8 Best WordPress Security Plugins That Works (2021)

Security is important. And if you are using WordPress, here are some of the best security plugins for WordPress sites.

Security is most important for your website. It helps you to keep your website safe from hackers, bots & even your competitors. No website is secure on the internet.

Things that may happen to an unsecured site –

You can lose access to your website, get your login account deleted, or lose all the data.
Hackers can steal your data or the data of your users.
Your website can be used to distribute malicious code, used as a phishing website.

To avoid all these, you must secure your website. While there are paid options available, all can’t afford them. If you have a small WordPress website, you can install a plugin.

Table Of Content

Best WordPress Security Plugins

Installing a security plugin on your WordPress site is one of the most important things to do after starting a website.

As you know, there are many plugins available on WordPress to secure your website that will keep you confused. So, I have created this list to help you choose the best plugin for you.

Remember that you should install & use only one plugin for security. Using more than one plugin may create conflict. It may even break down your site. So, use only one plugin.

Some of the standard features in these plugins are malware scanning, website firewall, spam protection, login protection, IP blocking, etc. These are the basic & most important things.

1. Wordfence

You may have heard this name as it the most popular & recommended plugin for WordPress security. Its free version is enough for a small website.

Features Included –

Web Application Firewall that identifies and blocks malicious traffic.
Integrated malware scanner blocks requests that include malicious code or content.
Protection from brute force attacks by limiting login attempts.
Malware scanner checks core files, themes and plugins for malware, bad URLs, backdoors, SEO spam, malicious redirects and code injections.
Checks your content safety by scanning file contents, posts and comments for dangerous URLs and suspicious content.
Block attackers by IP or build advanced rules based on IP Range, Hostname, User Agent, and Referrer.
Repair files that have changed by overwriting them with a new, original version.
and many more.

If you want more security, you can buy its premium version. The premium offers more features like real-time IP blocklist, firewall rules, and malware signatures. Premium support, country blocking, more frequent scans.

2. All In One WP Security

This plugin reduces security risk by checking for vulnerabilities and implementing and enforcing the latest recommended WordPress security practices and techniques.

Features Included –

Protect against “Brute Force Login Attack” with the Login Lockdown feature.
Easily set the default WP prefix to a value of your choice with the click of a button.
Schedule automatic backups and email notifications or make an instant DB backup whenever you want with one click.
Protect your PHP code by disabling file editing from the WordPress administration area.
Prevent people from accessing the readme.html, license.txt, and wp-config-sample.php files of your WordPress site.
Comment spam security that monitors IP addresses, spam comments, add a captcha to comment form, block IP addresses, etc.
and many more.

All In One WP Security also uses an unprecedented security points grading system to measure how well you are protecting your site based on the security features you have activated.

3. iThemes Security

iThemes Security works to lock down WordPress, fix common holes, stop automated attacks and strengthen user credentials. With advanced features for experienced users, this plugin can help harden WordPress.

Features Included –

Prevents brute force attacks by banning hosts and users with too many invalid login attempts.
It scans your site to report where vulnerabilities exist and fixes them in seconds instantly.
Detects bots and other attempts to search for vulnerabilities. Monitors filesystem for unauthorized changes.
Run a scan for malware and blacklists on the homepage of your site. Changes the URLs for WordPress dashboard areas, including login, admin, and more.
Makes regular backups of your WordPress database, allowing you to get back online quickly in the event of an attack.
and many more.

For more security, go with the pro version that includes two-factor authentication, malware scan scheduling, password security, Google Recaptcha & more.

4. MalCare Security

MalCare is the fastest malware detection, and removal plugin loved by thousands of developers and agencies. Its intelligent scanning methodology will never slow down your website and accurately identifies the most complex malware.

Features Included –

Cloud-Based Deep malware scanner that detects malware before it’s too late. Finds all types of malware, even new & complex ones.
Get Real-Time Protection for your WordPress website against the latest threats with MalCare’s Smart Firewall. Block hackers & bots before they harm your site.
Automatically prevent brute force attacks with MalCare’s Smart Captcha-Based Login Protection. Round-the-clock protection against malicious traffic.
The plugin notifies you if the website goes down to handle the situation before you start losing visitors.
Performance Check enables users to keep an eye on their loading speed.
and many more.

Their paid services include viewing hacked files, instant malware removal, website hardening, geoblocking, uptime monitoring, etc. MalCare servers do all the heavy processing and will alert you if your site has any issues.

5. WP Cerber Security

WP Cerber provides various tools to secure your WordPress website. It has tons of features that defend WordPress against hacker attacks, spam, trojans, and malware. This is a great plugin to use.

