Is WordPress safe for my business website?

What is WordPress and how old is it?

WordPress is the open-source content management system (CMS) that millions of websites run on. It began life as a fork of the b2/cafelog blogging tool, and the first version (0.7) was released on 27 May 2003 by software developers Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little. Over two decades later, the project is maintained by a large community under the WordPress Foundation.

How popular is WordPress?

Today, WordPress dominates the CMS landscape. W3Techs’ usage report from June 2026 shows that WordPress powers about 59.3% of the websites whose CMS is known, which translates to 41.5% of all websites on the internet (W3Techs).

Barn2’s April 2026 market share report also quotes W3Techs data, estimating that 42.6% of all websites use WordPress and that its share among websites with a known CMS is about 59.8% (Barn2).

As of 2026, the world had roughly 1.34 billion websites. Barn2 estimates that more than 522 million of them run on WordPress and that the WordPress ecosystem offers over 61,000 free plugins and 14,000 themes (Barn2). These figures demonstrate that WordPress is by far the world’s most widely used content management system.

Common security concerns with WordPress

The popularity of WordPress makes it a frequent target for hackers, but the core software itself is relatively secure when kept up to date. Security analysts note that the vast majority of WordPress compromises stem from preventable issues.

• Out-of-date software and plugins
  Patchstack’s 2025 vulnerability report found that 91% of new WordPress vulnerabilities came from plugins, 9% from themes and only a handful from the core software. Many hacked websites were running outdated code that lacked security patches.
• Poor-quality or abandoned plugins
  Third-party plugins and themes add functionality, but poorly maintained code or pirated “nulled” themes can introduce exploitable vulnerabilities. Cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection flaws in plugins are particularly common.
• Weak passwords and brute-force attacks
  Attackers frequently attempt to guess administrator credentials. Wordfence has reported blocking billions of credential stuffing attempts, showing how important strong password security is.
• Improper server configuration
  Cheap or poorly configured hosting can expose sensitive files such as wp-config.php. Incorrect file permissions or directory listings can also provide attackers with valuable information.
• Human error
  Failure to restrict user permissions, reusing passwords or installing untrusted software often leads to website compromises.

Why WordPress sites get hacked

When WordPress websites are compromised, it is usually due to poor maintenance rather than inherent flaws in WordPress itself.

• Running obsolete versions
  Sucuri’s 2023 security report noted that 39.1% of hacked CMS websites were running outdated software. Older versions no longer receive security fixes.
• Unpatched plugins and themes
  In 2023, Patchstack tracked more than 5,000 new WordPress vulnerabilities and found that more than 96% affected plugins. Many website owners delay updates, giving attackers time to exploit newly disclosed flaws.
• Using pirated (“nulled”) plugins or themes
  Pirated premium themes and plugins often contain malware or hidden backdoors.
• Weak administrator credentials
  Accounts using “admin” as the username or common passwords are much easier to compromise. Automated bots constantly scan websites attempting to guess login details.
• Insecure hosting and poor configuration
  Shared hosting with poor security practices or incorrect server settings can expose sensitive files. Failing to install an SSL certificate or properly secure wp-config.php also increases risk.

Best practices for securing a WordPress website

Small businesses can dramatically reduce the likelihood of being hacked by following a few simple security practices.

• Keep everything updated
  Always install the latest version of WordPress along with updated plugins and themes. Enable automatic updates wherever practical.
• Be selective with plugins
  Only install plugins and themes from reputable developers. Remove anything you no longer use and never install pirated software.
• Use strong authentication
  Use unique passwords, change the default “admin” username, enable two-factor authentication and limit login attempts.
• Harden your WordPress installation
  Move wp-config.php outside the web root where possible, disable the built-in file editor, apply correct file permissions and disable directory browsing.
• Install a Web Application Firewall (WAF)
  Security solutions such as Wordfence or Sucuri can block malicious traffic before it reaches your website.
• Use SSL encryption
  An SSL certificate encrypts communication between your website and visitors while improving trust and helping SEO.
• Take regular backups
  Automated backups ensure your website can be restored quickly if something goes wrong.
• Scan regularly for malware
  Use security software that performs scheduled scans and alerts you immediately if suspicious files are detected.
• Choose quality hosting
  A good managed WordPress hosting company will often include malware scanning, firewalls, automatic updates and proactive security monitoring.

