Top 10 Best WordPress Security Plugins
March 16, 2021 |
Wisitech Content Team
With the development of WordPress 5.7 kicking off mid-December 2020, the platform is set to land full site editing in early-2021. Additional features in the pipeline for the next release include:
- Updated WordPress Core that includes current versions of the Gutenberg plugin
- Continued work on jQuery and auto-updates
- Full site editing via Gutenberg
In line with these developments and unlike other website building platforms, choosing from the WordPress repository of more than 57,000 plugins might become a difficult task. Some key factors to look at while wondering how to secure a website are:
- A list of your requirements so that your search is targeted
- Recommendations from trusted sources
- Ratings of Plugins
- User Reviews
- The count of active installations
- Compatibility and updates
- Regular activity in the support forum
What are the best WordPress security plugins?
Fortunately, we have done the research for you and condensed it into the following list of top 10 security plugins for WordPress.
1. MalCare
Trusted by more than 40,000 websites globally, this security plugin offers overall protection from a range of malware infections.
Features:
- Advanced Deep Scan technology for scanning and detecting hidden malware.
- Functionality to remove malware with a single click with surgical precision.
- Login Page Protection to deter hackers from illegally accessing your WordPress account using loopholes in the login page. The login process includes the CAPTCHA tool and two-factor authentication.
- A comprehensive Web Application Firewall to protect you from unauthorized entries and malicious IP requests.
- Implementation of WordPress Hardening measures such as blocking of PHP file execution, disabling of the File Editor, disabling of the installation of themes and plugins, and changing of the security keys.
- Backup facility, using the BlogVault tool for periodic backups and quick restoration.
- White Labelling functionality for personalization and customization.
2. Sucuri Security
This popular security plugin is cloud-based. Apart from WordPress websites, Sucuri also works for other CMS platforms such as Drupal and Joomla. It shields from an array of online threats including brute force attacks, malware, etc.
Features:
- Functionality for Malware Scanning and Detection for threats like phishing pages, DDoS attacks, and backdoors. It also includes monitoring of your website’s Google blacklisting, changes in DNS settings, and spam attacks.
- Website Hack Protection including an IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) and a cloud-based firewall shielding against malware codes.
- A CDN, or Content Delivery Network that employs a global serval network for distribution of website content on the basis of the geographical location of the user. This improves the website’s speed and performance.
- Features for malware removal that give you unlimited Sucuri security team access so that you may benefit from their expertise in detecting and removing malware infections.
- Security-related features such as regular backups and timely prompts for updating themes, plugins, and account passwords.
- Facility for monthly or daily website data backup and storage on the cloud platform of Sucuri.
3. Wordfence Security
One of the best security plugins for WordPress, Wordfence has comprehensive features like malware detection, malware removal, and endpoint firewall. It also protects from brute force attacks targeting your login page.
Features:
- Endpoint Firewall Protection for blocking dubious IP addresses. It also has an updated list of IP addresses known for launching hacking attacks throughout the world. Additionally, it monitors fresh malware attacks before blocking them.
- Wordfence has a country blocking feature to block attacks from any specific country.
- A malware scanning feature to scan your WordPress core files for malicious codes, SEO spam emails, security vulnerabilities, and any backdoors.
- Malware removal functionality searches your website files for malicious codes and replaces malicious files with the original files.
4. iThemes Security
iThemes is another widely used plugin, which shields you from a host of security issues. One feature missing from iThemes is an in-built scanning tool for malware. This gap is filled by using the Sucuri tool.
Features:
- Functionality to detect automated bots on the login page. Further, it limits the count of failed login attempts so as to prevent Brute Force Attacks.
- Monitoring of website files to detect security threats posed by hackers.
- 2FA, or two-factor authentication functionality to allow only authorized users to access the website.
- A dashboard feature to display all security logs, along with other data.
- User Security Check functionality to allow user management, which has actions like assignation of user roles and timely password changes.
- WordPress Version Management functionality to allow updates to all installed themes, plugins, and the WordPress version, all from one location.
5. Security Ninja
Seven years old, this plugin had started out among the first security plugins that were sold on CodeCanyon. The free version offers more than fifty security tests, from an array of PHP settings to checking MySQL permissions and files.
