iThemes Security Pro is the WordPress security plugin with built-in security features and smart defaults to secure your site from malicious attacks. iThemes securely locks down WordPress, strengthens user credentials, detects file change, locks out the wrong user, makes online file comparisons and stops automated attacks.
Keeping your WordPress website secure is not an easy task for both beginners and professionals in the world of WordPress sites. It is especially crucial to have a secure website if you are an established website or an eCommerce business collecting payments through your WordPress website.
If you want to be completely worry-free, using the best WordPress Security Plugin for your website is your best option. iThemes Security Pro will therefore secure and protect your WordPress site with the best feature offerings and a good price point.
In this article, we review the iThemes Security Pro WordPress plugin features and how you can implement them on your site.
Let’s jump in!
Table of Contents
What is iThemes Security Pro?
iThemes Security Pro is the WordPress security plugin with built-in security features and smart defaults to secure your site from malicious attacks. iThemes securely locks down WordPress, strengthens user credentials, detects file change, locks out the wrong user, makes online file comparisons and stops automated attacks.
After installing the iThemes security plugin, it automatically creates a menu called Security in the WordPress administration panel. This new security module shows the recommended modules for WordPress Security Pro. iThemes Security Pro was Initially called the Better WP Security Plugin, and later renamed because of its acquisition by iThemes.
This WordPress security plugin offers both a free version and a paid version. The core functions provided by the free version are not available in any other security plugin. If you're willing to pay extra, you can get all the features included.
This plugin helps keep your site secure by blocking the IP addresses of known hackers, locking out people who fail to log in multiple times, scanning your site for malicious code, and enforcing strong passwords for user accounts.
Who is iThemes Security Pro For?
iThemes Security Pro is a premium WordPress security plugin that offers a wide range of features including anti-spam measures, spam protection, malware detection, and much more. It’s also a powerful tool for keeping your website safe from malicious attacks.
This plugin is for anyone looking to keep their website safe from malicious attacks. This includes anyone from a blogger to a business running a WordPress eCommerce website.
With this plugin, you can protect your site from hackers, spammers, and bots. It includes advanced spam filters to prevent any unwanted content from being published on your site.
Also, you can use it to block comments, trackbacks, pingbacks, and even email addresses from posting on your blog. In addition, it provides real-time alerts whenever someone tries to hack your site.
iThemes Security Features
iThemes Security Pro is a powerful security plugin for WordPress because it provides a variety of features including anti-spam protection, malware scanning, brute force protection, and much more.
It's designed to work with any WordPress site, regardless of its size or complexity.
Features Include:
- WordPress Salt and Security Keys – this feature makes it incredibly easy to update your WordPress keys and salts.
- Using two-factor authentication requires using an application called Google Authenticator to generate codes that are sent to you via email.
- User Activity Tracking, which records when users log into, log out, and edit content.
- Generate Strong Passwords, which creates strong passwords for you using your profile details.
- The Malware Scan Scheduler tool automatically checks your website for malware.
- Password expiration sets a maximum number of characters for passwords and forces users to change their passwords after a specified time.
- Google reCAPTCHA protect your website from spam bots by requiring them to solve simple puzzles before logging in or commenting.
- Import/Export Settings allows you to set up multiple WordPress sites quickly by importing settings from one site into another.
- A Dashboard widget, which allows you to easily perform essential tasks such as system scanning and user banning from the WordPress dashboard.
- A temporary privilege escalation gives a contractor temporary admin or edits access to your site that resets itself automatically.
- WP CLI integration, which helps manage your site's security from the command line.
- iThemes Sync integration allows you to manage multiple WordPress sites from one central dashboard.
- Two-factor authentications (2FA) protect the account holder’s credentials by requiring them to provide two different types of identification.
- Private ticketed support helps users get their issues resolved by support team members.
- 404 detection, which detects hidden 404 errors on your website. This security plugin allows you to specify the maximum number of 404 errors an individual IP address can receive within a specified time frame.
- Brute force protection allows you to restrict the number of times a user can attempt to log into your site using automated means.
- Detecting file change detection, which helps detect file modifications and when hackers attempt to modify files on your server.
- SSL and system tweaks help improve the site’s performance and create a secure connection on the WordPress dashboard.
The Advantages of using iThemes Security Pro
This excellent plugin has amazing features, and hence, offers a lot of advantages.
Here is what I think are the advantages of this plugin:
- An initial security check, which checks users before they can enter their websites, is a good idea because it prevents them from accessing the site if they aren't authorized.
- The free version of iThemes Security includes multiple features that help secure your site.
- Easy to use – Users of any skill can easily secure their websites using our service. It has lots of useful documentation that helps users get started and learn how to take advantage of its various functions.
