HVAC vs Dental vs Plumbing: Which Industry Has the Best WordPress Security?
When it comes to WordPress security, not all industries are created equal. We analyzed thousands of security scans across three major service industries to see who is protecting their online presence the best.
Security Grade Distribution
| Grade | HVAC | Dental | Plumbing |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| A | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| B+ | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| B | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| C+ | 7.2% | 6.9% | 5.8% |
| C | 9.5% | 8.9% | 7.3% |
| D | 25.4% | 28.7% | 27.8% |
| F | 56.3% | 54.1% | 57.7% |
🏆 Winner: Dental nudges ahead on top grades—but also sees more breaches due to sensitive data.
Core Security Metrics
SSL/TLS Configuration
Definition: Good SSL means modern HTTPS, HSTS enabled, up-to-date protocol, and strong ciphers—not just having a green padlock.
| Metric | HVAC | Dental | Plumbing | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSL/TLS Good Config | 72.5% | 74.0% | 74.3% | Plumbing |
Security Headers (ALL in Place)
Definition: Requires CSP, X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options, and Referrer-Policy—all must be present.
| Metric | HVAC | Dental | Plumbing | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security Headers (ALL in Place) | 22.4% | 17.0% | 23.6% | Plumbing |
Cookie Security
Definition: Checks Secure flag, SameSite, and HttpOnly on session cookies.
| Metric | HVAC | Dental | Plumbing | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookie Security Good | 65.5% | 69.8% | 66.0% | Dental |
Exposed Server Version
Definition: Checks if the web server version is hidden from public view.
| Metric | HVAC | Dental | Plumbing | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Server Banner Hidden | 64.0% | 49.8% | 63.7% | Hvac |
Mixed Content
Definition: Secure sites with no non-HTTPS content.
| Metric | HVAC | Dental | Plumbing | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Mixed Content | 86.3% | 91.5% | 89.0% | Dental |
Overall Security Score
| Metric | HVAC | Dental | Plumbing | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Security Score | 39.4% | 37.5% | 39.5% | Plumbing |
Where Each Industry Struggles
HVAC
The HVAC industry shows strong SSL adoption but often lags in security header implementation. Many sites rely on basic hosting configurations without custom security hardening.
Dental
Dental practices demonstrate good cookie security but often expose server versions. This is typically due to managed WordPress hosting that doesn't obscure server details.
Plumbing
Plumbing companies show mixed results across all categories, with the biggest vulnerability being missing Content Security Policies. Most small plumbing businesses use basic shared hosting without security tuning.
Key Takeaways
- SSL/TLS is universal — All three industries show strong HTTPS adoption
- Security headers are the weak point — None of the industries exceed 50% on comprehensive header coverage
- Server banner hiding is inconsistent — Many hosts don't obscure server versions by default
- CSP adoption is low across the board — This represents the biggest opportunity for improvement
How ThreatSpot AI Can Help
Regardless of your industry, ThreatSpot AI provides comprehensive WordPress security scanning that identifies all the issues discussed above. Our platform checks:
- SSL/TLS configuration
- Security headers
- Content Security Policy
- Cookie security
- Server version exposure
- Mixed content issues
Get your free security scan today
Analysis based on thousands of real-world security scans conducted by ThreatSpot AI.