would changing wp table names make wp more secure against attacks?

Not really. WordPress uses SQL, which, if you take over an SQL server, you can see everything. I say “not really” because yes, there is always a possibility.

I’ve personally been using WP for several years and haven’t had a problem with security, but I stay up to date on the versions. Secure passwords and a secure server are your biggest issues.

Besides, I don’t think you want to dig through the code to do a search/replace of table names. Talk about a huge amount of work to be overwritten on the next upgrade.

I’m planning a move over to media temple when the launch of the website i’m working on comes near. But i’ve seen some posts over at https://sla.ckers.org where they speak of wordpress being insecure. My website might get some tempers going, so i’m trying to do everything possible to make my site harder to hack. I’ve read the “hardening” wordpress article, and some other articles, and I’ve heard of security plugins used for any wordpress vulnerabilities. I’m assuming if there are any vulnerabilities, a person would really have to know what they’re doing to exploit them? and now i’m rambling.

WordPress, like any web based database program, has security vulnerabilities. Generally if you are careful and update it when new updates come out, you won’t have any problems. You also want to make sure you have strong passwords on all of your accounts, including your Mysql user account. Also, anytime you have users able to log in or upload files, or anyway interact directly with your database you add to the possibility of security issues. You basically have to be vigilant and keep watch.

Agreed. There are older versions that are not as secure, but for the most part, it’s alright if you stay on top of the newest version.

Something that may scare you, your server honestly has more options for security holes than WP. Your server has far more software installed to keep up to date. You also have more passwords and user accounts on the server than in a typical WP setup.

If you’re that worried, stay on top of security updates for everything, keep up your password security strength and audit logs whenever you have time.