Is your WordPress site an easy target? How AI is changing the game for Australian small biz

In the past, many Australian business owners felt they had "security by obscurity."

In 2024 and 2025, that logic officially became dangerous.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has changed the "economics" of hacking. It’s no longer a human sitting at a desk trying to guess your password; it’s an automated AI bot scanning thousands of Australian sites per minute, looking for one specific thing: an out-of-date WordPress site.

The numbers every business owner (with a Wordpress website) needs to see

According to the latest ASD (Australian Signals Directorate) reports, cybercrime isn't just growing; it’s getting more expensive for the "little guy."

• The Price of an Oversight: The average cost of a cyber breach for an Australian small business has jumped to over $46,000. For medium businesses, that number skyrocketed to nearly $97,000.

• The "AI Speed" Factor: AI tools can now identify unpatched WordPress plugins (like old versions of Elementor or WooCommerce) 1,000 times faster than a human could two years ago.

• A Growing Target: Every 6 minutes, a cybercrime is reported in Australia. With AI, hackers can now "cast a wider net," meaning small local sites are being caught in the crosshairs more than ever before.

Why AI Loves an Outdated WordPress Site

Think of an outdated WordPress site like a shopfront with a broken lock. In the old days, a thief had to walk past and notice the lock was broken. Today, AI is like a drone flying over the entire city with a hi res camera, instantly spotting every broken lock in every suburb simultaneously.

1. The "Plugin" Problem Over 50% of WordPress hacks happen through outdated plugins. AI bots specifically "fingerprint" your site to see what versions of software you are running. If you haven't updated that contact form or gallery plugin in six months, the AI already has the "key" to get in.

2. 24/7 Automated Attacks AI doesn't sleep. It spends 24 hours a day attempting "brute force" logins or injecting malicious code into sites that haven't kept their security headers up to date.

3. Evading Modern Security New AI-powered malware is "polymorphic." This means it can change its own code slightly to bypass the basic, free security plugins many Australian businesses rely on.

The good news ...

The "urgency" here isn't about fear, it’s about maintenance. Most of these AI-driven attacks are looking for the easiest possible path. By simply keeping your site updated, you move from being "low-hanging fruit" to a harder target.

At In Cahoots Co, we recommend three non-negotiables for 2026:

1. Monthly Maintenance: Never let your WordPress core or plugins sit more than 30 days without an update.
2. Managed Hosting: Move away from "bargain-bin" hosting. You need servers that have active, AI-driven firewalls to fight back against the bots. There are great local Australian hosting options you can use.
3. Real-Time Monitoring: If someone does try to get in, you need to know about it instantly, not three weeks later when your customers start seeing "account suspended" messages.

Is your site protected?

If you haven't logged into the back end of your website in a few months, your business might be more vulnerable than you think. Have a question or two? Reach out to In Cahoots Co today.