How to keep your WordPress website secure

One of the biggest mistakes small businesses make is treating their website as a one-off project. Launching your website is only the beginning. Just like your computer or smartphone, WordPress, its plugins and your website’s software all receive regular updates to improve security, fix bugs and introduce new features. Ignoring these updates can leave your website vulnerable to hackers.

Unless you have the time and technical knowledge to manage your website yourself, it’s worth working with a trusted web design partner who can take care of everything for you. Regular maintenance helps ensure your website stays secure, performs well and continues to work exactly as it should.

At Business Image, we look after our clients’ WordPress websites long after they’ve gone live. We regularly install WordPress, plugin and theme updates, monitor your website for potential security issues, take automated backups and carry out routine maintenance to keep everything running smoothly. If an issue does arise, we can usually identify and resolve it before it becomes a serious problem.

Having someone proactively managing your website also gives you peace of mind. Instead of worrying about security updates, compatibility issues or recovering a hacked website, you can focus on running your business knowing your website is being monitored and maintained by professionals.

No website can ever be guaranteed to be 100% hack-proof. However, with regular updates, secure hosting, reliable backups and ongoing maintenance, the risk of a successful attack is dramatically reduced. For most small businesses, partnering with an experienced WordPress agency is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep their website secure.

Which businesses can safely use WordPress?

Because WordPress is affordable, flexible and easy to manage, it is an excellent choice for many small and medium-sized businesses.

• Content-driven websites
  Blogs, magazines, news websites and marketing websites all benefit from WordPress’s excellent publishing tools.
• Small online shops
  WooCommerce allows businesses to sell products online without needing a bespoke e-commerce platform.
• Membership websites and communities
  WordPress supports memberships, forums and online communities through mature plugins.
• Charities and educational organisations
  Donation forms, event calendars and learning platforms can all be created quickly and affordably.
• Lead generation websites
  Businesses that primarily want to generate enquiries can build high-performing marketing websites with landing pages, blogs and contact forms.

Many well-known organisations, including The New York Times and Forbes, use WordPress for parts of their publishing infrastructure, demonstrating that the platform can scale when properly maintained.

When WordPress may not be the right choice

Although WordPress is extremely capable, there are situations where a custom-built platform is the better option.

• Complex web applications
  Social networks, SaaS platforms, customer portals and data analytics systems often require levels of custom functionality that are better suited to frameworks such as Laravel or Ruby on Rails (Syndicode).
• Large enterprise e-commerce
  WooCommerce works extremely well for many online shops, but enterprise marketplaces, subscription platforms and complex fulfilment systems often benefit from bespoke development (Syndicode).
• Highly specialised or regulated systems
  Healthcare platforms, government systems, financial software and applications with strict compliance requirements are usually better served by custom development (Syndicode).
• High-security applications
  Websites storing highly sensitive data, such as banking systems, government portals or medical records, generally require bespoke security controls that go beyond a standard WordPress installation (Syndicode).
• Real-time applications
  Instant messaging, multiplayer gaming, collaborative editing tools and similar applications are better suited to technologies such as Node.js or React (Syndicode).

Is WordPress really safe enough for your business?

WordPress is a mature, widely adopted content management system that enables small businesses to create professional websites without requiring a huge budget. The core software is secure when kept up to date, and its enormous ecosystem provides almost unlimited flexibility.

The majority of WordPress websites that are hacked are compromised because of outdated plugins, weak passwords, poor hosting or lack of maintenance rather than flaws in WordPress itself.

For the vast majority of small businesses, WordPress remains one of the safest, most flexible and most cost-effective website platforms available, provided it is properly maintained and secured. Businesses with highly specialised requirements, enterprise-level integrations or exceptionally high security needs may be better served by a bespoke platform built specifically for their requirements.