WordPress Website Security Plugins for Free
WordPress Website Security Plugins for Free

WordPress is one of the most popular website platforms on the internet, with millions of users around the world. While WordPress offers a range of built-in security features, it is still vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Fortunately, there are several free security plugins available that can help protect your website from these threats. In this article, we will discuss some of the best WordPress security plugins that are available for free.

1. Wordfence Security

One of the most popular security plugins available for WordPress is Wordfence Security. This plugin offers a range of features that can help protect your website from cyber threats, including malware, hacking attempts, and DDoS attacks. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of Wordfence Security:

i. Firewall Protection

Wordfence Security includes a powerful firewall that helps protect your website from malicious traffic. The plugin can block traffic from known malicious IP addresses and also includes a range of advanced firewall rules that can help protect your website from a variety of cyber threats.

ii. Malware Scanning

The plugin includes a comprehensive malware scanner that can help identify malicious code on your website. The scanner checks all of the files on your website and can detect a wide range of malware, including backdoors, Trojans, and other types of malicious code.

iii. Login Security

Wordfence Security includes several features that help protect your website's login process from unauthorized access. The plugin can limit the number of login attempts from a given IP address, block login attempts from known malicious IP addresses, and also includes two-factor authentication options.

iv. Real-time Traffic Monitoring

The plugin includes a real-time traffic monitoring feature that allows you to see who is accessing your website and what they are doing. This can help you identify potential security threats and take action to address them.

v. Email Notifications

Wordfence Security can send email notifications to alert you of potential security threats on your website. This can include notifications for failed login attempts, malware scans, and other types of security events.

In summary, Wordfence Security is a comprehensive security plugin for WordPress that offers a range of features to help protect your website from cyber threats. With its firewall protection, malware scanning, login security, real-time traffic monitoring, and email notifications, this plugin is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance the security of their WordPress website.

2. All In One WP Security & Firewall

All In One WP Security & Firewall is a free, comprehensive security plugin for WordPress that helps protect your website from hackers, spammers, and other online threats. This plugin includes a range of advanced security features that can help you secure your website and prevent unauthorized access. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of All In One WP Security & Firewall:

i. Firewall Protection

All In One WP Security & Firewall includes a powerful firewall that can help protect your website from malicious traffic. The plugin includes several firewall rules that can be customized to fit your needs, including options to block known malicious IP addresses and prevent brute-force attacks.

ii. Login Security

The plugin offers several options to enhance the security of your website's login process. This includes limiting login attempts from a given IP address, requiring strong passwords, and using two-factor authentication. Additionally, the plugin can automatically log out idle users and rename the default login URL to help prevent brute-force attacks.

iii. Malware Scanning

All In One WP Security & Firewall includes a malware scanner that can detect a wide range of malicious code on your website. The plugin scans your website's files and database for suspicious code, and can also identify security vulnerabilities in your plugins and themes.

iv. Database Security

The plugin includes several features to enhance the security of your website's database. This includes options to restrict database access, remove the WordPress version number from your site's source code, and disable the ability to edit files via the WordPress dashboard.

v. Blacklist Functionality

All In One WP Security & Firewall includes a blacklist feature that allows you to block specific IP addresses, user agents, and referrers from accessing your website. This can help prevent malicious traffic and spam comments from reaching your site.

v. File System Security

The plugin includes several features to protect your website's file system. This includes options to prevent file editing via the WordPress dashboard, disable PHP execution in certain directories, and change file permissions to enhance security.

In summary, All In One WP Security & Firewall is a comprehensive security plugin for WordPress that includes a range of advanced features to protect your website from cyber threats. With its firewall protection, login security, malware scanning, database security, blacklist functionality, and file system security, this plugin is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance the security of their WordPress website.

3. Sucuri Security

Sucuri Security is a comprehensive security plugin for WordPress that helps protect your website from cyber threats, including malware, hacking attempts, and DDoS attacks. This plugin is trusted by millions of website owners and includes a range of powerful features to help you secure your website. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of Sucuri Security:

i. Website Firewall

Sucuri Security includes a powerful website firewall that can help protect your website from malicious traffic. The plugin can block traffic from known malicious IP addresses and also includes a range of advanced firewall rules that can help protect your website from a variety of cyber threats.

ii. Malware Scanner

The plugin includes a malware scanner that can help identify malicious code on your website. The scanner checks all of the files on your website and can detect a wide range of malware, including backdoors, Trojans, and other types of malicious code. The plugin also provides a detailed report on the vulnerabilities that it identifies on your website.

