Security
Wordfence and WordPress security, without the scare tactics
Wordfence is a security plugin for WordPress. It is useful and it is not sufficient. Both of those things are worth understanding before you rely on it.
What it is
What it actually does
- A firewall that blocks recognized attack patterns before they reach WordPress.
- A scanner that compares your files against known good versions and flags changes.
- Login protection, which limits how many times somebody can guess a password.
- Alerts when a plugin you use has a newly published vulnerability.
How it works
What it does not do
- It does not update anything for you. A vulnerable plugin stays vulnerable.
- It does not back your site up. If something gets through, the plugin is not what restores you.
- It does not protect a weak password that somebody simply guesses correctly.
- It does not help if an administrator account belongs to somebody who left the company.
What to check
The four things that actually matter
- Updates applied on a schedule, not when somebody remembers.
- Multifactor authentication on every administrator account.
- Backups stored somewhere separate from the site, tested at least once.
- Administrator accounts removed the day somebody leaves.
Worth knowing
A note on the free version
- The free version of Wordfence lags the paid one on new threat signatures by around thirty days.
- For most small business sites that is an acceptable trade. It is worth knowing rather than assuming you have the current protection.
The short version
A security plugin is a smoke alarm. Useful, and not a reason to skip the extinguisher, the exit, or the insurance.
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