Best WordPress Security Plugins in 2020

W ordPress platform is widely used by business owners and bloggers to show their online appearance. A considerable number of known websites and blogs use this platform.

Therefore, hackers are trying consistently to different types of malware coding that they can insert on websites using various ways that help them to hack the websites.

For tackling malware attacks, webmasters need a robust security system for websites to get the latest updates regularly. Usually, updates include all the necessary information on new malware and their attacking techniques.

Many WordPress security plugins are available to provide reliable and robust security for websites that stop the malware attacks and keep the hackers away from the site. These plugins are updated regularly and contain all the latest information about malware.

 

What are the best WordPress security plugins?

Sometimes it is challenging to find the best plugin that offers all the essential and essential features like firewall protection, malware protection, regular updates, security file checkers, and many more.

Therefore, in this review, we will provide you information about the most popular WordPress plugins and their features. It helps you to find the best plugin and keep your site safe and sound. Let’s take a comprehensive look at them.

1. Sucuri Security

Sucuri Security is the most popular security plugin widely used by webmasters to keep their sites clean and secure from malware. It is equipped with robust monitoring and security tools that are beneficial to detect and stop the malware attacks from different sources like messaging, emails, user requests, and many more.

Key Features:

1. IP Whitelisting: This feature ensures that only admins can get access to administrative areas and stop malicious users from gaining access to the control panel.

2. Geo-Blocking: Most of the hackers use specific locations to attack the websites, and this feature is capable of blocking the traffic from particular regions or countries.

3. Website Malware Scanner: The powerful scanner is capable of detecting the malware signs and indicators of compromise that is beneficial to prevent hackers from attack.

A free version provides enough support, but if you want to use some advance features like firewall protection, high scanning frequency, SSL certificate support, etc. three premium plans are available, and the basic plan starts at $199.99 per year.

Pros:

• File integrity monitoring
• Blacklist monitoring
• Security notifications

Cons:

• Costly

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This plugin is loaded with a powerful brute force attack protection system that is an excellent option to tackle with the automated hacker’s tools that target websites irrespective of type and category. It detects and stops brute force attacks and prevent bots attempts on password cracking.

User Comments:

nosilver4u: “It is a great plugin to strengthen the security of the website with a considerable number of powerful tools and even allow to integrate with paid WAF solution. Great job, folks!

Carmpocalypse: “The Sucuri plugin is a lightweight and fantastic plugin that works smoothly in most challenging areas of the site. Different features like security recommendations, website blacklist, and malware scanning make it prominent and perfect among the competitors.

2. iThemes Security

iThemes Security plugin offers a wide range of security features to keep the malware and hackers attack away from the website. WordPress platform is used by more than 25% of sites available over the internet, and about more than 30,000 websites are hacked daily. Therefore, website owners need to use sufficient security techniques to save their hard work.

iThemes security plugin is a powerful security manager with robust security features like 2FA, salt & security keys, malware scanning, and many more.

Key Features:

1. Stop Bad Users: This feature detects and blocks users who perform multiple fail login attempts or generate various 404 errors.

2. Away Mode: In this mode, admin can set the working hours, and it will make the dashboard inaccessible during rest hours. Therefore, no one can change any file in the site database.

3. Database Backups: It allows the users to set the schedule for database backup and email the copy to you. It also stores a copy of the backup on the cloud storage away from the website.

Along with the free version, three premium plans are available to facilitate the users with few advance features like backups, password protection, and login verifications. The basic plan starts at $80 per year for integration on two websites.

Pros:

• Monitors file system
• Instant scanning reports
• Google reCAPTCHA

Cons:

• Limited language support

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This plugin ensures the security of user login by setting a different level of password for different users like admins, editors, etc. It is one of the best ways to make the password strong enough that it is not easy for hackers to break it.

User Comments:

Staedeli: “I bought the premium version and used it on my two websites. Even then, my sites get hacked, but the support team helps to find out the reason and suggest a firewall as well. The backup feature helps to restore my website and make it live again in a short time. Thanks for the great support.

