WordPress is a PHP and database based CMS that is often targeted by hackers. However, there are many WordPress plugins that can be used to protect WordPress from being hacked.
Therefore, I have created a list of top WordPress security plugins that will help you protect your blog from hacker attacks.
This article focuses on the popular security plugins that your WordPress blog site needs to have to prevent hacking or spam activities and improve the security system.
One way to protect your blog is to implement security measures from day one. You can always use the .htaccess method to tighten security, but as we all know, WordPress is full of plugins. Here I will share some of the best WordPress security plugins that will help you make your blog more secure.
As I discussed before, using too many plugins can slow down your website performance, and I recommend that you read the instructions and use only the few plugins you need.
However, some of the plugins listed below (such as Login Lockdown and Akismet) are among the security plugins that I strongly recommend you install.
In addition to these plugins, I also recommend reading the following articles, which will help you further tighten your blog security:
Best WordPress Security Plugins to Improve Security:
As we say, prevention is better than cure and the same goes for WordPress security. WordPress is a PHP and MySQL based system which is very vulnerable to hacker attacks so make sure to set up a proper backup system to back up your database and wp-content folder regularly.
1. Jetpack Scan:
Jetpack scan is a plugin you can use on a hacked WordPress site to find hacked files and fix them. Even if your site hasn't been hacked, for just $7 per month you can continually monitor your WordPress site for malware and vulnerabilities.
Some of the features of Jetpack Scan include:
- Daily automatic scan
- Instant email notifications (if the plugin detects any issues with your site)
- One-click repair
- Offsite Server (scans are done on Jetpack servers, so your server remains load-free)
You can configure Jetpack Scan as well as Jetpack Backup to create a rock-solid system for your WordPress website.
2. Wordfence Security – Firewall and Malware Scanner
As the name suggests, Wordfence is a firewall and WordPress security scanner plugin. Wordfence includes an endpoint firewall and malware scanner that are built from the ground up to protect WordPress.
With over 3 million downloads and 3,257 5-star ratings, Wordfence is one of the most popular security plugins for WordPress.
3. Sucuri Security WordPress Plugin (Free + Paid Options)
With over 500,000 downloads, “ Sucuri Security – Audit, Malware Scanning, and Security Hardening ” is the top security plugin for WordPress.
There are free and paid versions to choose from. For most basic WordPress sites, the free version is good enough and provides good protection.
The plugin has many options, including the option to integrate with the Sucuri Web Application Firewall to proactively monitor the health of your WordPress website.
After installing and activating the plugin, you can start configuring your settings.
The features of this plugin are as follows:
- Safety activity audit
- File Integrity Monitoring
- Remote malware scanning
- Blacklist monitoring
- Effective security enhancement
- Security measures after a hacker attack
- Security Notice
- Website Firewall (Premium)
- Away Mode (disable access to WordPress dashboard while on vacation)
Most safety checklists are automatically activated when you use the Safety Check feature.
Download Sucuri Security Plugin
Read: Sucuri Review: Protect Your WordPress Site
4. SecuPress
“Don't be defenseless!” This is the motto of SecuPress. Once you have finished installing the SecuPress plugin, it will allow you to run a security scanner and generate a security report for your WordPress website.
As you can see in the screenshot above, it rates websites based on their current security settings.
Here are a few things you can discover from your first scan:
- Outdated plugins
- Reminder to delete disabled plugins
- Security Recommendations for wp-config.php
- Security Key Setup
- Status of wp-admin/install.php
- User and login status
- WordPress Core Tweaks
- Malware Scanning
- Firewall Scan
All content is beautifully displayed in different modules. You can click on any module setting to change it and make your WordPress hacker-proof.
This is probably the best WordPress security plugin for beginners.
Download SecuPress for Free | Buy SecuPress Pro
5. iThemes Security Pro ($80)
iThemes claims that this is a trustworthy WordPress security plugin. This plugin provides a comprehensive security dashboard for you to monitor the security status of your WordPress website. Another feature I like about iThemes security pro is the security rating report.
This is extremely useful for anyone providing WordPress security services, allowing you to quickly scan a site to create a report of your current security level.
feature:
- One-click "Secure Site" WordPress security check
- Ban bad users and IPs
- Hide login and admin URLs
- Rename the Administrator Account
- Change WP-content path
- Brute force protection
- Security Log
- File permissions and integrity checking
- Get notified when files are updated
- Two-factor authentication
- And much more…
All in all, this is really a great plugin. I feel like the only thing it lacks is a firewall, which you’ll need to supplement with another service like Sucuri or Cloudflare. If you don’t need a firewall, then this is the only WordPress security plugin you’ll need.
6. Integrated security plugin and firewall
At the time of writing this article, this is the most downloaded and best maintained plugin for improving your WordPress security. This plugin offers all the essential features such as:
- Login Lock
- Safety Strength Meter
- System Information
- Firewall
- Back up Wp-config file
- Force user to log out
- Account Activity Log
- To enable manual approval of new registrations:
- Change the default database prefix of WP (highly recommended WordPress database security settings)
- Check and improve file system permissions
- Block IPs or IP ranges and user agents.
