Common Security Threats That Affect Unmanaged WordPress Sites

Unmanaged WordPress sites face a number of common security threats that can compromise the site and cause damage. Here are some of the major threats:

1. Outdated software: Failing to update the WordPress core, themes, and plugins in a timely manner leaves sites vulnerable to known security issues. Updates include security patches and bug fixes.

# Stay up-to-date by:
- Automatically updating WordPress core 
- Manually updating themes and plugins as new versions are released

2. Malware: Malicious code can be injected into WordPress sites through outdated themes and plugins. Common types of malware include credit card skimmers and backdoors.
3. Unauthorized access: Hackers can gain access to WordPress admin areas through brute force attacks that exploit weak passwords and default usernames.

# Strengthen passwords by:
- Using long, complex passwords 
- Enabling two-factor authentication

4. SQL injection attacks: These attacks happen when hackers submit malicious SQL code through forms to gain access to the WordPress database.
5. Cross-site scripting (XSS): Outdated plugins can be exploited to inject malicious JavaScript that steals visitor information or redirects them to malware sites.
6. Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks: These attempts flood a WordPress site with traffic to take it offline.
7. Phishing: Malicious links and content can be posted on a compromised WordPress site to phish visitors for their information.
8. Hotlinking: Others can embed images from an unprotected WordPress site to save on hosting costs, depleting the site owner’s bandwidth.

Most of these threats stem from outdated or unsecured WordPress installations. Unmanaged sites are less likely to have security measures in place like strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and security plugins.

By automating software updates, using security plugins, and strengthening passwords and login systems, owners of unmanaged WordPress sites can mitigate many common security threats. However, managed WordPress hosting with built-in security features offers the most comprehensive protection.

Sources

1. https://blog.hubspot.com/website/wordpress-security-issues
2. https://blog.wpsec.com/wordpress-vulnerabilities-top-2021-combat-them/
3. https://wpsiteplan.com/blog/wordpress-security-vulnerabilities/