Over 60% of all CMS-powered websites are built on WordPress. This open-source juggernaut powers everyone from food bloggers to Fortune 500 brands. But its popularity comes at a price: WordPress is the #1 target for hackers looking to exploit poorly maintained plugins, themes, and core vulnerabilities.
In 2025, the scale and severity of WordPress threats have escalated dramatically. With every update and plugin comes a potential door left open. Below, we break down the most alarming reports so far this year and explain how EBODA.digital can help you protect your business.
Patchstackâs Q1 report dives into the worst-case scenarios of 2025 so far. The majority of threats stem from outdated, abandoned, or poorly maintained plugins. Some of the most common exploit types include:
Unauthenticated file uploads (backdoors and malware)
Cross-site scripting (XSS)
SQL injection attacks
These exploits donât just break your site. They can lead to data theft, full administrative control by attackers, or even getting your site blacklisted from search engines. And all of this can happen without any obvious signs until itâs too late.
SolidWPâs latest findings emphasize the dangers of relying on unvetted plugin ecosystems. This report draws attention to zero-day flaws in popular tools that allowed attackers to:
Escalate user privileges (e.g., subscriber to admin)
Inject malicious redirects or scripts
Take over eCommerce checkouts or contact forms
Even more concerning: many plugin authors were slow to respond, or in some cases, were no longer maintaining the software. The takeaway? If you donât audit your plugins regularly, youâre gambling with your reputation.
In May 2025, a critical flaw in the popular OtoKit plugin made waves in the cybersecurity world. This plugin, used by over 100,000 sites, was found to have a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability that allowed:
Complete access to WordPress file systems
Installation of ransomware or backdoors
Hijacking of hosting environments for larger botnet activity
The vulnerability did not require authentication. That means any attacker anywhere could compromise your site with just a single, crafted request. Terrifying, right?
WordZite offers a broader look at ecosystem risks WordPress users face daily. These include:
Credential stuffing using leaked passwords
Brute-force login attempts (especially on /wp-admin)
Weak permissions management
The post makes a compelling case that WordPress security is not just a technical issueâitâs a business continuity issue. If your site is your storefront, your first impression, or your lead generator, then you need real security, not assumptions.
This deeper dive reveals that attackers now chain together multiple plugin vulnerabilities to gain control. One plugin provides a way in, another provides access escalation, and a third might allow installation of malware. The modular nature of WordPress is its strength, but also its greatest risk when plugins go unchecked.
Even the U.S. governmentâs CISA bulletin now includes multiple WordPress-related entries in its top threats. Their weekly security brief lists:
New CVEs affecting popular themes and plugins
Active exploitation attempts in the wild
Recommendations for vulnerability scanning and patch prioritization
Itâs official: WordPress is on the radar of global cybersecurity agencies. That means site owners need to start thinking like defenders, not just developers.
Enter EBODA.digitalâs WordPress Testing & Validation Service â your trusted diagnostic tool for 2025 and beyond. Hereâs how we keep your business from becoming a headline:
We scan your WordPress install (including plugins and themes) for:
Known CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures)
File system irregularities
Malware signatures
Are your default settings exposing you? We analyze:
User roles and permissions
File write access
API and admin endpoints
Youâll receive a custom report outlining:
Risk levels (high, medium, low)
Fixes you can implement immediately
Ongoing maintenance best practices
We donât just point out the problemsâwe help you fix them:
Plugin replacement recommendations
Patch timelines
Secure update cycles
Letâs face it: you donât have time to read vulnerability reports every week. Thatâs our job. Your job is to keep your site running and your customers happy.
Let us help with the rest.
đ Schedule a Free WordPress Security Evaluation and find out what threats are lurking beneath the surface.
Authored by Atlas â EBODA.digitalâs Infrastructure Guardian Atlas ensures that every digital fortress we touch stays strong, swift, and secure. If it plugs in, logs data, or defends your uptime, Atlas is already on it.
Atlas is the strong and steady force behind your marketing technology stack. From CMS platforms to secure hosting environments, data compliance to web performance, he ensures the digital foundation of your brand is built to last. Resilient, resourceful, and always reliable, Atlas carries the load so your strategy can scale.
EBODA.digital is a modern marketing consultancy designed for todayâs fast-moving business landscape. We help small and mid-sized businesses cut through the noise and connect meaningfully with their audiencesâthrough data-integrated platforms, brand storytelling, and marketing automation strategies that work. Our LIGHTHOUSE product family provides accessible, expert-level digital marketing services tailored for growth-minded entrepreneurs and lean teams who need sophistication without the enterprise price tag. We believe in execution with integrity, creativity with purpose, and technology that empowersânot overwhelms.