Features Included –

You will be able to create a Black IP Access List or White IP Access List to block or allow logins from a particular IP address, IP address range, or a subnet any class.
Cerber Security Scanner is a sophisticated and potent tool that thoroughly scans every folder and inspects every file on a website for traces of malware, trojans, backdoors, changes, and new files.
The scanner checks if all WordPress folders and files match what exists in the official core repository, compares your plugins and themes with what is in the official repository, and alerts you to any changes.
Cerber Security Scanner allows you to configure a schedule for automated recurring scanning easily.
WP Cerber tracks time, IP addresses, and usernames for successful and failed login attempts, logins, logouts, password changes, blocked IPs.
and many more.

This is an excellent Wordfence alternative plugin for WordPress sites. With these many features, you don’t need to worry about your website’s security.

6. Defender Security

Defender by WPMU DEV adds all the hardening and security recommendations you need. It starts with a list of one-click hardening techniques that will instantly add layers of protection to your site.

Features Included –

Run free malware scans that check WordPress for suspicious code and malware. It detects modified folders & files.
The Defender scan tool compares your WordPress install with the master copy in the WP directory, reports changes, and lets you restore the original file with a click.
Keep your site safe with Defender’s IP manager and a firewall. Manually block specific IPs, import a list of banned IPs, and set automated timed and permanent lockouts.
Limit login attempts to stop users from trying to guess passwords. Permanently ban IPs or trigger a timed lockout after a set number of failed login attempts.
Defender makes it easy to move your login screen to a custom URL. Change your login URL to anything that you want.
and many more.

You can also buy Defender Pro, which features automated scanning, scheduled malware scans for Core, themes, plugins and other files, audit logs, Blocklist monitoring, etc.

7. Shield Security

Shield Security uses two simple vital strategies to protect your WordPress sites: Prevention – Detect Bots, Intrusions, and Hacks; Cure – Block Bad Bots and Repair Hacks.

Features Included –

Automatic Bot & IP Blocking – points-based security system to block bad bots. Exclusive AntiBot Detection Engine – the most powerful Bot Detection system.
Brute Force Protection, Limit Login Attempts + Login Cooldown System, Powerful Firewall Security Rules.
Block XML-RPC (including Pingbacks and Trackbacks), Anonymous Rest API. Block, Bypass, and Analyse IP Addresses.
Create a Custom Login URL by hiding wp-login.php; Detect (and optionally Block) Comment SPAM from Bots and Humans. reCAPTCHA & hCAPTCHA support.
Automatic Detection and Bypass for GoogleBot, Bing, and other Official Search Engines including DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, Baidu, Apple, Yandex.
and many more.

The pro version includes a Malware scanner that detects known and unknown malware, plugin and theme file scanning that identifies file changes in your plugins/themes, detects plugins/themes with known vulnerabilities.

8. Titan Anti-spam & Security

Titan is a comprehensive WordPress security solution, completed by a set of additional features as add-ons, which was placed into a simple and intuitive interface.

Features Included –

The web application firewall detects and blocks malicious traffic. It protects your website at the endpoint by providing deep integration with WordPress.
The malware scanner checks the system files, themes, and plugins for malware, invalid URLs, backdoors, SEO spam, malicious redirects and code injections.
Hide WordPress versions. WordPress itself and many plugins show their version in the visible areas of your site.
Anti-spam checks comment through a global comment database, then a self-learning neural network rechecks unfiltered comments.
Checks content security by scanning the contents of files, messages, and comments for dangerous URLs and questionable content.
and many more.

Titan Anti-Spam plugin provides more features in its pro version that includes real-time firewall rules & IP block list, advanced scanning & scheduled scans, site checker, etc.

Conclusion

So, these were the 8 best WordPress security plugins that will keep your website safe from malicious activities. But don’t be tension-free as your website is not fully secured. Plugins offer limited security.

You can try Sucuri as they are the best for WordPress security. If your site receives high traffic or has personal information stored, you need to go with paid options like Sucuri.

FAQs

Which is the best security plugin for WordPress?

Wordfence is one of the best plugins to secure a WordPress website. It has some basic features like malware scanning, web application firewall, brute force attack prevention, etc.

Does WordPress need a security plugin?

Though WordPress is secure, hackers find some way to get access to your website. Hence, to get extra safe, use a security plugin that will keep hackers away.

How do WordPress security plugins work?

Most of the security plugins have malware scanners & firewalls. They block IPs that seem suspicious. They also hide the default login URL. Some plugins also have the anti-spam feature.

Is WordPress safe from hackers?

WordPress is safe from hackers. But they can gain access to websites due to weak passwords, plugin or theme vulnerabilities, brute-force attacks & other techniques.