WordPress has always hung its hat on the simplicity it offers users when it comes to assembling a website and publishing content on the site. But what makes it especially user friendly can also make it a little more susceptible to bad-intentioned activity and what we’re talking about there is the need for website security. Most Canadian web hosting providers who offer managed WordPress hosting are going to take care of every aspect of keeping all small business websites safe from malware, cyber attacks, or whatever else it may be. Managed WordPress hosting in Montreal for business is particularly recommended, as it is for anyone who’s especially busy competing in a big city in Canada.
There will be some who are just as busy as everyone else with marketing themselves to new customers, and having a lot of the success with that when getting people pointed in the direction of their websites. But it may be that they’re still going to try to keep their operating costs low, and that’s to be admired. Secure managed WordPress hosting in Canada may be something they’ll move to in the future, but right now they’re going to wear the webmaster hat on their own. With WordPress the largest part of what type of functionality you’re going to have with your site is going to be based on plugins, and plugins for security are among the important choices.
So what we’ll do with this week’s entry is assume some of you are entirely hands-on with your site interface and not taking advantages of managed web hosting here with 4GoodHosting at this time. We’ll identify the consensus top 7 2-factor authentication plugins for WordPress admin security, and along with that some helpful information about others aspects of optimizing your WordPress business website and ensuring it’s fully secure too. We’ve covered topics similar to this before here, but this is the first time to be looking at one specific types of WordPress plugin exclusively.
Passwords Not Enough
We can start by telling you in no uncertain terms that passwords alone simply aren’t good or reliable enough to protect your website anymore. Relying not them is going to put your site at risk. Weak passwords will be easily compromised, and even the strongest credentials are vulnerable to more complex attacks and sophisticated hacking attempts.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) can make up for password shortcomings and upgrade to your security defences. When a second verification step is required with managed WordPress hosting Montreal for business it reduces the risk of unauthorized access. Fortunately there are WordPress plugins that implement 2FA to secure the sites with everything from basic SMS codes to advanced hardware keys like Yubikey and passkeys. Two-factor authentication really its the best solution and it’s well suited for accessing your site’s backend.
What it does is ask for two verifications instead of one, and this double-layered approach lowers the risk of unauthorized access since a hacker would have to go through multiple barriers simultaneously. It’s not entirely failsafe though, as a skilled hacker may still be able to get through. But what 2FA will do 90+% of the time is thwart any such attempt.
So here’s our top 7 two-factor authentication (2FA) plugins for WordPress
Shield Security Pro
Shield Security Pro gets top marks as a 2FA security plugin for WordPress business websites, and that’s because it is a full-fledged security solution. With it you’re able to set up every 2FA method imaginable – from basic options like email and SMS codes to advanced solutions like Yubikey, Google Authenticator, Passkeys, and even backup codes. It excels in offering the most complete 2FA coverage so that you have all possible methods to secure your site.
Shield Security Pro offers various other site security measures such as custom password rules, malware scanning, bad bot detection, DDoS attack protection, and a lot more, and your pricing plans start from $99 USD per year for a single site.
Two-Factor
Anyone seeking a simple, no-frills 2FA solution can consider Two-Factor. Its best attribute is Time-based one-time passwords (TOTP) via an authenticator app (like Google Authenticator).
FIDO Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) hardware security keys. Users also seems to like how you have backup codes in case users lose access to their primary authentication method, and with the action & filter hooks featured with this WordPress security plugin give your more ability customize and extend its functionality. Plus, this plugin is free and everyone likes that about it when you’re looking at secure managed WordPress hosting Canada.
Solid Security
Solid Security is a good choice too if your site needs 2-Factor Authentication security because you handle eCommerce transactions through the site. It provides strong, proactive protection to protect your WordPress website against hackers, malware, and brute force attacks, offering peace of mind 24/7. With brute force protection your plugin will be blocking malicious login attempts by automatically identifying and locking out bad users across a network of nearly 1 million sites.
You can also simplify access with magic links that let users log in without a password, and with this plugin’s Patchstack integration it’s the case that security vulnerabilities are patched before they can be exploited, and even in advance of developers release fixes. Another selling point for Solid Security is that with reCAPTCHA (Pro) the plugin prevents bots from engaging in malicious activities such as content scraping, spam, or brute force login attempts.
You have your choice of free or paid premium versions with this one and the premium starts at $99 USD per year.
Keyy
Keyy is unique among the 2FA plugins for WordPress security here in that it does away with usernames and passwords and incorporates an app-based verification system instead. It also comes with multi-factor login options and administrators are able to choose how users log into the website, offering flexibility and security options. Keyy Premium is also compatible with various third-party tools and plugins, such as WooCommerce, AffiliateWP, and Theme My Login to incorporate login forms and widgets.
Another nice feature for this one is the ability to enrol users in bulk and the ability to bypass username-password fields temporarily. Keyy operates on a freemium model, with premium plans based on the number of sites and users, and currently this starts at $39 USD per year.
miniOrange
For the widest reach and broadest scope of approaches to WordPress security via plugins miniOrange is the top option, It is a 2FA plugin offering a wide range of authentication methods to enrich the security of WordPress websites and users can choose from over 15+ two-factor authentication methods, including Google Authenticator, OTP over SMS, OTP over email, push notifications, security questions, and more. Users are prompted to set up 2FA during the enrolment process, making it mandatory for added security and LMS system compatibility with LearnDash and LifterLMS is a big plus too.
miniOrange offers different pricing plans based on the needs of individual users, sites, users, and sites. The pricing options include Personal 2FA, 2FA for LMS, 2FA for Membership, 2FA for eCommerce, and an All-Inclusive/Business plan. They also mention the availability of custom plans tailored to specific requirements.
Rublon Multi-Factor Authentication
Rublon is equally effective as the rest of the plugins for 2FA securing of a WordPress site, but it takes quite a different fundamental approach. What it does is insist on confirming the identity of users and protecting against fraudulent attempts to access data. It is a cloud-based service that can be integrated with various applications, including web, cloud, on-premise applications, VPNs, servers, and admin tools. This tool can integrate with a wide range of applications, ensuring that MFA can be applied to different software and services.
Where it also distinguishes itself is with its use of adaptive authentication: This tool supports adaptive authentication, allowing organizations to set policies for handling risk-inducing scenarios and empowering users to select different authentication methods as needed. Rublon comes with a freemium pricing model with pricing ranging from $2-$4 USD per user / month, and varying in between based on the package selected for managed WordPress hosting Montreal for business.
Wordfence
Wordfence claims the final spot on your list, but in fairness it’s an equally good choice as the rest of them here for WordPress site security plugins. It is a popular cybersecurity plugin designed to elevate the security of WordPress websites by providing a range of features and tools to protect them from various online threats, such as hacking attempts, malware, and malicious activities of other sorts.
One feature of this 2FA plugin that is especially good for users is IP blocking: Site admins can block specific IP addresses or ranges of IP addresses using Wordfence to stop malicious users or bots from accessing your site. Apparently many users also really like rate limiting, which is a similarly useful feature that limits the number of requests from a single IP address within a certain time frame to help protect against brute force attacks. Wordfence is available in both free and premium versions, with the premium version offering additional features and support, starting at $119 USD for 1 year of access.
Sold on the idea of secure managed WordPress hosting in Canada? Get in touch with us here at 4GoodHosting today.
