordPress core and security patches. Plus, there is a web application firewall (WAF) that blocks malicious scripts and adds proper security headers.

We also recommend using trusted payment gateways that provide secure checkout environments isolated from potentially harmful advertising scripts. We have a list of the best WooCommerce payment gateways if you need some recommendations.

For a complete guide on implementing these security measures, check out our detailed guide on WordPress eCommerce security best practices.

11. 52% of online stores have seen an increase in promotion abuse.

Promotion abuse happens when bad actors exploit your WooCommerce coupon codes in ways you didn’t intend.

Common abuse patterns include sharing private discount codes on coupon websites, using bots to generate multiple orders with the same code, creating fake accounts to repeatedly use first-time customer discounts, and using expired or unauthorized coupon codes.

The good news is that you can prevent most of these issues by creating one-time personalized coupon codes. These codes can only be used once and by specific customers, making them much harder to abuse.

More eCommerce Security Statistics

• Over one-third of hacked WooCommerce sites had checkout skimmers installed. These malicious scripts secretly copy customer payment data during checkout and send it to hackers.
• Account takeover fraud has grown by 131%. This happens when hackers steal customer login credentials to make fake orders with the account’s saved payment methods or steal reward points.
• 3 in 10 small businesses say phishing attacks are their biggest security concern.
• 7 in 10 online stores use web application firewalls (WAFs) to protect their sites.
• 11% of shoppers abandon carts because they don’t trust the site’s security.

WordPress Website Protection Practices and Gaps

This section will look at some surprising statistics about how WordPress site owners handle basic security measures.

12. 7 out of 10 WordPress sites don’t enable automatic updates.

In other words, a lot of WordPress websites are vulnerable to known security issues that updates often fix.

While auto-updates are generally recommended, the decision to enable them depends on your site’s needs. For small websites, auto-updates can provide immediate security fixes, reduce maintenance work, and keep your site protected when you’re busy.

However, if you have a large or enterprise-level WordPress website, you may prefer doing manual updates regularly. This can prevent unexpected compatibility issues and give you control over timing and backup scheduling.

In that case, we recommend creating a staged version of your live website and testing the new WordPress version there.

Not sure how to manage updates properly? Check out our guide on how to safely update WordPress.

13. 41% of WordPress websites don’t force users to use strong passwords.

Common password mistakes include using the same password across multiple sites, including personal information like birthdays or company names, using simple patterns like ‘123456’ or ‘password,’ and not updating passwords regularly.

A strong WordPress password should:

• Be at least 12 characters long
• Include numbers, symbols, and both upper and lowercase letters
• Avoid common words or phrases
• Be unique for each website

Here at WPBeginner, we use a password manager to generate and store strong passwords for our team. Tools like 1Password make it easy to create complex passwords without having to remember them all.

Additionally, we use multi-factor authentication to further strengthen our login security.

It’s also good to force users to change passwords from time to time. This helps protect your site even if passwords get leaked in data breaches or if former team members still have access to old credentials.

Other than that, you might want to learn how to password-protect your WordPress admin area for an extra layer of security.

14. 17% of websites don’t automatically redirect visitors to a secure HTTPS connection.

This means sensitive information like passwords and payment details could be vulnerable to interception.

That’s because HTTPS encryption can protect user data during transactions and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. Plus, it can build trust with potential customers and search engines by displaying a padlock icon in the browser’s address bar.

The good news is that securing your site with HTTPS is relatively simple. You just need to install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site.

Many hosting providers like Bluehost and Hostinger even include free SSL certificates with their hosting plans.

Not sure how to set up HTTPS? Just check out these guides below:

• How to Properly Move WordPress from HTTP to HTTPS (Beginner’s Guide)
• How to Secure Your WordPress Pages With SSL (Step by Step)
• How to Renew SSL Certificate (Step by Step for Beginners)

15. Only 6% of US websites are ready for GDPR compliance.

Even if your WordPress blog isn’t based in the EU, you still need to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) if you have visitors and customers from European countries.

Non-compliance can lead to serious consequences. Common examples include thousands of dollars in fines, damage to your brand’s reputation, loss of trust from privacy-conscious visitors, and potential legal issues.

The good news is that WordPress makes it easier to become GDPR compliant with the right tools and settings. We’ve created an ultimate guide to WordPress GDPR compliance that walks you through every step.

You can also check out our recommended WordPress GDPR plugins that help automate many compliance requirements.

Our favorite is MonsterInsights. This plugin comes with an EU Compliance Addon that automatically anonymizes visitor IP addresses to help you meet GDPR requirements.