Ray: “Fantastic and fantastic plugin! Thanks for developing the great plugin, and even in the free version, it provides excellent flexibility. I highly recommend this plugin to every website owner.

3. All In One WordPress Security and Firewall

All In One WordPress Security and Firewall is a complete package of security features required to make your site safe and sound. This plugin is equipped with a unique feature of the security points grading system that is beneficial to determine the current security level and suggest any improvement to ensure security.

It is a lightweight plugin and doesn’t create an excessive burden that slows down your site.

Key Features:

1. Stop User Enumeration: This feature is beneficial to prevent the bots/users to extract information by using author permalink.

2. List of Blocked Users: It facilitates the admins with the list of blocked users in an easy to read and navigate the table. It also allows users to unblock any individual user or IP address.

3. Invalid Login Attempt: It is capable of detecting any type of login attempt by using an invalid user name and block it automatically to prevent the risk in the future.

Pricing

It is an open-source plugin, and a group of experienced developers contributes to making it perfect. Therefore, it is free to use for everyone. But users can make a donation as an appreciation for developers and keep the services at its best.

Pros:

• Protect PHP coding
• Schedule automatic backups
• Denyn malicious query strings

Cons:

• Insufficient customer support

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This plugin offers a powerful file change detection scanner that is capable of sending alert to admins in case of change any file in the database. Therefore, you can check that the changing of the data is genuine, or it is an attempt of bad code injection.

User Comments:

jeffk90: “This plugin is perfect for making the security easy and bringing everything in its place. I use this plugin on all my sites and get amazing results. Unique login security features add their contribution to make it perfect. Good job.

Huemanfoo: “I have never used such a comprehensive, flawless, and fully functional plugin before. I strongly recommend this plugin for every webmaster to ensure the safety of the site. Well done to developers, and thanks for providing the great plugin without any cost.

4. Defender WordPress Security

Defender WordPress Security plugin is easy to install and integrate various security features in just a few clicks. Users don’t have the need to tackle complicated settings because it offers a comfortable and user-friendly interface to set up an effective security system.

This plugin provides excellent support against brute force attacks, cross-site scripting XSS, SQL injections, and various other WordPress vulnerabilities with the help of useful features like firewall, malware scanner, and 2AF security login.

Key Features:

1. Restrict Login Attempts: This feature restricts the number of login attempts for an individual user and permanently block an IP address from where attempts happen.

2. Firewall and IP Manager: Powerful IP manager is capable of importing data of banned IPs and setting automatic parameters to block them entirely. Users can also lock or unlock IPs from a specific location.

3. Security Scan: It allows the users to run a security scan for WordPress and detect any suspicious coding. It is capable of comparing the defected file with the original one and can restore the original with a singles click.

The free version is enough to create minimal security level, but for advance features, the premium plan is available at $49 per month, and it includes $30 credit for hosting.

Pros:

• 404 Detection
• 686 Login masking
• Disable trackbacks and pingbacks

Cons:

• Expensive premium plan

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This plugin offer two-step login verification that is beneficial to ensure the security of websites. This method is widely used by website even that is not developed on WordPress. Just activate two-factor authentications and make your site secure with password and phone.

User Comments:

moji_vb: “I love this plugin because it comprehensively describes the use of the most useful settings and helps to know how I can get the maximum benefit from all the features. Thanks for providing excellent support.

Heathermd: “I really admire the WPMU DEV products. These are really great and provide excellent support for integration on the website. It is an excellent plugin for detecting and blocking the malware attacks on websites that comes with unwanted traffic. t

5. SecuPress

SecuPress plugin is one of the highly-rated plugins for creating a security fence around the website. This plugin is featured with various advance features like Anti Brute Force login blocked IPs, Firewalls, Security alerts, and many more.

Furthermore, the robust security scanner is capable of providing various reports about the tracking and fixing of multiple issues found on the website.

