Last month, we blocked 10,247 attack attempts on a single client site.
Not 10. Not 100. 10,247.
This is not a hypothetical scenario. This is real data from a real client. And it shows you exactly what is happening to your site right now.
According to security research from Search Engine Journal, the average website faces hundreds of attack attempts daily, with most going unnoticed by site owners. Our maintenance plans include 24/7 security monitoring to block these attacks automatically.
Table of Contents
- The Client
- The Attack Breakdown
- The Timeline
- What Would Have Happened Without Protection
- How We Blocked Everything
- The Cost of Protection vs. The Cost of Breach
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Client
Our client is a small e-commerce business:
- WordPress + WooCommerce site
- About 5,000 products
- Average of 500 visitors per day
- Not a high-profile target
- Just a regular business trying to serve customers
This is not a Fortune 500 company. This is not a government website. This is a small business like yours.
And they were attacked 10,247 times in one month.
The Attack Breakdown
Here is what we blocked:
1. Brute-Force Login Attempts: 4,832
Bots tried to guess the admin password 4,832 times:
- Common passwords: "admin", "password", "123456"
- Dictionary attacks: Trying every word in the dictionary
- Combination attacks: Mixing words, numbers, symbols
- Credential stuffing: Using passwords from data breaches
Most common attempts:
- "admin" / "admin" - 1,247 attempts
- "admin" / "password" - 892 attempts
- "admin" / "123456" - 634 attempts
- Various username / "password" - 2,059 attempts
If the client had a weak password, they would have been compromised. But we enforced strong password policies and two-factor authentication. All 4,832 attempts failed.
2. Vulnerability Scanning: 3,156
Bots scanned for known vulnerabilities 3,156 times:
- Plugin vulnerabilities: 1,892 scans
- Theme vulnerabilities: 567 scans
- WordPress core vulnerabilities: 423 scans
- Server vulnerabilities: 274 scans
Most targeted vulnerabilities:
- Elementor Pro (CVE-2023-32243): 456 attempts
- WooCommerce SQL injection: 389 attempts
- WordPress file upload: 312 attempts
- Various plugin exploits: 1,999 attempts
These bots were looking for unpatched vulnerabilities. But we keep everything updated. All 3,156 scans found nothing.
3. SQL Injection Attempts: 1,247
Bots tried to inject malicious SQL code 1,247 times:
- Database extraction attempts: 567
- Authentication bypass attempts: 389
- Data manipulation attempts: 291
These attacks tried to:
- Extract customer data
- Bypass login authentication
- Modify database content
- Delete critical data
Our firewall blocked all of them. The site's database remained secure.
4. XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) Attempts: 892
Bots tried to inject malicious JavaScript 892 times:
- Stored XSS attempts: 456
- Reflected XSS attempts: 312
- DOM-based XSS attempts: 124
These attacks tried to:
- Steal user session cookies
- Redirect visitors to malicious sites
- Inject malware into pages
- Phish for credentials
Our input validation and output escaping prevented all of them.
5. File Upload Attempts: 120
Bots tried to upload malicious files 120 times:
- PHP backdoors: 67 attempts
- Malicious images: 34 attempts
- Script files: 19 attempts
These files would have given attackers remote access to the server. Our file validation blocked all of them.
The Timeline
Attacks did not happen evenly. Here is the pattern:
- Peak hours: 2-4 AM (when site traffic is lowest)
- Peak days: Weekends (when monitoring is lowest)
- Spike events: After vulnerability disclosures (automated bots scanning)
- Continuous: At least 10 attacks per hour, 24/7
The war never stops.
What Would Have Happened Without Protection
If this client did not have our protection, here is what would have happened:
Scenario 1: Weak Password Compromise
If they had a weak password (like "admin" / "password"), one of the 4,832 brute-force attempts would have succeeded:
- Attacker gains admin access
- Installs backdoor for persistent access
- Steals customer data
- Injects SEO spam
- Redirects traffic to phishing sites
- Cost: $25,000 - $200,000 in recovery
Scenario 2: Unpatched Vulnerability Exploit
If they had unpatched plugins, one of the 3,156 vulnerability scans would have found an opening:
- Attacker exploits known vulnerability
- Gains unauthorized access
- Installs malware
- Compromises entire site
- Cost: $25,000 - $200,000 in recovery
Scenario 3: SQL Injection Success
If their database was not properly secured, one of the 1,247 SQL injection attempts could have succeeded:
- Attacker extracts customer data
- Steals payment information
- Modifies or deletes critical data
- GDPR violation fines
- Cost: $25,000 - $200,000 + regulatory fines
Any one of these scenarios would have cost more than 10 years of our maintenance plan.
