Security should never be avoided at all when it comes to handling a site. Being the most well-known content management system (CMS) in the world, WordPress is also one of the hackers, bots, and spammers favorites. Otherwise, failure to take pro-active measures to your site security exposes it to malware, data thefts and possible blacklisting by the search engines.
The good part is that there are a number of WordPress security plug ins that can help defend these normal dangers. In this post we are going to go over the best WordPress security plugins, how they operate and how you should pick the one which suits your needs.
The reason you should have a WordPress security plugin.
Now, to settle the question of why a WordPress security plugin is needed, we should take a quick glance at some of the reasons why you should have one:
-Live malware checking
-Prevention of Brute-force attack
-Firewall protection
-Login monitoring
-Security hardening
-Bot and spam security
WordPress core is already quite secure, but whichever vulnerability occurs is mostly due to old themes and plugins and weak configuration. That is why with WordPress security, the presence of security plugins is really important as a first line of offense.
1. Wordfence Security
Wordfence is a security plugin used in WordPress and is among the most popular and most detailed ones. It is equipped with an endpoint firewall and malware scanner which is developed specifically with WordPress in mind.
Key Features:
-Real time malware scanner
-Inbuilt wordpress firewall
-Limitations of logins with a mandatory lag and 2FA (two-factor authentication)
-Live traffic controlled monitoring
-Premium country blocking (country blocking)
The free and the premium version are well-protected versions with the premium one giving access to real-time firewall rule changes and country blocking. Wordfence is perfect when it comes to a site owner who is seeking an all-in-one answer.
2. Sucuri Security
Sucuri is a household brand in web security. Its WordPress plugin specializes in monitoring, malware detection and security hardening.
Key Features:
-Auditing of security activity
-File protection monitoring
-Distant malware assessment
-Blacklist monitoring
-Security notifications
-Security management after the hack
Although the built-in plugin is free of charge, the entire security firewall (WAF) is a paid service. Sucuri is awesome when a company needs to get a third party malware scan and monitoring on high-level threats.
3. Better WP Security now iThemes Security
The iThemes Security provides more than 30 options on how to protect your WordPress blog. It is a system that is easy to use and comes with both the simple and the complex features.
Key Features:
-Brute-force protection
-404 detection and blocking
-File change detection
-Database backups
-Two-factor authentication (Pro)
-Scheduled malware scans (Pro)
This plugin also offers security templates based on the type of website (e.g., blog, eCommerce, portfolio), making it ideal for beginners who may not know which settings to enable.
4. All In One WP Security and Firewall
This is a secure and free WordPress security plugin, which offers a graphic and user interface to customize the various settings of the level of security of the website.
Key Features:
-Prevention of brute-force and Login lock
-Spam protection
-Security in file system
-Backup of the. htaccess and wp-config. php files
-Front-end protection by copy Front-end copy protection
-Three level firewall rules (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced)
Such a plugin is the best choice by users willing to optimize the security of WordPress without spending the money on premium plugins.
5. Jetpack Security
Automattic (makers of WordPress.com) Jetpack will provide package of security, performance, and site management features. Although Jetpack is comprised of large sets of functions, its Jetpack Security is concentrated on protection and backup.
Key Features:
-Cloud backup in real time
-Malware scanning
-Akismet powered spam protection
-Downtime monitoring
-Security against brute-forces Brute-force protection
Jetpack is particularly helpful when you already have other Jetpack features and want an all-in-one deal that is easy to configure.
6. MalCare Security
MalCare is one more powerful security solution created by BlogVault team. It specializes in profound malware scanning and auto-cleaning.
Key Features:
-Single click Malware Cleanup (Premium)
-Malware scanning with the usage of the cloud
-Login protection
-Website hardening
-Integrated firewall
MalCare scans your server in the cloud compared to other plugins which directly scan your server, hence putting less of a performance load. It is applicable to sites that receive high traffic or information that is sensitive.
7. Cerber security of WP
WP Cerber is an all-round solution against malware, spam and hacker attacks. It applies advanced algorithms on threat detection and denial of malicious IPs.
Key Features:
-Protection against Bot and spam
-ICP whitelisting and blacklisting
-Two-factor authentication
-form reCAPTCHA
-Scheduled scans
-Custom URL login
It is a very lean plugin that has strong security tools that can support users who want to use the capability of a more powerful protection tool but they do not want to bloat the site.
What to look at when choosing a WordPress Security Plugin
Choosing the appropriate plugin is a discretion based on different requirements of the web site:
To new users: All In One WP Security or iThemes Security
In the case of eCommerce websites: Wordfence or MalCare
In the case of a blog or a small business site: Sucuri or Jetpack Security
Privacy users: WP Cerber
No matter which plugin you decide to use, make sure that your plugin is updated regularly, well reviewed, and it will work properly on your WordPress current version.
Conclusion
It is not optional to install a security plugin, it is but mandatory. Listed above are the best security plugins to use in WordPress that can assist you avoid an attack and scan weaknesses as well as resolve security flaws before they grow into dangerous problems.
Regardless of whether you have a business site, a blog, or an online store, paying serious attention to WordPress security will save your reputation, users, and information. Never leave you site unbacked-up, always use WordPress newest version and the latest updates of the plugins, and use the most appropriate WordPress security plugin according to your requirement.
By protecting your site this time you prevent losses in the future.