Key Features:

1. Detect Issues with Plugins and Themes: It is capable of detecting any type of malicious code used in the development of any theme and plugin for the website.

2. Email Notification: It sends an email notification immediately in case of finding any malicious software in the current or new installations.

3. Secure Endpoints: It helps to secure WordPress Endpoints and APIs by stopping bad requests for REST API and XML RPC.

Various advanced features like anti-spam, two-factor authentications, schedule tasks, and many more are available in the pro version only. However, the pro plan allows the users to create a custom plan depending on the number of sites. The plan for a single-site starts at €60 per year.

Pros:

• SQL injection scanner
• GEO IP blocking
• Detect harmful files in FTP

Cons:

• Lack of customer support

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This security plugin is equipped with seven anti disclose security modules. These are beneficial to prevent the access of hackers to valuable information in PHP or WordPress and create a strong security feature.

User Comments:

Pridgwaydavies: “I have tried many security plugins for my site but finally stuck on SecuPress. It is easy for me to detect that which IPs are attacking my site. The previous plugins I used to create a substantial impact on the performance of the site. I highly recommend this plugin for bloggers, especially for newbies.

lionel franc: “Security is the top priority for website owners. After trying many plugins, I install this plugin. It is easy to configure the settings as per needs. The most I like in this plugin is the support for the French language.

6. BulletProof Security

BulletProof Security is another WordPress plugin for securing the website and developed by AITpro Website Security. This plugin offers all the essential features required to create a security wall around the site with easy to understand and customize settings.

Key Features:

1. IP Firewall: This plugin is capable of performing whitelisting automatically and IP address blocking on a real-time basis to keep malware away.

2. MScan Malware Scanner: This powerful scanner is beneficial to scan the website files and database for hacker’s code or files and block them if there is any.

3. Idle Session Logout: This feature allows the users to set the idle session time and automatically log out the inactive users after that time.

Like the other plugins, it also offers a free version with limited features, and the Pro version starts at $69.95 per year. One of the attractive benefits of this plugin is that it provides integration in an unlimited number of sites with a single subscription

Pros:

• HTTP Error Logging
• Real-time File Monitor (IDPS)
• Auto Cookie Expiration (ACE)

Cons:

• Costly for use in a single site

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This tool offers a DB difference tool that allows the users to compare the old database file and current database file. It is beneficial, especially if you don’t find anything in the complicated tables. It can make a scan and provide a complete report. You can perform the scan quickly in no time as you receive the alert notification or email.

User Comments:

Greenman-23: “I start using the free version a few years back, and it helps me know the hack attempts on my site. Additionally, the free even the free version provides excellent support. Finally, after seven years of free use, I switched to a pro version, and I am pleased about the results.

Swarmcatcher: “I use this plugin because some on the internet suggests this. I think he was kidding, but I got amazing results. My experience with the customer team was excellent even though I was a free user.

7. Cerber Security

Cerber Security is the best WordPress plugin used to defend the hacker’s attacks and various other viruses. Brute force attacks are one of the riskiest attacks on threatening attacks on websites. This plugin offers security to mitigate the risks of attacks by using secured login forms, REST API / XML-RPC requests, or by using auth cookies.

It is capable of tracking users and finding out the lousy user activity and inform the admins about it. It sends notifications by email or mobile as well as also provide desktop notification feature.

Key Features:

1. Spam Comments: It automatically detects and blocks spam comments. All allow the users to prevent the particular type of comments entirely.

2. Limit Login Attempts: It allows the website owners to set the number to fail login attempts and block the user automatically after that.

3. Hide WordPress Dashboard: This feature automatically hides the WordPress dashboard after a specific time when the user remains inactive.

If you want to use many advanced features that are not available in the free version, then
you have to buy the premium version that starts at $99 per year. This plan offers support for a single site only; if you want to integrate into more websites, another plan is available.

Pros:

• Monitor changing in files
• Restrict user registration for specific patterns
• Stop user enumeration

Cons:

• Expensive for use in a single site

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

Spam and bot detection engine is much powerful to automatically scan the different forms available on the website even without using any type of CAPTCHA. Furthermore, it is compatible with using various plugin forms like Form7, Ninja Forms, WP Forms, and many more.

