BitFire Security – Firewall, Malware Scanner, Bot Blocker, Login Protection vs Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall

Your Site Deserves Real Protection You built your WordPress site to grow your business, share your ideas, or connect with your community. You shouldn’t have to become a security expert to keep it safe. BitFire stops hackers, bots, and malware automatically so you can focus on what matters: running your site. And when you have a question, a real person on our US-based support team is here to help, 12 hours a day. How BitFire Keeps You Safe Most security plugins wait until something goes wrong and then try to clean up the mess. BitFire works the other way around: it stops threats before they ever reach your site. Think of it like a lock on your front door versus a camera that records a break-in. BitFire is the lock. Our AI-powered scanner watches your files and traffic in real time, catching new threats that other plugins miss because they are still waiting for someone to write a rule for it. “Traditional firewalls allow everything by default and react to known threats. BitFire flips that: it verifies traffic first and only lets the good stuff through.” Key Features What BitFire Does For You (Free) Stops Bots Automatically Spam bots, scrapers, and scanners get blocked before they waste your server resources or fill your forms with junk. No CAPTCHAs, no puzzles for your visitors. Scans for Malware BitFire checks every file on your site against a database of over 20 million known-good files. If something does not belong, you will know about it. Shows You Who is Visiting See every request to your site in real time: where visitors are from, what browser they are using, and whether they are a real person or a bot. No more guessing. Protects Your Login Page Brute-force attacks, password stuffing, and login bots are stopped cold. Your admin area stays locked down. Tells Real People from Fake Browsers BitFire verifies visitors with 99.7% accuracy, 50 times faster than Cloudflare’s challenge pages. Real visitors never notice. Bots get stopped instantly. Blocks Known Bad Actors Over 300,000 known malicious IPs are blocked before they can even connect to your site. What You Get with BitFire Pro Everything in Free, plus the protections that stop even zero-day attacks on vulnerable plugins and themes: Runtime Protection (RASP) BitFire is the only WordPress security plugin with Runtime Application Self Protection. It watches what your plugins and themes are actually doing and stops anything suspicious: A plugin tries to create a secret admin account? Blocked. Malware tries to edit your PHP files? Blocked. A hacked plugin tries to phone home to a malware server? Blocked. Code tries to redirect your visitors to a scam site? Blocked. BitFire has blocked 100% of critical WordPress zero-day vulnerabilities since 2022, with zero new rules required. A+ Rated Web Application Firewall Independent testing by Cloudbric rated BitFire’s WAF at 94% (A+). See how that compares: BitFire [PRO]: 94% (A+) Ninja Firewall [PRO]: 67% (D) WordFence [PRO]: 41% (D) MalCare [PRO]: 34% (F) iThemes Security: 2% (F) Shield Security [PRO]: 2% (F) SiteGround Security: 2% (F) View the full independent test results at Cloudbric Labs AI-Powered Malware Analysis When the scanner finds something suspicious, BitFire’s AI analyzes it in real time to determine if it is actually malicious or just unusual code. Pro users get results in about 2 minutes. Free users can submit files for batch analysis. Automatic Security Headers BitFire learns which domains your site uses (Google Fonts, your CDN, analytics, etc.) and automatically sets up Content Security Policy headers that earn an A+ rating. This protects your visitors from cross-site scripting and redirect attacks without you having to configure a thing. 30 Days of Traffic History Look back through a full month of traffic data to investigate issues, spot patterns, or just understand how your site is being used. Real Human Support This is what makes BitFire different from the big-name security plugins: when you need help, you talk to a real person. Our US-based support team is available 12 hours a day. No ticket queues that take days. No chatbots. No copy-paste answers. Just experienced people who will make sure your site is secure. Whether you need help with setup, have a question about a block, or want someone to look at a suspicious file, we are here. Pricing Free $0 forever. Bot blocking, malware scanning, login protection, and real-time traffic monitoring. Everything you need to stop the vast majority of automated attacks. Pro – Single Site $60/year. Full RASP protection, A+ rated WAF, AI malware analysis, 30-day logs, and priority human support. Pro – Multi-Site Volume Pricing Managing multiple sites? The more you protect, the less you pay: 2-4 sites: $50/site per year 5-9 sites: $45/site per year 10-24 sites: $35/site per year 25-49 sites: $25/site per year 50+ sites: $20/site per year Volume pricing is