A while back, I started using WPMUDEV’s Defender Pro plugin for security on all my WordPress sites. I made a decision this week to switch to WordFence. The conversation was forced on me, because I had a site using Defender Pro that was hacked. I do not blame Defender Pro for the hack, however, this hacking incident caused me to re-think my WordPress security strategy a bit.
Almost all of my sites utilize a server-based Web Application Firewall – the site that was hacked does not, as it’s on a different infrastructure from the others. Put simply: WordFence has a Web Application Firewall (WAF) built into the plugin, whereas Defender Pro does not. I don’t know for a fact that the WordFence WAF would have protected me in this case, but it’s very possible it would have saved the day.
For the record, Defender Pro does a fine job of scanning your site for hacked files – in fact, their scans are very comparable to WordFence’s scans. But Defender Pro does not proactively protect your site from malicious folks in real time. Since this most-recent hack, I even upgraded all my sites that do not have a WAF to the WordFence paid tier, which provides some additional real-time checks to keep the bad guys out of the site.
From Toby’s Blog
- Fortify Your WordPress Site: Essential Security StepsSecuring your WordPress site is a critical component of maintaining your online presence and safeguarding your data. Security is no longer a luxury, it has become a necessity in today’s digital world, where threats are lurking at every corner. This piece dives deep into WordPress security basics, giving you a comprehensive understanding of common vulnerabilities…
- Master Your Site: Customizing WordPress ThemesJust as a house is more than bricks and mortar, a WordPress site is much more than simple code. It’s a cohesive structure built with various layers such as PHP, HTML, CSS, and other key elements. Customizing WordPress themes involves gaining an in-depth understanding of this structure, learning to inspect and adjust design elements with…
- Mastering WordPress Basics for Beginners within HoursWelcome to the world of WordPress, a widely used Content Management System (CMS) that powers millions of websites worldwide. Being immensely flexible and user-friendly, WordPress offers an endless scope to create, manage, and customize your website according to your needs and preferences. In this segment, we attempt to introduce you to the basics of WordPress,…
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