The website is the modern business’s strongest weapon for taking on the competition. A robust online presence is a powerful marketing tool that’s sure to net you new clients, and WordPress is a popular platform for the job.
WordPress is both powerful and flexible enough to be the top choice of individual bloggers and entire companies alike. Chances are, whether you run a bake shop or a law firm, you’ll want to use WordPress.
But if you operate in an industry where security is paramount, such as law, you have to understand the importance of digital security for your WordPress site. Your site includes sensitive information from clients, and installing security plugins helps protect customer information and build trust with your clientele.
What Are Plugins?
WordPress on its own is a powerful general purpose platform for businesses, but how do you make your site specific to your industry? That’s where plugins come in. Plugins enable specific features for your site that make it more suitable to the field of law.
Plugins typically come from third-party developers who found untapped demand for certain website functionalities in WordPress. Jobs like search engine optimization and social media integration are common applications of plugins.
It’s worth noting that, in addition to finding the right security plugins, you also have to keep your WordPress site and plugins updated to the latest version. Out-of-date tools are a point of vulnerability for many businesses, so set up automatic updates if you can.
Our 10 Must-Have Security Plugin Recommendations
1. All In One WP Security & Firewall
As its name suggests, the All In One WP Security & Firewall plugin is packed with features, including:
- User account protection
- Failed login attempt tracking
- File security
- Database protection
Best of all, it’s free of charge, and you still get customer support and an easy-to-use interface with visuals and graphics.
2. BulletProof Security
BulletProof Security is definitely not for the beginner. It’s not too user-friendly, but WordPress experts will love the high-end functions, such as:
- Malware quarantine
- Spam protection
- Login monitoring
- Database backups
- Email alerts
For a one-time payment, you can gain access to these features and constant updates from the developers. If you find it not to your liking, there’s a 30-day money back guarantee.
3. iThemes Security
iThemes Security Pro boasts of its “more than 30 ways to protect your site from attacks.” It lives up to the advertising too, as it includes scans for plugin vulnerabilities, out-of-date software, and weak passwords.
The optional premium upgrade gives you prioritized support, a year of free plugin updates, and support for more than one website. iThemes is a great plugin in general, though many features are locked behind the paywall.
4. Jetpack
Made by the developers of WordPress itself, Jetpack has you covered when it comes to spam protection and brute force login attempts. Like iThemes, however, most of the functionality is hidden behind a paywall. If you make the investment, you will receive malware scanning and automatic website backups among others.
5. SecuPress
The SecuPress WordPress plugin comes with all the standard functions of a security suite. Some of the bells and whistles are here too:
- Blocking suspicious IP addresses
- Firewall
- Vulnerable plugin detection
- Security reports sent to your email
Try it out now to get started scanning your WordPress website today.
6. Security Ninja
Security Ninja has been running for over half a decade and specializes in security tests. For instance, it finds weak passwords and educates users on digital security. If you don’t have much technical knowledge, you will appreciate Security Ninja’s automatic fixer.
7. SiteLock Security
The SiteLock Security plugin monitors your site and alerts you to any threats it finds. It also includes payment protection in case your clients need to make transactions. While it costs around $80 a year, it’s well worth it if you’re serious about protecting your clients’ privacy.
8. Sucuri
Attempting to break into your account is a common vector for a cyberattack. While WordPress limits the number of password attempts you can make, Sucuri will alert you whenever it detects several failed login attempts. It will also send an email alert every time someone logs in and makes changes.
There’s a premium version too with more robust customer service, scanning options, and advanced DDoS protection. We think the free version is nonetheless sufficient for most law firms.
9. Wordfence Security
Wordfence Security is a simple yet powerful plugin and is one of the most popular ones for WordPress security. The free feature set boasts:
- Login security
- Incident recovery tools
- Traffic and hack attempt monitoring
- Comment spam filter
- Firewall protection
Opting for the premium offering lets you protect multiple websites at a time, but the free version is enough if you just need one website protected.
10. WP fail2ban
WP fail2ban focuses mainly on brute force attacks, and it does the job better than any other plugin we’ve looked at. The tool documents all login attempts and gives the user the option of a soft or hard ban accordingly. The plugin is completely free to use and has great user reviews.
Honorable Mentions
Let’s end on a few nice-to-haves. These plugins are worth a look if you’re really serious about WordPress security for your law firm.
Backup Buddy
Your worst nightmare as a business is to lose your website somehow. To avoid a costly accident, BackupBuddy backs up your whole website to the cloud.
Google Authenticator
Many security plugins don’t include 2-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA makes your login more robust. In addition to your password, it adds a second layer of security in the form of a push notification to your smartphone. Google Authenticator is free to use and is essential in case your password is compromised.
Improve Your Security Posture in WordPress
And there you have it, ten of the best WordPress security plugins. Choose any of these plugins and you’ll be way ahead of the pack when it comes to security.
Let us know which ones you end up using, and feel free to share any of your personal favorites that we may have missed.
