How to Run a Security Audit in WordPress

ByEmmanuel Milimo

Your WordPress website is more than just files, images, and databases. It is your blog, digital storefront, and business hub. A physical store needs alarms, locks, and even at times a regular security scrutiny and audits. So why not your digital store or that blog? It also needs security!

But what is a WordPress security audit? It is a systematic examination of your website’s structure, configuration, and practices to point out vulnerabilities before they are exploited by hackers. 

In today’s digital ecosystem, security is non-negotiable. WordPress powers more than 40 percent of the web. This large share of the web promotes opportunity and risk. Running security audits in WordPress is vital in promoting reputation data and maintaining trust. Do not wait for a disaster; make security an ongoing priority for your site. 

This comprehensive guide breaks down different steps to take to conduct a thorough WordPress security audit. 

Also Read: What’s the Difference Between Cyber Security and Website Security?

1. Define Scope and Objectives of your WordPress Security Audit

Before you begin any audit, it is important to know what your goals and objectives are. This will help you have a clear roadmap on where to start and stop, and what components to include. Are you auditing core WordPress files, themes, and plugins? Or just user roles and permissions? How about third-party integrations? Are you going to include the database too? Set the right goals to ensure you do not have any blind spots. 

Some of the actionable steps include:

  • Inventory of all environments and WordPress instances. 
  • List all active themes and plugins, and their versions. 
  • Identify users and their roles, and those with elevated permissions. 
  • Define compliance requirements, such as GDPR, HIPAA, or any internal security policies you have in place. 

2. Backup Everything

You might be certain that something won’t happen, but… What if it happens? You cannot audit without safeguarding. You must back up your entire WordPress installation, including your core WordPress structure, media uploads, themes, plugins, and your database. Backups are recovery paths you must have when auditing. 

Ensure your backups are stored safely offsite. 

3. Update your Core, Themes, and Plugins

Outdated code is among the biggest fronts during attacks. Many breaches arise from plugins and themes with vulnerabilities yet to be patched. Ensure your WordPress core is on the latest stable version. Themes and plugins must also be updated. Those inactive must also be updated. Remove plugins and themes that are not in use. 

Here are some of the proactive measures you can implement:

  • Use vulnerability scanners to detect issues with plugins or themes. 
  • Subscribe or keep yourself updated with security updates from developers. 
  • Where feasible, use auto-updates under controlled test conditions. 

Also Read: How to Perform WordPress Website Maintenance

4. File Integrity Monitoring 

When you open your shop, you always check to see if everything is intact and nothing has been tampered with. This is the same with files aiding in running your site. Ensure that critical files have not been tampered with. With file integrity monitoring, the insight is on unexpected changes or malware injections in core WordPress files, themes, or plugin directories. 

Here are some of the implementations to consider:

  • Use Checksums SHA256 or an alternative hashing to record the current file states. 
  • Use of version controls such as Git can be vital for theme and plugin folder changes. 
  • Automate integrity checks via CLI scripts or security plugins supporting periodic checks. 

5. User and Role Audit

Imagine if everyone who works for you can access your office, where you keep cash and other important documents for the shop. That can be a disaster in most scenarios. This is the same as your website. Excessive privileges create risk. Having many administrator accounts or accounts not in use increases the attack surface for hackers. Perform a full audit of users on the site and what their roles are. 

6. Audit Access Points

Entry vectors must be checked and controlled. This includes FTP, SSH, cPanel, and even login pages for WordPress and other connected integrations where possible. 

Here are some of the best practices to implement: 

  • Rename your default login wp-admin page to reduce exposure.
  • Limit login attempts. This can be implemented using security plugins such as Wordfence on IP or rate limitation. 
  • Ensure SSL/TLS is enforced everywhere on the site, with certificates valid and up to date. 
  • Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to guard traffic at the network layer. 

7. Database Security 

Just like your office at your shop, the database holds sensitive information such as credentials and user data. You must ensure your database is protected at all times. 

Here is a checklist for database security: 

  • Use strong database user credentials. Avoid default usernames and passwords such as ‘root.’
  • Use least privilege for the database user account tied to WordPress.
  • Ensure your backups are encrypted.
  • Check the wp-options table regularly for suspicious entries. 

8. Server Configuration and Infrastructure 

Security goes beyond WordPress. The infrastructure stack counts, too. You must audit the server side, the PHP version, installed packages, and the hosting environment. 

Here are some of the areas to evaluate: 

  • Ensure the PHP version is supported and patched. You can check supported PHP versions here. 
  • Disable unused PHP modules to minimize attacks. 
  • Restrict file permissions, with vital files such as wp-config.php being non-writable by the web server if possible. 
  • Keep a principle of having minimal services running on the server. 

9. Scan for Vulnerabilities

Embrace scanning tools to reveal risk points humans might miss. More so, these tools inspect thousands of files on your WordPress site, speeding up the process as well. 

Here are some of the scanning tool categories:

  • Vulnerability scanners for themes and plugins such as WPScans.
  • Code analysis tools to inspect custom theme and plugin code.
  • Penetration testing to validate the firewall and the sanitization of inputs. 
  • Malware scanners to identify injected code or backdoors.  

Most of these tools come as an all-in-one with all these services in a single plugin. 

Another read: How to Secure Your WordPress E-Commerce Website

10. Logging, Monitoring, and Incident Response

Audit results are only as valuable as response capacity. Logging and monitoring have to be operationally baked in.

Strategic actions to enact:

  • Facilitate WordPress logging of errors, login attempts, and core events.
  • Pull logs from the server and WordPress.
  • Implement alerting thresholds on suspicious activity (e.g., repeated failed logins, upload of unusual code).
  • Create and test an incident response plan. Who to call when a breach is suspected, what are the steps to isolate, contain, and recover?

11. Documentation and Continuous Improvement

Security isn’t set and forget. During post-audit, you have to document findings, remediations, and next steps. 

Here is how this can be implemented:

  • Audit report writing, including the severity of issues remediation plan owner, and the timeline.
  • Prioritize findings based on likelihood and impact.
  • Schedule regular audits (e.g, quarterly or semi-annually).
  • Apply metrics (open time, number of critical vulnerabilities, number of failed login attempts) to measure progress.

Employ advanced tools to automate your audit work and future-proof your security.

Examples:

  • WordPress security plugins such as Wordfence, Sucuri, Solid Security or a paid option that offers endpoint protection scanning. Almost all of these plugins have a paid option for more features. 
  • Hosting providers offering built-in security features like automatic core updates, malware scanning SSL certificates.
  • Utilities like WPScan for plugin vulnerability scans.
  • MFA login plugins and role manager for fine-grained access control.

To conclude, WordPress security auditing is a strategic decision, not a checkbox. It reduces risk, protects the brand, and maintains trust between users, stakeholders, and partners. By defining scope, updating everything, hardening infrastructure, monitoring constantly, and documenting, you build strong systems.

If you want to learn more, review our essential guide to cyber security.

Engage experts here at Web Pro Geeks to help you audit your site’s security. Plan ahead, future-proof your security posture so threats are manageable and your WordPress installation remains bulletproof.

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