iii. Blacklist Monitoring

Sucuri Security includes a blacklist monitoring feature that can help you identify if your website has been blacklisted by search engines or other security companies. The plugin can also help you identify if your website is sending spam emails.

iv. Security Hardening

Sucuri Security includes several features that help harden the security of your WordPress website. This includes the ability to restrict file permissions, disable PHP execution in certain directories, and prevent malicious code from executing on your website.

v. DDoS Protection

The plugin includes DDoS protection that can help protect your website from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. This includes options to limit the number of requests that are allowed from a given IP address and the ability to block traffic from known malicious IPs.

vi. Performance Optimization

Sucuri Security includes several features to help optimize the performance of your website. This includes a CDN that can help speed up your website, as well as options to minify your website's CSS and JavaScript files.

In summary, Sucuri Security is a powerful security plugin for WordPress that includes a range of features to help protect your website from cyber threats. With its website firewall, malware scanner, blacklist monitoring, security hardening, DDoS protection, and performance optimization features, this plugin is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance the security and performance of their WordPress website.

4. Jetpack Security

Jetpack Security is a powerful security plugin for WordPress that offers a range of advanced security features to help protect your website from online threats. This plugin is designed to be user-friendly and can be easily configured to provide optimal protection for your website. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of Jetpack Security:

i. Malware Scanning

Jetpack Security includes a malware scanner that can help detect malware on your website. The scanner checks all of your website's files for suspicious code and can also identify security vulnerabilities in your plugins and themes.

ii. Downtime Monitoring

The plugin includes a downtime monitoring feature that can help you identify if your website is offline. This feature can help you identify if your website is experiencing performance issues or if it has been targeted by a cyber attack.

iii. Site Backups

Jetpack Security offers an easy-to-use backup solution that can help you protect your website from data loss. The plugin includes automatic daily backups that can be stored either on your website's server or in the cloud.

iv. Two-Factor Authentication

The plugin offers two-factor authentication to help enhance the security of your website's login process. This feature requires users to enter a code in addition to their username and password, making it more difficult for hackers to gain access to your website.

v. Brute-Force Protection

Jetpack Security includes several options to help protect your website from brute-force attacks. This includes limiting the number of login attempts from a given IP address and the ability to lock out users who enter incorrect login credentials multiple times.

vi. Spam Protection

The plugin includes a powerful spam protection feature that can help prevent spam comments and trackbacks from being posted on your website. This can help keep your website's comments section clean and free from unwanted content.

In summary, Jetpack Security is a comprehensive security plugin for WordPress that includes a range of advanced features to help protect your website from online threats. With its malware scanning, downtime monitoring, site backup, two-factor authentication, brute-force protection, and spam protection features, this plugin is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance the security of their WordPress website.

5. WP Security Audit Log

WP Security Audit Log is a comprehensive logging and monitoring plugin for WordPress that helps website owners keep track of all the activity that takes place on their website. This plugin is designed to provide real-time alerts and detailed reports on all activity that takes place on your website, making it easy to identify potential security issues and take action to prevent them. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of the WP Security Audit Log:

i. Logging and Monitoring

The plugin logs and monitors all activity on your WordPress website, including user activity, changes to your website's settings, and any updates to your plugins or themes. The plugin also keeps track of failed login attempts and can send you real-time alerts if suspicious activity is detected.

ii. Detailed Reports

WP Security Audit Log provides detailed reports on all activity that takes place on your website. These reports can help you identify potential security issues and take action to prevent them. The reports include information on the user or IP address that carried out the activity, the date and time of the activity, and any changes that were made to your website.

iii. User Activity Management

The plugin allows you to manage user activity on your website by creating custom alerts and notifications for different types of activity. You can also restrict access to certain areas of your website based on user roles, making it easier to prevent unauthorized access.

iv. Plugin and Theme Updates

WP Security Audit Log keeps track of all updates to your plugins and themes, making it easier to identify potential security issues and take action to prevent them. The plugin can also send you alerts when new updates are available, ensuring that your website is always up-to-date and secure.

v. Integration with Other Plugins

WP Security Audit Log can be integrated with other security plugins, such as Wordfence and Sucuri, to provide even greater protection for your WordPress website. The plugin can also be integrated with popular backup solutions, such as UpdraftPlus and BackupBuddy, to ensure that your website's data is always backed up and secure.