User Comments:

Rcrex: “I love it because the free version provides excellent functionality, and I am planning to upgrade the free version into the paid version. Thanks for providing a great plugin.

Christopherkusek: “I give five-star ratings to this fantastic plugin because it is easy to work with this plugin. It provides a great value, and an immediate response is excellent. The ability to whitelist and locking feature is the most exciting thing that I like. Congratulations!!!

8. Ninja Firewall

Ninja Firewall is a web-based application, but they introduce their plugin for WordPress. It is the only WordPress plugin that sites in front of WordPress and provides many unique features that are never offered by anyone in a plugin.

Ninja Firewall is much powerful to scan, hook, sanities or reject any HTTP/HTTPS request that hackers sent to a PHP script for gaining access to WordPress or any of the plugin.

Key Features:

1. Real-Time Detection: It allows the users to get real-time notifications through email if anyone gets access to PHP files recently created or modified.

2. IPv6 Compatibility: It is compatible to use with IPv6 protocols along with IPv4 that ensure that hackers will never get success to bypass the Ninja Firewall.

3. Multi-Site Configurations: Users can use this plugin for multi-site support, and only the super admin can get access to control the settings.

The free version of this plugin provides access to a few features. Therefore, three premium plans are available for getting access to various advanced features. The basic plan starts at $45 per year for use in a single site only.

Pros:

• File integrity monitoring
• Real-time traffic monitoring
• Event notifications

Cons:

• Tricky to use

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This plugin not only provides a user-friendly interface but also comes in a low footprint firewall. It is beneficial for the speed of the site because it uses minimal resources and works excellent without detecting any impact on the performance of the website.

User Comments:

Martin: “It is easy to integrate and set up this user-friendly plugin. Even the free version provides many fantastic features. My recommendations are for everyone to ensure the safety of the website with this plugin.

Andrusha: “I have decided to go for this plugin based on the user reviews and amazingly got excellent results. I receive attacks on both of my websites regularly. This plugin not only helps to detect them but block them permanently.

9. Astra Security Suite

Astra Security Suite is a complete security suite for the website and provides security against more than 100 types of threats. It means website owners don’t have a need to worry about the safety of the website from any aspect. It is easy to install in a few steps even it doesn’t require to change the DNS settings.

It is equipped with many useful tools like a web-based firewall for real-time protection, on-demand machine learning, malware scanner, quick malware cleaner, and many more.

Key Features:

1. Rock Solid Firewall: It is perfect for protecting the website from attacks written in different formats like SQLi, LFI, XSS, Spams, Bad Bots, and many more on a real-time basis.

2. Easy Malware Removal: It is easy to detect and remove malware with just a single click on a real-time basis.

3. Intuitive Dashboard: The dashboard of this plugin provides you an eagle’s eye to monitor the different activities of hackers. It gives information about stopped attacks, the attacker’s profile, location, and much more information.

However, the free version is good to use, but if you want to use many advance features like Automatic Malware Scanner, IP & Country Blocking, and many more. The pro plan is available that starts at $228 per year.

Pros:

• Daily email reports
• Trusting or blocking countries
• Backdoor removal

Cons:

• Somewhat expensive

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This plugin is perfect for detecting the virus from various file upload areas as well as control the file sizes and multiple extensions. It allows only good content to reach the websites, and any malicious uploads or attempts stopped at the gate.

User Comments:

WooMarketing : “If you are looking for a paid version of a security plugin for getting extraordinary results, this plugin is the best option. I recommend this plugin because I find it easy to use, and it provides super-fast results. I love this plugin.

Naman Rastogi: “Recently, my WordPress based website gets hacked, and this plugin helps me to recover it in less than an hour.

