10 Best WordPress Malware Scanner Plugins

Here are the top and best WordPress malware scanner plugins, to keep your website safe from digital harm:

1. Wordfence Security

Wordfence Security is a malware scanner plugin used for malware scanning and known for providing firewall features. It provides users with detailed security reports about their website to keep it safe from cyber attacks.

• Key Features
  • Malware scanning: Regularly checks the website for malicious code like viruses, worms, and sneaky ways for hackers to get in
  • Login security: It provides security features like two-factor authentication and login limits to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Security Alerts: Wordfence sends you email notifications whenever it detects suspicious activity on your website. This allows you to take quick action to address any potential security threats
  • Web Application Firewall: It comes with a built-in firewall that always looks out for suspicious traffic and blocks it before it reaches the site. Many common attacks occur like SQL injection and cross-site scripting, to prevent those from happening it constantly updates itself with the latest security rules.
• Pros
  • Comprehensive security suite with features beyond malware scanning.
  • Powerful firewall, login security features, and website monitoring.
  • Free plan available.
• Cons
  • The free plan has limitations (e.g., no real-time blocking).
  • Premium plans can be expensive for smaller websites.

2. Sucuri Security

Sucuri Security is that provides malware scanning and removal features. It provides website monitoring, malware cleanup and website firewall to protect against cyber threats.

• Key Features
  • Continuous Website Monitoring: Sucuri keeps a watchful eye on your website 24/7. It looks for changes in the files to identify malware, its premium option comes with a firewall installed that can block malware attacks.
  • Malware Scanning and Removal: Sucuri scans your website for malware infections. The free plan identifies threats, and in some cases, even removes them. Premium plans offer additional support for more complex situations.
  • Security Alerts: Sucuri sends notifications for suspicious activity like failed login attempts or malware detections. You stay informed about the potential issues that can be caused and stop them before causing any damage.
  • Security Hardening: Sucuri offers recommendations and tools to strengthen your website’s security posture. This can include measures like disabling unnecessary features and changing security permissions.
• Pros
  • Stellar reputation for website security.
  • In-depth malware detection and website hardening recommendations.
  • Free plan available.
• Cons
  • Limited features in the free plan.
  • Paid plans can be costly for individual users

3. MalCare

MalCare is a malware scanner plugin, it comes with automatic daily scans, one-click malware removal, and a firewall for proactive protection against security threats.

• Key Features
  • Automated Malware Removal: MalCare helps by automatically getting rid of harmful software on website. It finds and deletes these harmful programs on its own saving users time.
  • Continuous Malware Scanning: MalCare scans the website for malware and vulnerabilities 24×7. This continuous monitoring helps identify threats before they can cause any damage.
  • Improved Website Performance: MalCare cleans up unnecessary code and files left behind by malware, optimizing your website’s performance. This results in faster loading times for your visitors.
  • Free Uptime Monitoring: MalCare’s free plan provides uptime monitoring meaning users will get notifications if the website goes down, so you can fix any problems fast.
• Pros
  • Real-time website monitoring for continuous protection.
  • Daily automatic backups to restore your website in case of infection.
  • User-friendly interface with clear reporting.
• Cons
  • Lacks some features of broader security suites (e.g., website hardening).
  • Primarily focused on malware, so additional security measures may be needed.

4. Jetpack Scan

Jetpack Scan is a security feature that comes with the Jetpack plugin for WordPress websites. It checks the websites for finding any malware and reports it to the user making it easier to find and get rid of viruses on their websites.