How We Blocked Everything
Here is our defense stack:
- WordPress-specific firewall: Blocks known attack patterns
- Rate limiting: Prevents brute-force attacks
- Two-factor authentication: Even if password is guessed, attacker cannot log in
- Automatic updates: All vulnerabilities patched within 24 hours
- Input validation: All user input sanitized and validated
- File upload restrictions: Only safe file types allowed
- 24/7 monitoring: We see attacks in real-time
- Behavioral analysis: We detect unusual patterns
We do not just block known attacks. We block unknown attacks too.
The Cost of Protection vs. The Cost of Breach
Let us do the math:
Our Professional Plan: $199/month = $2,388/year
Cost of one successful attack: $25,000 - $200,000
ROI: Even if we only prevent one attack every 10 years, you save money. But with 10,247 attacks in one month, the risk is much higher.
This client was attacked 10,247 times in one month. Without protection, at least one would have succeeded. Probably more.
Our $199/month plan just saved them $25,000 - $200,000. That is a 1,000%+ ROI in the first month.
The Verdict
This is not an isolated case. This is normal. Every website faces thousands of attacks every month.
You have two choices:
- Go unprotected: Hope nothing happens. Wait for the breach. Pay $25,000+ to recover.
- Get protected: Block attacks automatically. Prevent breaches. Pay $199/month for peace of mind.
This client chose protection. We blocked 10,247 attacks. Their site stayed secure. Their business stayed online.
What will you choose?
Do not wait until you are attacked. Start blocking threats today. The attacks are already happening. Our maintenance plans include 24/7 security monitoring and automatic attack blocking to protect your site.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many attacks does the average website face?
The average website faces hundreds of attack attempts daily, with most going unnoticed by site owners. In this case study, we blocked 10,247 attacks in one month on a single small business site. According to security research, the average website faces hundreds of attack attempts daily. Our maintenance plans include 24/7 security monitoring to block these attacks automatically.
What types of attacks are most common?
The most common attacks are brute-force login attempts (trying to guess passwords), vulnerability scanning (looking for unpatched software), SQL injection attempts (trying to access databases), XSS attempts (trying to inject malicious code), and file upload attempts (trying to upload backdoors). In this case, we blocked 4,832 brute-force attempts, 3,156 vulnerability scans, 1,247 SQL injection attempts, 892 XSS attempts, and 120 file upload attempts. Our maintenance plans block all of these attack types.
What would happen if my site wasn't protected?
Without protection, at least one of the thousands of attack attempts would succeed, resulting in: attacker gaining admin access, installing backdoors, stealing customer data, injecting SEO spam, redirecting traffic to phishing sites, and costing $25,000-$200,000 in recovery. In this case, without protection, the client would have faced one of three scenarios: weak password compromise, unpatched vulnerability exploit, or SQL injection success—each costing $25,000-$200,000. Our maintenance plans prevent these scenarios.
How much does protection cost vs. a breach?
Our Professional Plan costs $199/month ($2,388/year), while the cost of one successful attack is $25,000-$200,000. Even if we only prevent one attack every 10 years, you save money. But with 10,247 attacks in one month, the risk is much higher. Our $199/month plan saved this client $25,000-$200,000—a 1,000%+ ROI in the first month. Our maintenance plans provide excellent ROI.
What security measures block these attacks?
We use a WordPress-specific firewall (blocks known attack patterns), rate limiting (prevents brute-force attacks), two-factor authentication (prevents password guessing), automatic updates (patches vulnerabilities within 24 hours), input validation (sanitizes user input), file upload restrictions (only safe file types), 24/7 monitoring (real-time attack detection), and behavioral analysis (detects unusual patterns). Our maintenance plans include all of these protections.
When do most attacks happen?
Attacks happen 24/7, but peak during: 2-4 AM (when site traffic is lowest), weekends (when monitoring is lowest), after vulnerability disclosures (automated bots scanning), and continuously (at least 10 attacks per hour, 24/7). In this case, attacks were continuous, with at least 10 attacks per hour around the clock. Our maintenance plans include 24/7 monitoring to block attacks at all times.
Do small businesses really need this level of protection?
Yes, small businesses are actually more vulnerable because they often lack security expertise and monitoring. In this case, a small e-commerce business with 5,000 products and 500 daily visitors was attacked 10,247 times in one month. Without protection, at least one attack would have succeeded, costing $25,000-$200,000. Our maintenance plans are designed for small businesses and provide enterprise-level protection at an affordable price.
