Stop Leaking Clues to Hackers

5 Security Headers Every Nonprofit WordPress Site Needs

protect your nonprofit, nonprofit security, cybersecurity, wordpress security, wordpress support, hackers, nonprofit cybersecurity

You wouldn’t hang a “Kick Me” sign on your website, right? Then let’s talk about the quiet ways you might be doing just that.

You’re the de facto tech person on your team. You didn’t major in computer science, but you know your way around WordPress, and people count on you to keep things running. That includes keeping your site secure.

If your nonprofit’s website is missing a few key security headers, you could be unknowingly leaving a door cracked open for hackers—or worse, putting your site visitors at risk.

Security headers are like the rules posted at the entrance of a roller rink: Skates on in the rink, no snacks on the floor, disco lights start at 7. They’re instructions your website gives to web browsers, telling them what’s allowed, what’s not, and how to keep things safe. They don’t just help protect your site—they help protect everyone who “steps inside.”

We’ve started doing digital security audits for social justice nonprofits, and even in just a few scans, we’ve seen a pattern: good WordPress sites with missing or misconfigured headers. Let’s fix that before it becomes a bigger problem.

Five Security Headers You Should Check Right Now

  1. Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS)
    This header makes sure people can’t access the insecure version of your site (the one with just “http”). Without it, someone could bypass encryption by stripping off that “s” in https—yes, it’s really that easy.
  2. Content-Security-Policy (CSP)
    Hackers sometimes inject malicious scripts into websites that silently infect your visitors. A CSP header acts like a bouncer, making sure only the code you’ve approved gets to run. It’s one of the most powerful tools in your security toolkit.
  3. X-Content-Type-Options
    Some older browsers try to “guess” what kind of file they’re loading. That’s dangerous. If a hacker sneaks malware into what looks like an image file, this header tells the browser: Don’t get clever—just treat it like an image.
  4. X-Frame-Options
    Without this header, your site could be embedded inside a malicious page without you knowing. It’s a trick called clickjacking—users think they’re clicking something safe, but they’re actually giving away access or installing malware.
  5. X-Powered-By
    This one sounds harmless—it just shows what your site is built with. But it’s a beacon to hackers. If they know exactly what technologies you’re using, they can tailor their attacks. Removing or hiding this header makes their job harder.

Why This Matters (Ethically and Practically)

Most of these headers aren’t about protecting you—they’re about protecting the people who visit your site. And in nonprofit work, that matters. You might be serving people in crisis, people fleeing abuse, or people just trying to stay anonymous. If your site becomes a tool for spreading malware or tracking scripts, it can do real harm.

Security headers are not hard to configure. There are plugins that help. Your hosting provider may offer support. But they’re often overlooked—and that’s what makes them dangerous.

What to Do Next

A few lines of code could make a big difference. Think of it as digital harm reduction—an ounce of prevention to protect your community.

Picture of Thais Campanac

Thais Campanac

Thais is the Associate Cybersecurity Consultant here at Undaunted Consulting. She specializes in Risk Assessments, Network Security, and Digital Forensics.

Picture of David J. Dunn

David J. Dunn

David is the founder of Undaunted Consulting. He specializes in data management system optimization and rapid app development for social service, social justice, and environmental justice nonprofits.

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