The second plugin I include on all my WordPress websites is Wordfence.

Security is the most crucial aspect of your WordPress website; without implementing strict measures, you put yourself at risk of hacking threats, downtime, and various other costly issues.

At WebFoundr, we've fortified our infrastructure to incorporate automatic DDOS protection, nightly malware scanning and removal for WordPress, but Wordfence provides an extra layer of security for your site.

Think of it like this:

When the weather is chilly, you tend to dress in layers. A shirt, fleece, jacket and perhaps some gloves.The more layers you wear, the warmer you remain.

The same principle applies to website security.

The more layers you create between your website and potential threats, the safer you will be.

Wordfence Features

You'll notice they offer a free package and a premium one. I personally just use the free one but recommend upgrading to the premium version if you find yourself needing these additional features (i.e. if you've already been hacked before).

The free version does an automatic malware scanner and also alerts you when someone logs into your wp-admin area. This is EXTREMELY helpful as it gives you peace of mind that no-one else is meddling around in your WordPress.

The web application firewall is also extremely effective at preventing brute force attacks. These can easily bring your website down if not handled properly.

How To Install Wordfence Security

The installation and configuration of Wordfence is extremely easy regardless of your online experience. If you've ever installed a plugin before, it's the same process.

1. Simply login to your wp-admin, Search for Wordfence, and click install.

Keeping WordPress Secure

99.9% of all WordPress websites that get hacked are because something was out of date. It's VERY important to login to your wp-admin area each day and make sure not only the WordPress core is updated, but also all your plugins and themes. Being proactive can save you a lot of headache and from spending unnecessary money in repairs.

Another key benefit to Wordfence is it will automatically email you when one of these items need updating. Perfect for those that don't like to login and check daily. As I mentioned above, it's the second plugin I add to all my personal websites, right behind LiteSpeed cache. 

At WebFoundr it's our goal to provide a high-speed, reliable, secure, and scalable infrastructure. By adding additional layers to your website, you help us accomplish this goal!