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WordFence Security or WP Firewall 2?

by Core Freedom
7 replies
Hi all,

After browsing the forums here I had decided to install and activate the a security plugin called "Better WP Security." It not only crashed my site, it erased my database and files - I couldn't even login to my on admin panel. Calling my hosting company in a panic the person helping me had the exact same thing happen to her two years ago (with the exact same plugin). See her reaching out to the WP forum community members here (apparently it's a common problem). I had selected "Better WP Security" because it had been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times (surely it has to be good?).

Okay, now that my site is restored, I want to check here.

She recommended something called WordFence. Also on here came recommended a plugin callled WP Firewall 2.

Do you have any recommendations for either one?
#better wp security #firewall #firewall 2 #security #wordfence
  • Profile picture of the author humbledmarket
    Banned
    I use to use wordfence but found that "Better Wordpress Security" really is a better security.

    Give that a try; it's free too but what's best about it - They deliver daily backup of your site to your email (so if you do get hacked you can easily restore your original site.)
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  • Profile picture of the author Core Freedom
    "Better WP Security" is what I used but it crashed my site, removed my database and totally screwed up my entire site. I couldn't even log back into my own wp panel. :-(
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  • Profile picture of the author Abledragon
    I've used WordFence for a year or so on all my sites as well as sites I build for clients, and I'm very happy with it.

    It doesn't deliver auto backups - but I use backupbuddy for that, so that's no problem for me.

    Cheers,

    Martin.
    Signature
    WealthyDragon - Earning My Living Online
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    • Profile picture of the author Paul Myers
      Better WP Security is great, but you need to read every bit of the instructions for each feature if you're installing it on a blog with any previous posts. They warn of a couple of features that will destroy the existing entries in the database.

      Always, always, always make a complete backup of a blog, especially the MySQL database, before installing anything that messes with the DB. It's even a good idea to back up before adding themes.


      Paul
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      Stop by Paul's Pub - my little hangout on Facebook.

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  • Profile picture of the author vietnap
    We use Better WP Security for most of our WordPress installations, hundreds that you can count. Only once I faced to trouble when trying to rename admin account. Other than that, it just works.

    Which step did you do before you lose access to your site?
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    • Profile picture of the author Core Freedom
      Originally Posted by vietnap View Post

      Which step did you do before you lose access to your site?
      It was exactly the MySQL database error that I got from my server after the whole thing crashed. I had already renamed the admin account and then moved on to an area where it asked about number of login attempts, when to block out people, etc. There were several warnings that said making security too tight would also lock me out of my own admin panel, which is exactly what happened. As soon as I hit 'save' and wanted to move on to the next level, I got a white screen that said:

      /home/corefree/public_html/wp-content/plugins/better-wp-security/inc/filecheck.php on line 494

      5 minutes later all I got was a white screen.

      I don't think it was renaming the admin that caused it, I think it was 2 or 3 steps after that.
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  • Profile picture of the author mdan287
    "Better Wordpress Security" is doing great for me. Also I use WordFence for two of my less important blog site but Better Wordpress Security is better than WordFence.
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