In summary, WP Security Audit Log is a powerful logging and monitoring plugin for WordPress that helps website owners keep track of all activity that takes place on their website. With its detailed reports, user activity management, plugin and theme updates, and integration with other security plugins, this plugin is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance the security of their WordPress website.

6. iThemes Security

iThemes Security is a powerful and user-friendly security plugin for WordPress that provides a comprehensive range of security features to help protect your website from online threats. This plugin is designed to be easy to use and can be configured to provide optimal protection for your website. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of iThemes Security:

i. Two-Factor Authentication

iThemes Security offers two-factor authentication to help enhance the security of your website's login process. This feature requires users to enter a code in addition to their username and password, making it more difficult for hackers to gain access to your website.

ii. Malware Scanning

The plugin includes a malware scanner that can help detect malware on your website. The scanner checks all of your website's files for suspicious code and can also identify security vulnerabilities in your plugins and themes.

iii. Brute-Force Protection

iThemes Security includes several options to help protect your website from brute-force attacks. This includes limiting the number of login attempts from a given IP address, the ability to lock out users who enter incorrect login credentials multiple times, and the ability to hide the WordPress login page to prevent attackers from accessing it directly.

iv. Database Backups

The plugin includes an easy-to-use database backup solution that can help you protect your website from data loss. The plugin includes automatic daily backups that can be stored either on your website's server or in the cloud.

v. File Change Detection

iThemes Security includes a file change detection feature that can help you identify if any of your website's files have been modified. This can help you identify if your website has been targeted by a cyber attack and take action to prevent further damage.

vi. WordPress Tweaks

The plugin includes a range of WordPress tweaks that can help enhance the security of your website. These tweaks include the ability to disable file editing from within the WordPress dashboard, disable the ability to browse directories and disable the ability to install plugins and themes.

In summary, iThemes Security is a comprehensive security plugin for WordPress that offers a range of advanced security features to help protect your website from online threats. With its two-factor authentication, malware scanning, brute-force protection, database backups, file change detection, and WordPress tweaks, this plugin is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance the security of their WordPress website.

7. BulletProof Security

BulletProof Security is a comprehensive WordPress security plugin that offers a range of features to protect your website from online threats. This plugin is designed to be user-friendly and can be configured to provide optimal protection for your website. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of BulletProof Security:

i. Malware Scanner

BulletProof Security includes a malware scanner that checks all of your website's files for suspicious code. The scanner can detect malicious code that has been injected into your website's files and can help you identify security vulnerabilities in your plugins and themes.

ii. Firewall

The plugin includes a firewall that helps protect your website from external threats. The firewall can block malicious requests from IP addresses that have been identified as sources of attack and can help prevent your website from being hacked.

iii. Login Security

BulletProof Security includes several options to help protect your website's login process. This includes the ability to limit the number of login attempts from a given IP address, the ability to block users who enter incorrect login credentials multiple times, and the ability to hide the WordPress login page to prevent attackers from accessing it directly.

iv. Database Backup

The plugin includes an easy-to-use database backup solution that can help you protect your website from data loss. The plugin includes automatic daily backups that can be stored either on your website's server or in the cloud.

v. Anti-Spam

BulletProof Security includes an anti-spam feature that helps prevent spam comments from being posted on your website. This can help you maintain a clean and professional website that is free from unwanted content.

vi. File Manager

The plugin includes a file manager that allows you to easily manage all of your website's files from within the WordPress dashboard. This can help you identify and remove any suspicious files that may have been uploaded to your website.

In summary, BulletProof Security is a comprehensive security plugin for WordPress that offers a range of features to protect your website from online threats. With its malware scanner, firewall, login security, database backup, anti-spam, and file manager features, this plugin is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance the security of their WordPress website.

8. Login LockDown

Login LockDown is a lightweight and simple WordPress security plugin that focuses on enhancing your website's login security. This plugin is designed to prevent brute-force attacks by limiting the number of login attempts from a given IP address. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of Login LockDown:

i. Login Attempt Tracking

Login LockDown tracks all login attempts made on your website, including the username and IP address used. This can help you identify any suspicious login activity and take appropriate action.

ii. Lockout Timer

The plugin includes a lockout timer that limits the number of login attempts from a given IP address. This can help prevent brute-force attacks by slowing down the login process for attackers.

iii. Customizable Settings

Login LockDown includes several customizable settings that allow you to configure the plugin to meet your specific needs. This includes the ability to specify the number of failed login attempts allowed before a lockout occurs, the length of time a lockout lasts, and the ability to whitelist IP addresses that should not be locked out.

iv. Simple and Lightweight

Login LockDown is a simple and lightweight plugin that does not require any complex configurations. It is easy to install and use, and does not significantly impact your website's performance.

v. Compatible with Other Security Plugins

The plugin is compatible with other WordPress security plugins, allowing you to use it in conjunction with other security measures to enhance your website's overall security.

