WordPress releases changelogs for every new version, highlighting changes and patched security vulnerabilities, which hackers can exploit from older versions, making it crucial for site owners to use the latest version. To address this, WordPress introduced an automatic update feature in late 2013 to ensure users have the most secure version, discouraging disabling of this feature. Despite fears of updates breaking websites, this is rare due to rigorous testing. Exceptions for disabling updates include sites managed by version control systems or those with their own deployment mechanisms. It's vital to keep auto-updates enabled and regularly test website security to prevent hacks, as outdated installations are commonly found during security scans.