10. Security and Firewall by Malcare

Security & Firewall by Malcare is a cloud-based plugin and removes malware instantly. It is capable of detecting the complex malware that usually much other security plugin miss. Furthermore, the cloud-based malware scanner works smoothly and efficiently without creating any burden over the performance of the website.

This plugin also offers a built-in and powerful firewall that can scan the website on a real-time basis. It is easy to install in just a few seconds and doesn’t require any technical knowledge to set up the system.

Key Features:

1. Works Smartly: This plugin works smartly and capable of removing the identified files only instead of all the files and doesn’t create any problem for working on the website.

2. Unlimited Scans: It allows the users to perform the scan without limitation on the number of scans so that the user can make a quick scan as they want.

3. Powerful Firewall: It is equipped with a firewall that is capable of analyzing every single IP request to keep the lousy traffic away from your website.

This plugin offers many useful features in Pro versions like login protection, web hardening, smart website firewall, and many more. The basic plan starts at $99 per year for integration in one site only.

Pros:

• CAPTCHA-based login protection
• Protect the uploads folder
• Change security keys

Cons:

• Limited features in free version

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This plugin not only provides the brute force attacks by limiting the number of login attempts but also keeps the record of fail attempts. It is beneficial to find malicious IP, and the security features can block it permanently to avoid the risk of attack in the future.

User Comments:

Thewuway : “This plugin provides me great peace of mind by protecting my site from various attacks. My site was got hacked three times in the past few years, but thanks to backups and support teams who always available to help me.

TheKillian : “My site got hacked in the past because WordPress security features fail to protect against various malware. This plugin helps to detect 29 malware and remove them entirely. Furthermore, my website shows few redirected errors, but the customer services fix it quickly. Now, my website works smoothly.

11. BBQ: Block Bad Queries

Block Bad Queries is one of the most popular and widely used WordPress plugins to keep the website safe and away from the approach of hackers. It offers many detecting and blocking features that can prevent attacks and block bad requests immediately. It is lightweight and doesn’t create any impact on bandwidth or memory.

This plugin checks all the incoming traffic and responds quickly in case found any malicious request to block it.

Key Features:

1. Pre Configured Settings: It does not require irritating and time-consuming settings and comes with custom settings that are perfect for most of the websites.

2. Wide Range Detection: It allows the users to detect a wide range of malicious attacks and avoid them from getting access to sensitive information on the website.

3. Scan Different Request Types: This plugin offers detection of malicious attacks done with different types of requests like POST, GET, DELETE, PUT, and many others.

This plugin offers four pricing plans other than the free version. If you want to use various advance features, then you have to go for a premium version that starts at $20 per year for integration in one site only.

Pros:

• Thoroughly tested
• Error-free performance
• Blocks executable file uploads

Cons:

• Require code changing for blocking long requests

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This plugin works smoothly from behind the scenes and protects the site against various bad attacks. Furthermore, it is compatible to use with various other plugins used for adding different functionalities.

User Comments:

Bouzin: “I use this plugin in all my sites by default, and it provides excellent performance. Therefore, I recommend this plugin to everyone. Congratulations to developers for creating such precious plugin that works great without disturbing the site speed and server memory.

Kenny Moore: “This plugin provides excellent results, even in the free version. It is easy to set up but with comprehensive information. I notice that the developer of this plugin offers his 6G that uses access for websites, so I switched to 6G. Amazingly, this also provides excellent performance. I guess it is the only plugin with accurate and faster results.

12. Shield Security

Shield Security is another highly rated WordPress plugin for the security of the website. All you need is the removal of malicious attacks instead of a bunch of email notifications. This plugin sends an email notification when there is a severe condition or attack detection on the website so that users can check and manage them appropriately.

The built-in security shield does all the necessities as instructed and send an alert only when you need it.

Key Features:

1. Super Admin Security: It is the only WordPress plugin that provides support against tampering and capable of detecting and blocking the lousy request on a real-time basis.

2. Powerful Core File Scanners: It is equipped with powerful core file scanners that are beneficial to detect the suspicious file changes and various hacks that you have not seen before.

