5 Best WordPress Firewalls and benefits of firewall
More people than ever now depend on the internet for work, shopping, education, leisure, and accessing essential services. However, people are increasingly becoming worried about risks associated with using the internet, such as privacy and attacks from malicious applications that may result in loss of money. Although web hosts and businesses who depend on the internet for survival prioritize security, they must constantly deal with malicious attacks from hackers, spammers, and rogue government agents.
Maintaining the security of a website or any other web-based application involves constantly monitoring systems and network suspicious code and actions of users on the network. Such operations can be monotonous and daunting for human beings, and it is difficult for anyone to do it with the highest level of accuracy it demands. Firewalls come in handy in this regard.
What is WordPress Firewall?
A firewall is like a door lock that keeps thieves and unwelcome guests away. In this case, it keeps your website from malicious attacks from hackers and prevents users on your website from spiteful actions ( commonly known as spamming). A firewall helps to scan website traffic for malware bots and suspicious activities from website users depending on set filters. Once any harmful code or action is selected, the firewall neutralizes it immediately.
Types of firewalls
There are several firewalls on the market; depending on the purpose for which a firewall was developed, it is either in software or hardware. WordPress firewalls are under the software category. Some of the common types of firewalls include:
1. Web Application Firewall (commonly referred to as WAF). It is developed specifically to protect web-based applications from harmful programs. They monitor incoming traffic for suspicious activity and harmful programs. It also helps to prevent data theft. WAF can either be software or come in the form of a device.
2. Network Address Translation or NAT firewall. The NAT firewall often keeps private networks safe and free from intruders. It can be installed on the router and set to only allow network access for special devices. This is how most organizations protect their wifi networks.
3. Next-Generation firewalls. It comes in the form of hardware or software. NGFW is more powerful than typical firewalls; they provide more advanced features such as the ability to inspect or scan encrypted traffic and perform deep packet inspection compared to your standard firewall.
Regarding WordPress websites, plugin-based firewalls can be installed from your dashboard. You install and activate it the same way you do other plugins. Once the plugin is installed, you can configure it accordingly.
How to install a WordPress Firefall plugin
On the left sidebar of your dashboard, click on the Plugins tab. On the drop-down menu, select add new. You should receive a page with several plugins. In the search box, type the name of the firewall plugin you want to install. The search result will return several plugins; select the one you were looking for by clicking the “Install Now” tab. After it has been installed, click activate to make it functional.
Why do you need a WordPress firewall?
Helps in monitoring both incoming and outgoing traffic for Malware. As a result, your website is protected from attacks, but hackers and your users can rest assured that their data is safe.
It also helps to keep the website from spammers. The comment section of the website is an attractive space for spammers. You can set your firewall to monitor and prevent suspicious activities by users on your website.
Cyber attacks such as SQL injections, XSS, DDoS attacks, and man in the middle can lead to data theft and, in worst cases, take down your website. As a result, you’ll lose money and customer confidence.
Here are some of the best WordPress firewalls on the market
Cloudflare
Cloudflare helps to do more than optimize your website for speed and performance; it also helps to secure websites from security breaches. The Cloudflare plugin for WordPress provides a layer of protection over your website. It is a DNS (Domain Network Systems) firewall. Once installed and configured on your website, all traffic to your website is channeled through the Cloudflare network, thereby protecting you from cyber attacks. This process also enhances the performance of your website.
Important features of Cloudflare
- DDoS (distributed denial of service) protection. The Pro plan is limited to only layer three attacks; upgrade your package for more advanced DDoS protection.
- Powerful CDN (content delivery network) cache features
Pros of Cloudflare
It offers protection against malicious attacks and also improves website speed.
Jetpack
Most WordPress website owners and developers know Jetpack as a powerful tool. However, it also has incredible security features that can prevent harmful traffic. The free version has limited features; if you require solid protection and advanced backup features, you must upgrade to a premium plan.
Important features of Jetpack
- The malware scanning feature helps to monitor your incoming and outgoing traffic for attacks.
- Vulnerability detection detects malicious codes and suspicious activities
Pros of Jetpack
It offers security and powerful backup features
Sucuri
After it has been installed and activated on your website, Sucuri protects it from dangerous attacks by directing all traffic to your website through the firewall and only allowing traffic from secure sources. This is a DNS (Domain Name System)
Important features of Sucuri
- It keeps daily logs of tasks performed. This data is essential for determining critical security loopholes.
- Sucuri offers 24/7 support for premium customers
Pros of Sucuri
- It monitors your website for harmful programs and prevents attacks
- Stellar customer service; you get help fast any time of the day
Ninja Firewall
for a free plugin, Ninja firewall is incredible. Works as a barrier between your website and dangerous attacks. It monitors traffic to your website and stops destructive bots before they can reach your server.
Important features of Ninja Firewall
- Tracks daily tasks and furnish you with details of each activity
- Scans files for suspicious scripts
Pros of Ninja Firewall
- The free version offers essential features necessary for basic website protection.
Wordfence
This is a powerful free website security tool. Although Wordfence cannot stop dangerous requests from accessing your server, it prevents it from accessing or loading your web pages. It is an application-based firewall.
Important features of Wordfence
- Malware scans can be done manually or scheduled
- Monitors files for malicious packets
Pros of Wordfence
- The free version offers services that can adequately serve websites with less traffic.
Conclusion
Even as technology advances and more sophisticated systems are developed to monitor and protect websites, hackers and any other forms of internet criminals are not sleeping. There is advanced Malware that can break through basic firewalls. Depending on the needs of your website, you must invest in the best firewall your operational costs can permit. Otherwise, you risk losing a lot in case of a security breach.