More Website Protection Statistics

• 39% of WordPress sites were outdated when they got hacked.
• 81% of WordPress sites don’t use a WAF to protect against attacks.
• 78% of websites lack content security policies, which help prevent hackers from injecting malicious code.
• 73% of sites are missing X-Frame-Options headers. This makes them vulnerable to clickjacking attacks, where hackers overlay fake content on legitimate pages.
• 6 in 10 WordPress users haven’t enabled two-factor authentication.
• Sites without a WAF face 25% higher costs when security breaches occur.
• 64% of sites using WAFs report fewer security vulnerabilities.
• Only 46% of top websites use a content delivery network (CDN), which helps protect against DDoS attacks while improving site speed.
• 53% of users haven’t updated their passwords in over a year.
• 44% use the same password for both personal and work accounts.
• 37% include their company name in their passwords, making them easy to guess.
• 62% have shared passwords through unsecured channels like email or text.
• 8% of WordPress sites get hacked because they use weak, easy-to-guess passwords.

WordPress Security Management and Response

Here are some ways WordPress site owners handle their security needs. Let’s see what approach might work best for you.

16. 45% of WordPress users handle security in-house, meaning they manage updates, monitor threats, and respond to security issues themselves.

The other 55% outsource these tasks to professional services like WPBeginner Pro Services.

Both approaches have their advantages. If you manage your security in-house, you have complete control over your security measures and can respond to issues immediately. However, this requires technical knowledge and takes time away from running your business.

On the other hand, outsourcing to WordPress maintenance and security experts gives you professional expertise and 24/7 monitoring. But it comes with additional costs and less direct control over your security setup.

The right choice depends on several factors, including your technical expertise, available time and resources, budget considerations, site complexity, and security requirements.

We generally recommend outsourcing if you run a business website or handle sensitive customer data. The cost of a security breach far outweighs the investment in professional security services.

17. 86% of WordPress users who monitor their site activity feel confident about detecting security threats.

Activity logs track important actions on your site, like failed login attempts, plugin changes, or unauthorized file modifications.

We recommend using a WordPress activity log plugin to automatically track and store this information. These plugins can alert you when something suspicious happens, like multiple failed login attempts or unexpected admin changes.

Want to learn more about monitoring your site? Check out our guide on how to monitor user activity in WordPress.

18. 47% of WordPress users who haven’t experienced a security breach don’t have a recovery plan.

This is concerning because it’s not a matter of if your site will face a security threat but when.

Fortunately, creating a recovery plan is not that difficult. We have a complete guide on how to make a WordPress disaster recovery plan if you need step-by-step instructions.

Also, if you use Duplicator, you can assign a backup file as a disaster recovery point. This will create a complete snapshot of your working website and a launcher file that you can use to restore your site with just a few clicks.

What’s more, you can store your backups in remote storage like Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox for extra security.

More Security Management Statistics

• It takes 292 days on average to detect and stop attacks involving stolen login credentials.
• 46% of all cyber attacks target small to medium businesses with less than 1,000 employees.
• Only 1 in 5 WordPress sites train their team members on security best practices.
• Companies that handle security in-house are 22% more likely to have a recovery plan, likely because they better understand their security needs.
• 58% of businesses that outsource security admit they don’t feel technically confident about understanding security tools.
• Organizations that don’t train their staff and outsource security are 13% more likely to get hacked.
• Even after experiencing a breach, 33% of WordPress sites still haven’t created a recovery plan.

AI in Cybersecurity

As security threats become more sophisticated, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in protecting WordPress websites. Let’s look at how AI is changing the security landscape.

19. Sites using AI detection can identify security breaches 100 days faster.

This is because AI can continuously monitor your WordPress site for suspicious activity and respond to threats automatically.

AI security tools can detect unusual login patterns, block malicious IP addresses in real time, identify potential vulnerabilities before they’re exploited, analyze traffic patterns for signs of attacks, and automate security responses.

If you want to use a scanner for your website, check out our list of the best WordPress security scanners to keep your site safe.

More AI Security Statistics

• Organizations using AI security tools save an average of $1.88 million per data breach ($5.72 million without AI vs. $3.84 million with AI).
• 74% of businesses report being affected by AI-powered cyber attacks.
• The adoption of AI security tools has grown by 3%, with 31% of organizations now using AI extensively.
• 88% of companies prefer using comprehensive AI security platforms rather than multiple separate tools.
• Organizations are using AI for security to improve threat detection (57%), find vulnerabilities (50%), and automate routine security tasks (43%).

Sources:

Astra, BigCommerce, Crowdstrike, Dark Trace, IBM, MasterCard, Melapress, National University, PatchStack, SentinelOne, Statista, Sucuri, Terranova Security, Wordfence, and WP Mayor.

We hope this article helped you discover the latest WordPress cybersecurity statistics and trends. If you want to read more research-based articles like this, then feel free to check them out below:

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