- It is easy to set up. The plugin comes with a default setting options and a list of adjustment options in an easy-to-use user interface, which makes it attractive for many people because it reduces the entry barrier. You can quickly go through a list of items by clicking the "Fix It" buttons to deal with security issues.
- Advanced defense - the security plugin provides various methods for protecting WordPress from threats at different levels.
- It protects both inside and outside the site – iThemes Security Pro Plugin provides security for both logged-in and non-logged-in visitors.
- Password configuration and Salting. Includes creating strong passwords is important for securing your accounts online. A good way to help ensure that you're creating secure passwords is by using a tool called salting. Salting protects logged-in users from attacks.
The Downside of using iThemes Security Pro
- If you don't configure the WordPress iThemes Security plugin correctly, it can easily break your site, making it look ugly. If it doesn't work out, it could render your site inaccessible.
- It is a heavy plugin because it has many features and configurations. It takes up a lot of space and requires a lot of RAM. If you're running WordPress on a shared web host with 1GB or less of RAM, then I recommend not installing the plugin.
- It will slow down your website slightly and that will affect its page speed insights scores.
- You should avoid using Content Security Policy because that could break your site. If you don't know your WordPress site inside and out, if you aren't familiar with which plugins and themes load content from external sites, then applying CSP isn't recommended.
- You should also remember that iThemes Security Premium (or its free version), is not going to provide you with a web application firewall. You can use services like Cloudflare, Sucuri, and WordFence for a web application firewall (WAF).
- Some web hosts may not let you install iThemes security plugins. So, be sure to ask your web host if they will allow you to use the WordPress plugin. Usually, under-powered web hosts don't perform well with this plugin.
- Good web hosts including Kinsta, WPX, Nexcess Web Hosting, etc. will allow installing the plugin. If you sign up for Nexcess web hosting service, they’ll include the Pro Version of iThemes Security with your account.
iThemes Security Pro Plugin Pricing
iThemes Security Pro has three different pricing plans to provide security for WordPress websites. It includes features such as password protection, login verification, spam filtering, malware scanning, and much more.
These are:
- The Blogger Plan goes for $80 a year. With this plan, you can protect one website, get security updates for one year, and get support for one year.
- The Small Business Plan goes for $127 a year. With this plan, you can secure10 websites and get security updates and support for 1 year.
- The Gold Plan goes for $199 a year. With this plan, you can secure an unlimited number of websites and get security updates and support for 1 year.
You can try iThemes Security for free.
Getting Started With iThemes Security Pro
In Summary: iThemes Security Pro Review
iThemes Security is an excellent security solution for WordPress users who want to protect their websites. It’s easy to use, has lots of useful features, and is fairly affordable for its price.
iThemes Security has countless benefits. It helps you block unwanted users from accessing your site by banning them from using bots. Some low RAM and VPS hosts may not be able to handle this security solution properly. Especially if you're trying to enable advanced functions like file change detection and/or prefix changes.
You might need to edit the .htaccess file if you want to prevent people from accessing certain pages. The vulnerability scanner can also help you identify any vulnerabilities in your site by detecting 404 errors, running online file comparison checks, and locking down access to certain files.
It has some limitations but it works well enough for most people. Malware detection software sometimes misses things and fails to install properly on every site. You can deal with these risks by using additional security tools such as an anti-malware tool and backing up your information regularly.
Besides, it is important to check if your web host offers enough RAM for the features you want to use. With iThemes' Security Pro, business and personal users can securely protect their websites for free. If you're looking to improve your website security, then the premium version is the best choice.
FAQ iThemes Security Plugin
What is iThemes Security Pro?
iThemes Security Pro is the WordPress security plugin with built-in security features and smart defaults to secure your site from malicious attacks. The iThemes Security Pro plugin provides a real-time WordPress security dashboard that monitors security-related events on your site at all times.
Is iThemes Security Pro worth it?
iThemes Security Pro has certain functions like its File Change Detection features, that can slow down your site. Overall, it performs better than WordFence Premium. Just keep in mind the fact that anything that scans your files continually will consume resources.
Is iThemes Security a great plugin?
Yes, it is! There are numerous features that will force users to enforce good security measures and practices. It is meant to remove known security threats.
How do I use iThemes security?
Follow these steps to install and set up iThemes Security for enhanced security of your WordPress-powered website: Sign into your WordPress administration menu and, from the sidebar, select Plugins > Add New. Search for IThemes Security and install it, then activate the plugin.
Does iThemes Security remove malware?
f malware is found, iThemes Security Pro will be able to delete or replace the compromised files.
Is a security plugin necessary?
WordPress security plugins are very popular among the platform's users, and they can be quite helpful. At the same time, not every website needs them. In some cases, using a poorly-coded security plugin may slow down your site or add a bunch of features you don't need.