- Block external access to XMLRPC
- View last file changes (useful for finding hacked WordPress files)
And much more. If you are looking for a standalone security plugin, All In One WP Security & Firewall WordPress plugin is the best choice.
Download All-in-one WP Security and Firewall
7. Jetpack Security
If you have been using WordPress for a while, you must have heard of the Jetpack plugin. It is a multi-purpose WordPress plugin developed by the same team behind WordPress.
They are constantly adding new features and are one of the most well-developed plugins in the entire WordPress ecosystem. The Jetpack plugin has several features that you should use to prevent malicious actors from hacking into WordPress.
The free version has limited features, but you should subscribe to the premium plan which costs about $84 per year.
These modules are as follows:
- Preventing brute force attacks
- Downtime monitoring
- Jetpack Backup
- Security Scan
Daily automated scans ensure that your WordPress files are safe from any infected code. Aside from the security features, the backup feature alone is worth the investment. You should know that Jetpack is one of the best WordPress plugins .
8. BBQ: Block bad queries
BBQ plugin is a plug-and-play security plugin for WordPress. It can block malicious URL requests. BBQ inspects all incoming traffic and silently blocks malicious requests that contain malicious content such as eval(, base64_, and overly long request strings.
This is a simple plug and play plugin. I recommend using it with Cloudflare to get the most out of it. Cloudflare adds a DNS level filter to block all spam and harmful traffic from reaching your WordPress site.
9. Login Lock
Brute force attacks are the most common type of attack on WordPress sites, and Login Lockout is the simplest plugin you can use to protect against brute force attacks. What this plugin does is: it logs login attempts to your site, and if there are too many failed login attempts from the same IP within 5 minutes, it will block access from that IP for the next hour.
You can always configure and change the time to suit your requirements. But before installing this plugin, I would recommend you to check out the other mentioned options as other WordPress security plugins offer more options apart from restrict login option.
10. Restricting Access to the Website
Add this plugin to your blog if you intend to restrict user/visitor access to a certain part of your website. For example, you can restrict a certain part of your website for parallel development or testing. Adding this plugin will help you deal with unwanted visitors to your blog or website as you can define visibility settings for your blog or website.
Restricting website access means that visitors who are not logged in or whose IP addresses are not approved will not be able to browse your website. You can redirect them to a custom location or display a message, or send them to the login page.
You can also add a range of imp addresses as well as your own addresses to the unrestricted list. The redirect location can be any path of your choice, choose to send visitors to the same path and set the HTTP status code to be search engine friendly.
Download the Restricted Site Access plugin
11. Bulletproof Security
BulletProof Security plugin is an ultimate plugin that uses .htaccess website security file to protect your root website folder and wp-admin folder and provide additional website security protection.
The different security modes include Root .htaccess security protection , wp-admin .htaccess security protection, deny all .htaccess self-protection, WordPress default .htaccess mode, and .htaccess maintenance mode (503 website maintenance).
When you want to work on your website, use BPS maintenance mode to allow only yourself access to the WordPress dashboard or add specific IP addresses that can also access the dashboard in maintenance mode.
In BulletProof safe mode, your WordPress website is protected from XSS, RFI, CRLF, CSRF, Base64, Code Injection, and SQL Injection hacker attacks .
12. Akismet
Akismet fights comment and trackback spam and keeps your blog safe through its Akismet web service. To use this plugin, you need an API key which can be obtained from Akismet.com.
Comment Status History is where you can list comments that were found to be spam. If any comments have missing links or hidden links, they will be highlighted and you can get more information from the spam and non-spam reports.
Conclusion: Which WordPress Security Plugin is Best for You?
There is no one-size-fits-all plugin that works for everyone, and likewise, not every plugin will work for you. You should choose one based on your hosting, architect, and the level of threats your website faces. Basic security measures are recommended for every WordPress website, but users in niches where attacks are fairly common should seriously consider beefing up their security.
- Evergreen and reliable: Sucuri Security , Jetpack , iThemes security
- Best for Beginners: SecuPress
- Free WordPress security plugins: Sucuri security (free), all-in-one security plugin and firewall
- Two-factor authentication: iThemes Security Pro or Google Authenticator
The WordPress community has a plugin database of over 34,000 plugins, ranging from security to adding widgets. Choose to add only those WordPress security plugins that will keep your WordPress site safe from viruses and hacker attacks.
Frequently Asked Questions Related to WordPress Security Plugins:
⭐️Do I need a WordPress security plugin?
If you are using a shared host like Bluehost , HostGator , etc., it is recommended to use a WordPress security plugin. In some cases, when your website is attacked, using a security plugin can prevent the attack. When you use a managed WordPress host like Kinsta , you may not need to use a security plugin. [](https://www.shoutmeloud.com/kinsta-review.html)
⭐️ Which is the best security plugin for beginners?
All-in-one security and firewall and Secupress are best for beginners.
I hope you enjoyed reading my selection of the best WordPress security plugins, and if you think I missed something, let me know in the comments.
If you found this article useful, don’t forget to share it on Facebook and check out WordPress Guides for more articles like this.
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