Features:
- It has an auto-fixer module that resolves any detected issues automatically. This is a big help for those who are not tech-savvy.
- Feature to scan the WordPress core so as to ensure that the core files maintain their integrity. This is done by comparing the files to the latest secure version from wordpress.org.
- Scanning of themes and plugins to search for malware and suspicious code.
- A comprehensive list of popular bad IPs and functionality to automatically block them.
- Log of all events occurring on the WordPress site, from settings getting changed to users logging in.
- Functionality to schedule regular scans.
6. SecuPress
SecuPress was developed by one of the co-founders of WP Media, Julio Potier. It is fairly new in the market, with its original release as freemium being in 2016. However, it’s certainly growing rapidly. It is a good choice for those looking for an easy to use interface.
Features:
- It has one of the best UIs out there. If you are a beginner, this would be perfect for you.
- The premium version allows you to assess 35 security points within 5 minutes, review the report, and finally harden your website.
- Functionality to modify your WordPress login URL, so as to hide it from bots.
- Functionality to detect plugins and themes, which have either been modified with malicious code or are vulnerable.
7. Google Authenticator
A lot of security suites do not include two-factor authentication. The Google Authenticator plugin thus allows you to harden the login security with this feature. It enhances your module with a second layer of security, an important step as most hacking attempts begins at login.
Features:
- You have the option to pick a method of two-factor authentication that is convenient for you. Adding to your usual password, you can choose something like a security question, or a QR code, or a push notification on your phone.
- This plugin is free and has a fairly easy interface.
- Other than choosing your mode of authentication, you can also specify the user role that requires authentication. This means you may choose to allow admins and easier access.
- This plugin comes with a shortcode for custom login pages.
8. All-In-One WP Security and Firewall
This is among the free WordPress security plugins with the most features. It offers impressive customer support and a user-friendly interface without requiring a premium plan.
Features:
- It is incredibly visual, with meters and graphs so that beginners may easily understand metrics such as security strength.
- You get a blacklist tool that allows you to block certain users.
- Functionality to backup .wp-config and .htaccess files. You also have a tool for restoring them in case needed.
- Functionality to protect user accounts, enhance user registration security, and block any forceful login attempts.
9. Bulletproof Security
This plugin comes with both premium and free versions. You can get the paid option at a one-time price of $69.95, and get a lot more features than most security plugins offer.
Features:
- The free version of the plugin offers a host of security tools including database backups and restoration, login security as well as monitoring, MScan Malware Scanner, security log, anti-hacking, and anti-spam tools, maintenance mode, a full setup wizard, and hidden plugin folders.
- It is a good option for advanced developers who might want to use unique features and settings such as the online Base64 detector and the anti-exploit guard.
- For beginners, there is a set-up wizard auto-fix functionality.
- For the paid version, you get features like email alerting, auto-restore, quarantine, etc., and also a 30-day refund guarantee.
10. Defender
Both the free and paid versions of this plugin begin with a host of effective hardening techniques to instantly upgrade your security.
Features:
- You get Google two-step verification.
- It has the Login Screen Masking feature.
- You can scan and repair WordPress core files.
- Functionality to do unlimited file scans.
- It provides IP lockout notifications as well as reports.
- The pro version gives you cloud backups having 10 GB of remote storage, automated security scans, and audit logs to monitor changes.
Which is the best WordPress security plugin?
The All-In-One WP Security and Firewall has features broken into Basic, Intermediate and Advanced categories. This makes it useful for even advanced developers. At the same time, it provides more features than most plugins in the market, being completely free and without upsells. Another reason for this being the recommendation is the visual graphs that give the users an easy security overview of their websites.
Join us on SOCIAL MEDIA to stay updated:
Wisitech FACEBOOK | Wisitech LINKEDIN | Wisitech PINTEREST
You may also like to read about:
• How WordPress is Cost-effective for an ECommerce Website?
• How to select the perfect WordPress Theme for your website?
• Top WordPress Plugins to Create E-Commerce Solutions
Wisitech Content Team creates informative and analytical posts on digital marketing, web technologies, ecommerce, social media, SEO and other trends in digital technologies.
Follow Wisitech Content Team:
Related Posts:
Since 1999