perfect for freelancers, agencies, and anyone managing WordPress sites for clients. Contact us for volume licensing. How BitFire Compares BitFire vs WordFence WordFence is a solid product with a large team writing custom rules for known vulnerabilities. But there are two things you should know: Free WordFence delays protection by 30 days. When a new vulnerability is found, paying WordFence customers get the fix immediately. Free users wait a full month. If your site is vulnerable, it will almost certainly be attacked before the free patch arrives. WordFence relies on knowing about attacks in advance. With over 10,000 known WordPress vulnerabilities and fewer than 200 signatures, they simply cannot cover everything. BitFire’s RASP does not need to know about an attack in advance. It watches what code is actually doing and stops anything malicious, even brand-new attacks nobody has seen before. Whatever security solution you use – we strongly recommend only using the paid version for all important work. Read the detailed BitFire vs WordFence comparison Why Do Other Plugins Focus So Much on Cleaning Up Malware? Good question. Notice how much other security plugins charge for malware removal and how much of their marketing is about finding infections? A security plugin that does its job well should not need to clean malware off your site very often. If a plugin spends most of its energy on cleanup, that tells you something about how well it prevents attacks in the first place. BitFire focuses on keeping malware off your site so you do not need to pay someone to remove it. Privacy / Monitoring / Data Collection We take your privacy seriously. Here is exactly what BitFire does with data: Traffic inspection. BitFire inspects web traffic to your site to identify threats. Sensitive data like passwords and credit card numbers is automatically replaced with redacted in logs. You can add additional fields to filter in the settings. Error reporting. If BitFire encounters a software error, it can send a report to our development team so we can fix it in the next release. No visitor data is included in these reports. Malware hash checking. BitFire sends tiny numeric fingerprints (64-bit hashes) of your files to our hash server to check them against our database of known-good files. For example, a file might hash to the number 812612388126487. We never see your actual file contents, and your hashes are never stored on our servers. Local data storage. All log data and configuration files are stored locally on your server in a hidden, randomly-named directory under wp-content/uploads/. This directory is protected by an .htaccess file and is not accessible from the web. =trunk/views/hashes_v2.html= Changelog == 5.1.5 Bots impersonating crawlers (bing, meta, google, etc) are not blocked for simple unrestricted GET requests Added daily fetch data for supplemental crawler dns / cidr lists Improved server IP address detection for allowing local server loop back calls Added plugin inventory hiding to malware detection capabilities Malware detections for plugins missing valid headers / plugin scripts Malware detections for plugins with random identifiers in them Improved logging of xmlrpc requests – now records list of method names – not raw xml Added ability to allow users to delete / restore entire plugins if they are only malware (not official plugins with strong malware signals) Binary files are excluded from malware diffs now Reduced false positives for SQL injection Bot Control panel links to dashboard filter user agents better AI verdict results are now stored for future reference Fix deprecation warning for http response headers on PHP 8.5 Removed dependency on filter_var extension Added expert opinion check allowing admins to request a review of potential malware samples by BitFire staff 5.1.4 Fixed an issue that could allow some admin-ajax requests to recieve a browser challenge for the logged in admin on first install Added additional filtering to cover unknown authorization values, provider keys, and hexadecimal tokens in log storage Added daily updated list of allowed network ranges for core web and AI crawers Improved chaching of DNS lookups for core web bots Added additional bot telemetry gating for bitfire core enable flag 5.1.3 fixed an issue with bot triage recomendations that could generate fatal errors on some host in a background task 5.1.1 Added traffic percent blocking for large sites to sample blocking behavior before fully commiting Increased free AI usage credits from 10 to 12 Improved bot/browser verification compatibility with ModSecurity Added buttons for allowing traffic on the dashboard Fixed an issue that was blocking obviously malicious bots even when bot whitelist setting was not enabled Added reasonable limit for max malware file size to prevent resource exchaustion on servers with very large files Expanded bot source and threat intel data Older versions could label some woocommerce user-agents that were completely random as