• Key Features
  • Security Scanning: Jetpack Scan finds security problems in the WordPress website of the user. It looks for old plugins and themes,and common security issues.
  • Automated Threat Detection: Jetpack Scan also does automatic checks on the website regularly that helps find issues before they can be taken advantage of by the attackers.
  • Real-time Malware Monitoring (Premium): The paid version of Jetpack Scan keeps checking the website 24×7 for any bad stuff like viruses. It gives you more safety because it’s always checking for any harmful things happening on your site
  • Simple Cleanup Tools: Jetpack Scan provides tools to help you fix security issues identified during scans. In some cases, it can even perform automated fixes (availability depends on the specific issue).
• Pros
  • Convenient for existing Jetpack users.
  • Basic malware scanning and security features.
  • Free plan available.
• Cons
  • Limited functionality in the free plan.
  • Malware detection capabilities may not be as robust as some competitors.

5. All-In-One Security (AIOS)

All-In-One Security (AIOS) is a WordPress plugin made for improving the website security. It provides customizable security settings and regular security audits to detect and remove malware.

• Key Features
  • Login Lockdown: AIOS helps prevent unauthorized access to your WordPress site by implementing login security measures. This can include features like limiting login attempts, blocking suspicious users, and requiring strong passwords.
  • Firewall Protection: AIOS acts as a shield against malicious traffic by filtering incoming requests. It uses real-time firewall rules and blacklists to block known threats and vulnerabilities.
  • Malware Scanning and Monitoring: AIOS scans your website for malware infections and vulnerabilities. It checks core files, themes, and plugins regularly, and can even schedule automatic cleanups (premium plans).
  • Content Security: AIOS helps protect your website content from various attacks. This can include features like preventing comment spam, stopping malicious code injection attempts, and blocking unauthorized file modifications.
• Pros
  • Good balance of features for the price.
  • Includes malware scanning, firewalls, and login security.
  • AIOS comes with both free and premium plans.
• Cons
  • Free plan may not be sufficient for complex websites.
  • Advanced features require upgrading to premium plans.

6. Defender Security

Defender Security is a WordPress malware scanner plugin . It offers features such as malware scanning, firewall protection, login protection, IP blocking, and security hardening to prevent common security threats.

• Key Features
  • File Integrity Monitoring: Defender Security constantly checks your WordPress core files for modifications and unexpected changes. This can help catch not just malware uploads, but also potential tampering by attackers.
  • Focus on User-friendliness: Defender Security aims for simplicity. Features like one-click file restoration from known good backups make it easier to address security issues even for non-technical users.
  • Free vs. Pro Nuances: Upgrading to Pro unlocks features like scanning plugins, themes, and the entire website for suspicious code. Additionally, scheduled scanning and the latest malware signatures are reserved for Pro users.
  • Potential Drawbacks:Defender Security can flag certain customization code or files from other security plugins as suspicious, leading to confusion. Additionally, the free version might not catch the newest malware variants as quickly as some competitors.

• Pros
  • Well-rounded security solution with malware scanning, firewalls, and security audits.
  • Free and premium plans available.
• Cons
  • Free plan has limitations (e.g., limited malware scans).
  • Premium plans can be expensive for individual users.

7. NinjaScanner

NinjaScanner is a WordPress plugin build for malware scanning and security auditing. NinjaScanner helps users maintain the security of their WordPress websites by providing detailed scan reports.

• Key Features
  • File Integrity Checks: NinjaScanner checks your WordPress files for unauthorized changes, helping identify potential malware infections.
  • Deep File Monitoring: It goes beyond basic scans, offering detailed snapshots to track file changes and pinpoint security threats.
  • Automated Security (Premium): Schedule automatic scans and backups (premium) for constant monitoring and easy recovery.
  • Multi-Site Friendly: Secure all your WordPress sites with a single license (great for managing multiple installations).
• Pros
  • Scheduled malware scanning to keep your website protected.
  • Detects various malware threats, including viruses, worms, and backdoors.
  • Free plan available, suitable for basic needs.
• Cons
  • Advanced features like website hardening or firewall protection may require premium plans.
  • Malware detection capabilities might not be as robust as some competitors with more advanced techniques.

8. BulletProof Security

BulletProof is a WordPress plugin that focuses on protecting websites from various security threats. It offers features such as firewall protection, malware scanning, login security, database backups, and more.