3. Enhanced Scan Frequency: It is easy to adjust the frequency of malware scans on the website and allow the users as per their needs. You can even customize it on hourly scans, and soon it offers real-time scanning.

The free version provides sufficient features to secure your site, but various advance features are available in Pro plans only. Therefore, this plugin offers four premium plans, and the basic plan starts at $29 per year for installation in a single site. If you have more sites, check another plan as per your needs.

Pros:

• Import/export settings from other sites
• Vulnerability Scanner
• Plugins and Themes Guard

Cons:

• Can be tricky to use

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

As we mention, it is a little tricky to use. Therefore complete guidance is provided to make the installation process easy. Furthermore, highly customization options allow the users to adjust the different settings as per their needs. For example, you can change the automatic scan or email notification for a specific level of threats.

User Comments:

Xerious: “It is straightforward to secure multiple sites with this plugin. After using various other popular plugins, I switched to this plugin and got great results. It is easy for me to understand the working style, and I strongly recommend this plugin as a must-have plugin for websites. The Pro version adds more value as well. Thanks to developers for creating such a great plugin.

Cscdavid: “I have used many security plugins in the past few years. Finally, I found this affordable and fantastic plugin that provides excellent support to set up this on my website. Now, whenever I start working on any new website, I start working by installing this plugin in the first place.

13. Spam protection, Anti-Spam, Fire-Wall by Clean Talk

Spam protection, Anti-Spam, Fire-Wall by Clean Talk is the best WordPress plugin to detect and stop different types of spam attacks. The most attractive portion of this plugin is that it offers support for a wide range of WordPress plugins that allow the users to add and enjoy smooth functionality with different plugins.

It is a universal anti-spam plugin and doesn’t require any type of CAPTCHA, questioning, counting puzzles, etc.

Key Features:

1. Native Spam Protection: It provides excellent protection against various spam comments and automatically moves spam comments to spam folders, but users can mark it as not spam later on.

2. Prevent Spam Emails: It is capable of blocking spam emails send either using theme built-in email service or by using third party plugins. It also provides support against spam emails using AJAX forms as well.

3. Blocking Users By Country: It is capable of blocking registrations and comments from a particular country or region from where mostly spam attacks happen.

Pricing

Along with the free version, this plugin provides a wide range of pricing plans for spam protection that starts at $8 per year for support of a single site. You can select the other plans for integration in multiple sites.

Furthermore, it also provides various APIs for Anti-Spam Blacklist API, Anti-spam for hosting, site security, SSL, and monitoring separately. If you want to get benefit from any of the premium services, you have to pay for that.

Pros:

• Stops spam orders
• Stops spam in Woo-Commerce
• Real-time email validation

Cons:

• Expensive to use various APIs

Why Should We Use This Plugin?

This plugin performs various anti-spam tests to set the filter for different spam bots by allocating different rating levels. This filtering level helps to avoid the allocation of spam tags to real visitors of the website even they fail any of the security tests.

User Comments:

Mooneyesart: “I was in trouble with bots that try to log in and sends a massive number of form submissions. I am astonished to see the performance of this plugin. The use of spam features is much cheaper as compared to other plugins available over the internet.

Apagavela: “I was unable to stop all the incoming spam, but this plugin helps me to protect my site from different spam attacks. It is easy to integrate, and the customer support is unmatched. Thanks for a great deal.

Conclusion

Security plugins are essential to ensure the safety of the WordPress website. Every single plugin provides different functionalities. Therefore, it is crucial to find the requirements of the area that you want to cover. Users don’t have the need to download all the plugins, instead select the one that suits their requirements.

However, it could be challenging to find the best one for your website. Therefore, from extensive research, we build a list of powerful and useful plugins. We mention all the essential features that can help you to select the one that fulfills your needs of improving the security of the website.

If you are a user of the WordPress website, then you must consider using any of the above plugins and other plugins as well (i.e. SEO, Ecommerce, etc.). It will surely deliver a lot of benefits.

 

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