Improved detection of when to load wordpress vs when to inspect early Bots can be configured directly from the dahboard by clicking on their link to the bot control page False positives can now have execptions added on the dashboard with a single button click AI Malware change for OpenAI compliance – previous versions will no longer support AI analysis Threat hunter content scanner reduced false positiveso Basic harending (size limits, shape constraints) for inputs, moved some requests to POST Expanded learning to support sites that accept POSTs from off site for validated web browsers Bot triage moves from hourly to every 3 hours Expanded runtime protection to ensure environemnt loaded successfull before registering wordpress hooks Improved malware input tainting tracing which detects additional potential malware, reduced false positives Added an exclude list of allowed files in the root for the malware scanner Bots who have been repeat visitors with an AI recomendation different different than current mode now show up on to_review tab 5.1.0 Reduced false positvies for malware scan Improved AI scan results with greatly reduced false positives Implemented quarantine restore for deleted malware files in case of site breakage with Add quarantine restore in case core files are deleted from malware cleanup using new mu-plugin error handler bitfire.php Improved RASP compatibility with fewer exceptions UI improvements Add quick links to wafer firewall scan and securityheaders.com tests Hardening for bot domain verification Improved UI browser and bot icons Support auto-updating BitFire PRO plugin Improved fallbacks for caching Minor refactoring to improve AI analysis of codebase Added special handling for servers with low available memory (< 10MB) Added support for servers that have getmypid() disabled 5.0.9 Add security posture to settings page Improved bot identification Improved loading order decreases block time Multi-Site support! Few bug fixes Fixed an issue with support for PHP 7.4 Links to header and WAF 3rd party verification checks on settings page Display hardening for malformed malware Fix for header signatures on 32bit systems 5.0.0 New AI-powered malware analysis for suspicious files Reduced Pro pricing to $60/year with volume discounts Improved malware scanner performance and accuracy Updated bot and browser fingerprint databases Improved dashboard and settings UI 4.8.3 Fix an issue that could reset the configuration on upgrade 4.8.2 Improvements to the malware scanning UI Fixes for downloading non-PHP files Additional guards to handle corner cases 4.8.0 Improved malware detection and reduced false positives Added 3 new file hash servers in US, DE, and KR Added support for checking for backups and files that could contain sensitive data New daily/weekly status emails Added daily malware scan scheduling Various stability and configuration improvements 4.7.4 Improved dashboard messaging for IP and user-agent blocking Fixed toggle behavior on the exceptions page Fixed deprecation warnings Fixed an issue that could prevent uploading plugins when bot blocking was enabled 4.7.3 Initial WP-CLI support: review logs, check metrics, manage blocks Configuration file reliability improvements PHP 8.3 compatibility fix 4.7.2 Improved traffic monitoring and logging Added “Fake Browser” detection badges Added DoS protection for rate-limited IPs New traffic filter keywords: BLOCKED, RESTRICTED, ADMIN, LOGINS, and more Added email notifications for server health Performance improvements across the board 4.7.0 Added AI verification framework for block accuracy Reduced server communication timeout for faster responses Additional blocking class types for exclusions PHP 8.4 compatibility Updated Google, Bing, and Cloudflare IP lists 4.6.1 Improved dashboard log searching Fixed a rare memory issue with log writing 4.6 Moved configuration and log storage to a more secure location Added .htaccess protection for data directories Resolved several minor PHP warnings 4.5 Fixed filtering on blocked requests Fixed handling of malformed file uploads Added additional browser support 4.4.9 Major quality and performance improvements Daily report emails Complete rewrite of caching and statistics Full support for cached websites (Cloudflare, etc.) Log up to 30 days and 2 million requests per month 4.0.1 Major overhaul of browser and bot detection Added 180+ browsers and 300+ browser icons Switched to high-performance binary log format Added commercial IP reputation database with 300K+ abusive IPs Simplified user interface