• Key Features
  • Malware Scanning: BulletProof Security scans your website’s files and database for malware infections.
  • Website Firewall: It offers a basic firewall to block suspicious traffic attempting to access your site.
  • Security Logs and Backups: BulletProof Security can track security events and allows you to create backups of your website (manual or scheduled).
  • One-Click Setup: It offers a wizard for easy setup, simplifying the initial configuration process.
• Pros
  • Comprehensive security solution with features beyond malware scanning.
  • Includes malware scanning, firewalls, and website backups.
  • Real-time malware protection for constant vigilance.
• Cons
  • Advanced features like website hardening or vulnerability scanning require premium plans.
  • Can be resource-intensive, potentially slowing down some websites.

9. Security Ninja

Security Ninja is a WordPress plugin that is good in security auditing and malware scanning. Security Ninja helps users strengthen their website’s security by identifying and fixing security loopholes .

• Key Features
  • Firewall Protection: The paid version has a firewall that can stop common malware attacks and brute force login attempts.
  • Scans for Malware: Security Ninja actively searches for harmful malware hidden within your WordPress themes, plugins, and core files.
  • Identifies Security Weaknesses: It goes beyond malware by checking for security vulnerabilities in your WordPress installation. This includes outdated plugins, weak passwords, and insecure configurations.
  • Scheduled Scans: Set up automatic scans to run at regular intervals. This ensures your website is continuously monitored for threats, keeping you ahead of new vulnerabilities.
• Pros
  • Includes malware scanning, website hardening recommendations, and security audits.
  • Integrates with other MainWP plugins for a comprehensive security solution.
  • Offers a free plan with basic malware scanning for a single website (with MainWP).
• Cons
  • Free plan has limited features (additional features require premium MainWP plugins).
  • Malware detection capabilities might be better suited for smaller websites.

10. miniOrange Malware Scanner

miniOrange Malware Scanner is a WordPress plugin known for its effective malware detection and removal capabilities. It helps users detect and eliminate malware infections, keeping their websites safe from cyber threats.

• Key Features
  • Flexible Scan Modes: miniOrange Malware Scanner offers multiple scan options. Choose a quick scan for core files and plugins, a standard scan that includes external links, or a deep scan (premium only) that targets advanced malware and vulnerabilities.
  • Remote File Inclusion Protection: This feature specifically detects vulnerabilities attackers exploit to inject malicious code into your website. This helps prevent a common tactic used to compromise WordPress sites.
  • Actionable Security Reports: After each scan, miniOrange provides detailed reports that clearly identify any detected malware or vulnerabilities. The reports also include recommended actions to address the threats, making it easier to manage your website’s security.
  • Lightweight and Performance-Optimized (Free): The free version of miniOrange Malware Scanner is known for being lightweight and having minimal impact on your website’s performance. This is ideal for websites with limited resources.
• Pros
  • MiniOrange Malware Scanner is known for being a resource-friendly plugin, unlikely to slow down your website.
  • You can schedule automatic scans to keep your website protected on a regular basis.
  • Detected malware is isolated to prevent further damage to your website.
• Cons
  • MiniOrange Malware Scanner can identify common malware attacks but it is not good at identifying advanced attacks.
  • MiniOrange Malware Scanner doesn’t provide many features provided by security packages for example it doesn’t have firewalls, website security checks, or security audits.

Also Read

• 5 Best WordPress Security Plugins to Protect Your Site in 2024
• 10 Best WordPress Plugins to Consider in 2024
• 7 Best WordPress Plugins For Developers

WordPress websites continuously face the possibility of malware attacks in various forms such as viruses, worms, trojans, etc. Malware presents a challenge to the integrity and security of the website. The WordPress ecosystem offers various defense tools against malware, the most prominent among them are the malware scanner plugins.

Therefore in this article let us explore the top 10 WordPress malware scanner plugins, which are going to help you proactively protect your website and preserve its functionality from cyber threats