The Importance of Regularly Updating Your WordPress Plugins and Themes for Better Security

Is WordPress secure?

WordPress, like any other content management system (CMS), is not immune to security vulnerabilities. However, the level of security of a WordPress website largely depends on the measures taken by its owner to protect it. In fact, WordPress is designed with security in mind and regularly releases updates to address any known vulnerabilities.

Disclosed vulnerabilities

* as of 5/5/2023, per WP Scan stats

How often?

The short answer is as often as necessary. WordPress core updates are released several times a year, with major updates being released approximately once every six months. These updates typically include security patches, bug fixes, and new features.

Precautions, the importance of backups

Backups are essentially copies of your website’s data, including all its files, content, and settings. They can be used to restore your website to a previous state in case something goes wrong during an update, such as an incompatible plugin or theme causing a site crash or loss of data.

Here are a few reasons why backing up your website before updating is crucial:

It provides a safety net

Having a backup ensures that if something goes wrong during an update, you can easily restore your website to its previous state.

It saves time and money

In the event of a major issue, such as a hacked website or a broken plugin, restoring from a backup can save you time and money that would have otherwise been spent fixing the problem.

It gives peace of mind

Knowing that your website is backed up can give you peace of mind, allowing you to make updates without worrying about the potential consequences.

It’s easy to do

Backing up your website can be done with a variety of plugins, and hosting providers, or manually via FTP or cPanel. It’s a simple step that can make a big difference in the event of a website emergency.

Common issues

Sometimes applying updates is not always smooth sailing, some cases will not require restoring a backup.

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WordPress activates its built-in maintenance mode when applying updates, sometimes it gets stuck. Check out ways to disable maintenance mode.

Plugin and theme incompatibilities

Sometimes updating a plugin or theme can cause compatibility issues with other plugins or themes on your site. This can result in broken functionality, a completely broken site, or errors showing within the site.

Before sounding the alarm, check your server logs for any sort of PHP errors. If your logs are full of PHP warnings, check for the word “fatal”, many times the log items will show you the exact plugin causing issues.

White screen of death

The white screen of death (WSOD) is a common issue that can occur after updating WordPress software. This issue is caused by a PHP error and can result in a blank white screen on your site. To fix this, you can try increasing the memory limit in your wp-config.php file or disabling all your plugins and activating them one by one to determine which one is causing the issue.

Update failed

Sometimes WordPress updates can fail due to server issues or incomplete file transfers. To fix this, you can try manually updating WordPress by downloading the latest version from the official website and uploading it to your site via FTP. You can also contact your hosting provider to troubleshoot any server-related issues.

Performance/bottlenecks

Updating WordPress software can sometimes result in site slowdowns or errors due to increased server load or compatibility issues.

Let’s face it: sometimes bad updates are pushed out by developers. If you applied more than one update in a batch and notice performance issues, you may want to take a look at the exact cause with an Application Performance Monitoring tool.

Final notes

One of the most important responsibilities of a WordPress user is to regularly update their plugins and themes for better security.

Security is a major concern for all website owners, and WordPress is no exception. Hackers and cybercriminals are constantly searching for vulnerabilities in WordPress websites, and outdated plugins and themes are one of the easiest targets. By neglecting to update your plugins and themes, you are essentially leaving the door open for potential security breaches and data theft.

Updating your WordPress plugins and themes not only helps to protect your website from potential security threats, but it also ensures that your website is running smoothly and efficiently. Many updates contain bug fixes, performance enhancements, and new features that can improve the user experience and overall functionality of your website.

The process of updating your WordPress plugins and themes is relatively simple and straightforward. In most cases, all you need to do is log in to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to the plugins or themes section, and click the “update” button next to the item you wish to update. However, before updating, it is recommended that you take a few precautionary measures to ensure that the update does not negatively impact your website.

First, it is important to back up your website before making any updates. This will allow you to revert back to a previous version of your website in case something goes wrong during the update process. Additionally, it is a good idea to test the updated plugin or theme in a staging environment before applying the update to your live website.

In some cases, updating a plugin or theme may cause compatibility issues with other plugins or themes on your website. This is why it is important to keep all of your plugins and themes up to date, so that they are compatible with the latest versions of WordPress and each other.

Regularly updating your WordPress plugins and themes is a crucial aspect of website maintenance and security. By doing so, you can protect your website from potential security threats, improve its performance and functionality, and ensure a positive user experience for your visitors. So, make sure to keep your plugins and themes up to date and stay one step ahead of potential security breaches.