Keep your sites safe from hackers, brute force attacks and malware with Defender, your easy-to-set-up, enterprise-level security plugin. With Defender, you can rely on the protection of a firewall, one-click hardening and 2FA, without having to be a cybersecurity expert. As hackers continue to evolve, you know you need to stay on top of your site’s security. But you don’t have the time to learn to code, stay abreast of every emerging threat, or apply complicated technical settings. Defender is here to give you the powerful security tools you need, without the technical headaches. Trusted by over 1 million WordPress users, this plugin works immediately with no confusing setup. Just activate Defender and let it handle the rest! Trusted by 1+ Million Sites | 4.8/5 Star Rating Defender makes it easy to: Run on-demand malware scans to find suspicious files and code Block malicious IPs with a global firewall Enforce strong passwords, 2FA, and login limits Apply recommended hardening settings in one click Get clear reports that show what needs attention Protect against compromised passwords before they are used on your site Free Malware Scanner: Stop security threats before they harm your site If your site has been infected by malware, this malicious code can cause a lot of damage before you even realize it’s there. Hackers use malware, often hidden in themes, extensions and plugins, to steal personal data, encrypt files for ransom, or spy on your activity. Defender gives you a highly-effective yet easy-to-use malware scanner that runs deep diagnostics across your entire site, making sure no malware is lurking in the shadows. Defender will scan your site for: Files that have changed unexpectedly: The scan will compare all core files and extensions against the official WordPress repository and flag any modifications or rogue additions instantly. Known vulnerabilities: Defender will check verified exploit registries to catch any security gaps in your active themes, plugins and core version, and help you fix them before they can be targeted. Suspicious code: By continually checking your server files, Defender will spot any potential code injections or backdoors, a common way bad actors try to gain access to your site. Outdated & removed plugins: Plugins that have been delisted from the repository or have not been updated in over two years become a significant risk to your site’s integrity. Defender flags these weak spots before they can cause a problem. AntiBot Global Firewall: Block harmful IPs with data from over 750,000 sites Put the collective threat intelligence of a massive network to work for your site. Powered by real-time threat data from over 750,000+ sites, the free AntiBot Global Firewall automatically blocks harmful traffic and spam bots with a single click. When any site on our network flags a threat, all other sites get protected too. It’s like having a bouncer for your website. If an IP is on the blocklist (updated every 12 hours), they’re not getting in! The most important part is, you’ll be in complete control. User-friendly setup: Defender Pro gives you AntiBot on every site you connect, regardless of where they’re hosted. Just flip the switch and it’ll start working so efficiently you won’t even notice it’s there. Choose your security level: Basic Mode offers balanced, everyday protection, while Strict Mode offers tighter security that blocks even the slightest suspicious activity. Manage IPs in The Hub: Manually block specific IPs, apply blocklists and allowlists across all sites, implement Geo IP blocking and configure everything from one central dashboard. Want to see AntiBot in action? You can click here to get a real-time look at the malicious IPs and suspicious requests it’s detected and blocked in the last 24 hours. Firewall Security & IP Management: Take control over your site’s traffic Defender’s advanced Web Application Firewall (WAF) makes it easy to lock out hackers, scrapers, and malicious bots without touching a single line of code. Advanced IP Lockouts: Manually block specific IPs, import custom blocklists, or set automated timed and permanent lockouts for repeat offenders. Geo IP Blocking: Instantly ban traffic from specific countries or geographic locations with a single click. User Agent Banning: Instantly block spam and scrapers using built-in bad bot presets. We automatically allowlist major search engines to protect your SEO. Malicious Bot Detector: Deploy layered defenses to trap aggressive bots that ignore your robots.txt rules and catch fake crawlers impersonating legitimate search engines. Login Security & 2FA: Prevent unauthorized access Make sure the only users logging into your WordPress site are the ones you actually want. Defender can protect your sites from unauthorized access or brute force attacks with sophisticated login security features. These features keep your site safe from malicious logins, while still ensuring legitimate users can log in easily. Hide Login URL: Change the location of WordPress’s default login area, making it harder for automated bots to find and more convenient for your users. Session Security: Protect your site from session hijacking, preventing attackers from stealing session tokens to impersonate users and gain unauthorized access to your website. Smart Password Rules: Enforce strong passwords for new registrations, automatically block compromised credentials using a public “pwned” passwords database, limit login attempts so hackers can’t guess passwords, and force a site-wide password reset upon the next login if you suspect a security breach. