Choosing between a proprietary and an open source content management system is a difficult decision. There are so many pros and cons to each. Either way, WordPress has conquered the Internet and is now the de facto platform for most websites. But, are other CMS-es more secure than WordPress?
WordPress is open source. That means it's free and available to everyone. You can study, modify, and improve the code as you see fit. There are no copyright or licensing restrictions on how you use the code. That means there are almost no restrictions on what you can do with WordPress. 
All the freedom in the world comes at a price. If you choose to use only open source code, you will have to pay a small fee for hosting. The cost will vary depending on the hosting plan you choose. Even with the most expensive hosting plans, the cost of using only open source code is still relatively low compared to the cost of proprietary software.
Getting started with an open source CMS is free. The only cost you will ever have is if you want to extend or modify the platform. This will likely be the case every time you upgrade the version of the software you are using. It's like saying you have to pay for gas every time you drive your car. It's just something you have to deal with. Do not let that worry you, though. Using open source CMS is a very conscious decision. You are making a conscious decision to use a free and open source platform instead of a proprietary closed one. This is a very good decision.
Not only that, using open source code has some unique advantages. One of them is that it is possible to use the same open source code on any number of hosting environments.
Another great advantage of using open source CMS is its extreme modularity and extensibility. You can customize it to your exact needs without getting lost in the technical details. Everything is written in simple language that anyone can understand.
WordPress is one of the most popular CMS platforms in the world and is used by millions of people. Many people don’t understand the security implications of being Open Source.
Being Open Source means you give away your “source code” to anyone who wants to examine it. This allows people with evil intentions to examine your code, find your “weak links” and exploit them. They could insert code that steals your cookies (or other forms of user information) or installs malicious scripts on your site. They could even change your code so it causes your site to crash.
This is not theory. This is real life. People exploit Open Source all the time. That is why you should never trust any code provided by a third party. Even if the code comes from someone you know and respect like Linus Torvalds himself. But let’s say that so far this has only been theoretical with no real-world examples.
Being open source is one of the best things you can do for your website's security. It is a double-edged sword though because it exposes your code to anyone who wants to examine it. But that's a good thing because it makes WordPress much more secure than if it were not open source.
In other words, if you own a website with a small or large amount of "mystery", then you need to know how to choose the right Content Management System (CMS) for your website. Here are 7 questions you need to ask yourself before you decide what type of website you want to create... and... what CMS you should use to create it:
There are many different Content Management Systems available and each one has its own unique strengths and weaknesses.
So, how do you determine what CMS is the best choice for you? All you have to do is identify what type of website you want to create, and then identify what type of CMS would be best suited to create that type of website.
A website is only as strong as its weakest link:
Any one of the above “weak links” can be exploited by a hacker. And once they do, game over. All of the above “weak links” are caused by human negligence. In other words, if you aren't using the most current and robust technology available, it's your own fault your site is hacked.
The site owner. That means you. If you own or operate a website, it is your responsibility to make sure the site is as safe and secure as possible. And, just like taking care of your car, if you don't take care of your website, it won't run very well and that could lead to some rather unpleasant consequences like loss of income, loss of reputation, and even legal action.
It is time for you to get serious about taking care of your website:
Nothing is ever 100% certain. The point of security is not to make it impossible for someone to hack you; the point is to make it so difficult that it's not worth their time. Anything that involves a bunch of HTML forms connected to a database is a minefield when it comes to security.
A list of all current known security vulnerabilities of WordPress can be found here.
WordPress is targeted by automated attacks much more often than other CMSs. And it gets exploited quickly after vulnerabilities are found. In the open source world, WordPress has more security issues than other CMS.
That is why it’s very important to follow best practices. These include changing the admin path, locking .htaccess, etc. Various security tools like Virusdie or Wordfence are helpful in monitoring changes to core files.
WordPress is definitely not the only platform that has this problem. Still, it's much more common on WordPress sites because plugins and themes are not as well vetted as the core WordPress application. This makes it easier for attackers to access the site, which in turn creates a bigger problem for everyone.
Although many people believe that WordPress, Drupal, Joomla and other Content Management Systems are not secure, this is not true. What you should focus on are the themes and plugins you use. Keep them updated, make sure your website is always running on the latest version of the CMS, and you will be fine.
The popular content management system WordPress is a favourite target of hackers, but that does not mean WordPress websites are not secure. WordPress is built on secure code, and it responds to security issues very quickly. It also has an auto-update mechanism to keep your website updated with the latest security patches.
Joomla is very similar to WordPress in terms of security. The website and its functionality can be easily modified by the user. Security is also easy to maintain with updates and regular backups. However, Joomla does have some downsides when compared to WordPress.
Drupal takes a very serious approach to security. They publish security vulnerabilities on their own site as they are discovered and patched. As a result, people believe it is more secure than other sites because you don’t hear about Drupal sites being hacked as often. However, that could be because it’s not as popular.
All open source CMS projects have some of the same security liabilities. The more popular any project is, the greater the likelihood that there are vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Running your site on a shared hosting platform will always open you up to lateral issues with what other users are doing on the same server. Take care of your site, update frequently and secure it in the best possible way by choosing a premium Virusdie.