In summary, Login LockDown is a simple and lightweight WordPress security plugin that focuses on enhancing your website's login security. With its login attempt tracking, lockout timer, customizable settings, and compatibility with other security plugins, this plugin is a great choice for anyone looking to improve the security of their WordPress login process.

9. WPScan

WPScan is an open-source WordPress security scanner that helps you identify vulnerabilities and security issues on your website. This plugin is designed to be used by security professionals and developers to identify potential security risks and take appropriate measures to address them. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of WPScan:

i. Vulnerability Database

WPScan includes a database of known WordPress vulnerabilities that is updated regularly. This database contains information on vulnerabilities in WordPress core, plugins, and themes, and can help you identify potential security risks on your website.

ii. Scanner

The plugin includes a scanner that checks your website for potential vulnerabilities. The scanner looks for vulnerabilities in WordPress core, plugins, and themes, and can help you identify security issues that may be present on your website.

iii. Brute-Force Attack Prevention

WPScan includes a feature that helps prevent brute-force attacks by limiting the number of login attempts from a given IP address. This can help prevent attackers from gaining unauthorized access to your website.

iv. Customizable Settings

WPScan includes several customizable settings that allow you to configure the plugin to meet your specific needs. This includes the ability to specify which plugins and themes should be scanned, the ability to exclude certain files and directories from the scan, and the ability to use different scanning techniques based on your needs.

v. Detailed Reports

The plugin generates detailed reports that provide information on vulnerabilities that have been identified on your website. These reports include information on the severity of the vulnerability, the location of the vulnerability, and recommendations for addressing the issue.

In summary, WPScan is a powerful open-source WordPress security scanner that can help you identify vulnerabilities and security issues on your website. With its vulnerability database, scanner, brute-force attack prevention, customizable settings, and detailed reports, this plugin is a great choice for security professionals and developers looking to enhance the security of their WordPress websites.

10. Google Authenticator

Google Authenticator is a WordPress security plugin that adds an additional layer of security to your website through two-factor authentication (2FA). This plugin is designed to prevent unauthorized access to your website by requiring a code generated by the Google Authenticator app in addition to your username and password. Let's take a closer look at some of the key features of Google Authenticator:

i. Two-Factor Authentication

Google Authenticator adds an additional layer of security to your website by requiring a code generated by the Google Authenticator app in addition to your username and password. This helps prevent unauthorized access to your website, even if an attacker has obtained your login credentials.

ii. Customizable Settings

The plugin has several customizable settings that allow you to configure the plugin to meet your specific needs. These include the ability to choose which user roles are required to use two-factor authentication, the ability to enable or disable backup codes, and the ability to set the duration the code is valid.

iii. Easy to Use

Google Authenticator is easy to use and can be set up in just a few minutes. The plugin includes clear instructions on how to set up two-factor authentication, and the Google Authenticator app is free and easy to download.

iv. Compatible with Other Security Plugins

The plugin is compatible with other WordPress security plugins, allowing you to use it in conjunction with other security measures to enhance your website's overall security.

v. Trusted Security Solution

Google Authenticator is a trusted security solution that is used by millions of people around the world. It is regularly updated to address any security vulnerabilities and is backed by Google's expertise in online security.

In summary, Google Authenticator is a powerful WordPress security plugin that adds an additional layer of security to your website through two-factor authentication. With its customizable settings, easy-to-use interface, compatibility with other security plugins, and status as a trusted security solution, this plugin is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance the security of their WordPress website.

By using these additional security plugins, you can further enhance the security of your WordPress website and protect it from a wide range of cyber threats.

Also read, Wordfence performance impact.

Conclusion

There are several free security plugins available for WordPress that can help protect your website from cyber threats. These plugins offer a range of features, including firewall protection, malware scanning, and login security, as well as other features such as activity logs and vulnerability scanning. By using one or more of these plugins, you can help ensure that your website is secure and protected from cyber attacks.