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of protection and security to your WordPress sites to prevent brute force attacks and login security vulnerabilities. Defender’s two-factor authentication (2FA) features include plenty of ways to verify logins, from mobile app verification (Google Authenticator, Authy) to Biometric Authentication (fingerprint/facial recognition) to Hardware Key Authentication (USB security keys.) Plus, built-in backup code generation, lost device emails and WooCommerce 2FA. Security Hardening: Apply recommended settings with a single click WordPress security hardening is all about adding multiple layers of protection to your website, to reduce your risk of attacks and unauthorized access. Defender makes it easy to do this, with 12 recommended hardening settings you can apply with one click. For example, Defender’s hardening settings include: Disabling the file editor to stop internal tampering Updating outdated security keys Hiding PHP error reporting on the frontend Adding advanced security headers (XSS protection, Strict Transport, etc.) Disabling trackbacks and pingbacks to prevent spam Automated Defenses: Protect your entire site, on autopilot You’ve got a lot to handle while running your business, wouldn’t it be nice if security was something you could set and forget? Learn more about Defender Pro. With Defender, you can put your security on autopilot. It’ll be working around the clock with hands-off, automated defenses that run seamlessly in the background to keep intruders out and your data safe. Here’s what Defender will be doing while you work on other things: Performing scheduled scans for issues: Set up regular scans that look for malicious code, suspicious code injections, vulnerabilities, abandoned plugins, and missing hardening recommendations. Creating automated security reports: Stay informed with health updates and immediate threat summaries delivered directly to your inbox. Keeping audit logs: Defender logs key site activity — logins, user changes, plugin and theme updates, content edits, and settings changes — so you can track what happened and when. Why choose Defender? There are plenty of WordPress security plugins out there, but many make it needlessly complicated to protect your site. Defender keeps the essentials simple. You can scan for malware, block harmful traffic, strengthen login security, and harden your site from one plugin, without digging through confusing technical options. It’s built specifically for WordPress, trusted across the WPMU DEV ecosystem, and designed to help you protect your site without slowing down your work. With Defender, you get: Security trusted by over 1 million WordPress users Protection built specifically for WordPress vulnerabilities Regular updates and threat intelligence improvements Malware scanning, firewall protection, and login security in one plugin Support from the award-winning WPMU DEV team So you get serious WordPress security, without the overwhelming setup. Built for speed and security A security plugin should protect your site without getting in the way. Defender is built to stop threats before they waste your server resources, with lightweight protection that runs quietly in the background. With Defender, you can: Detect and limit 404 bots before they drain server resources Run malware scans without overloading your CPU Keep your site protected without adding performance drag So you get the security your site needs, without making visitors wait for it. Works with your existing setup You shouldn’t have to change your plugins, tools or workflow just to secure your site. Defender works smoothly with your current WordPress setup. With Defender, you can: Protect WooCommerce, BuddyPress, and sites built with major page builders Apply saved security configs across multiple sites in a few clicks Enable and configure protection alongside your favorite plugins So you get the security your site needs, without getting in the way of the plugins, tools, and workflows you already rely on. Get started in minutes Defender works as soon as you activate it. Install the plugin, run your first malware scan, enable your firewall, strengthen login security, and apply recommended hardening settings in just a few clicks. Defender shows you what needs attention, so you can lock down your site without editing code or guessing which settings matter. Just install Defender, switch on the protections you need, and let it handle the rest. About Us WPMU DEV is a premium supplier of quality WordPress plugins and themes. For premium support with any WordPress-related issues you can join us here: https://wpmudev.com/ Don’t forget to stay up to date on everything WordPress from the Internet’s number one resource: WPMU DEV Blog Hey, one more thing… we hope you enjoy our free offerings as much as we’ve loved making them for you!