Vigilant - 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner…

vigilante · By Fernando Tellado
3k+ installs 5.0 (24) Updated 4 days ago v3.0.10 WP 6.2–7.1.4 PHP 7.4+

Impact score

Footprint Score across the two most representative contexts.

2 scans · last scan 1 week ago

Compare with another plugin

Homepage Score

Impact measured on the public homepage

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v3.0.0 · 1 scan · Consolidated score over 90 days · 1 versions

Not enough data to publish the grade (15 scans min, currently 1).

What it adds to every page load

Added time
47 ms
Added memory
0.0 MB
SQL queries
+6
CSS/JS files
+0
External calls
0

Admin Score

Impact measured in the WordPress admin

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v3.0.0 · 1 scan · Consolidated score over 90 days · 1 versions

Not enough data to publish the grade (15 scans min, currently 1).

What it adds to every page load

Added time
86 ms
Added memory
0.0 MB
SQL queries
+24
CSS/JS files
+0
External calls
0

About

Vigilant provides enterprise-level WordPress security features completely free. No premium version, no upsells, no hidden features behind paywalls.

Protect your site with a complete security suite: firewall, two-factor authentication, brute force protection, security headers, file integrity monitoring, closed plugin detection, malware detection, user management, security audit logging, under attack mode, verification of its own files and much more.

Once activated, Vigilant immediately applies firewall rules against common attacks (SQL injection, XSS, file inclusion), security headers, login attempt monitoring, XML-RPC blocking, WordPress version hiding and sensitive file protection (.htaccess, wp-config.php).

Read more

Choose a preset and get protected instantly:

Standard – Balanced security suitable for most websites. Enables all modules with sensible defaults that won’t interfere with normal site operation.

Maximum Security – Strictest settings for high-security sites. Tighter rate limits, stronger CSP rules, mandatory admin notifications. May require fine-tuning for some setups.

You can always customize individual settings after applying a preset.

Is your site under active attack? Activate Under Attack mode with one click and stop malicious traffic instantly:

Under Attack mode works independently from your preset configuration. Your regular settings are preserved and restored when the mode deactivates.

Add a second verification step to your WordPress login:

Block malicious requests before they reach WordPress:

Stop unauthorized access attempts:

Comprehensive user account protection:

Achieve Grade A security ratings:

Detect unauthorized changes to your files and compromised plugins:

A tampered security plugin is worse than none, because it keeps reporting that everything is fine. Vigilant verifies its own files against the checksums WordPress.org publishes, a SHA-256 manifest shipped with the plugin and a fingerprint of that manifest stored in the database:

It detects tampering, not vulnerabilities in Vigilant itself. SECURITY.md explains what it covers, what it does not, and how to verify your installation from outside the server.

Track everything happening on your site:

Audit Alerts – get an email when the audit log points to something worth your attention, off by default and configured under Security Audit:

On-demand security audit built into the Dashboard. No external services, no accounts, no API keys – everything runs on your server:

Layered protection at the WordPress level – admin, content, head, feeds and database:

Control API access to your site:

Utilities included:

Vigilant validates .htaccess and wp-config.php before writing to them, and keeps no copy of them, because they hold your database password: download a backup from Settings & Tools first.

Deactivating removes its blocks from both files and brings back the lines it had commented out. Switch Under Attack mode off before deactivating.

Vigilant checks its own files too, and tells you how to check them yourself: every release ships a MANIFEST.sha256 that sha256sum can verify, and WordPress.org publishes the same checksums for comparison.

Most WordPress security plugins reserve their best features for paid plans. Vigilant gives you everything upfront – no premium tier, no feature locks, no upsells. Firewall, 2FA with authenticator app, security headers, file integrity scanner, security audit, on-demand Security Check with weekly regression alerts, and more. All free, all maintained, all following WordPress coding standards.

We maintain a detailed feature comparison between Vigilant and other popular security plugins (Wordfence, Solid Security, AIOS, Sucuri, SG Security). See what each offers in its free version and where Vigilant fills the gaps.

→ View the full comparison

Need private support or custom development?

Do you need one-on-one help, priority troubleshooting, or a custom feature, integration, or tweak built specifically for your site? I offer private support and custom development. Just contact me and tell me what you need.

Need help or have suggestions?

Love the plugin? Please leave us a 5-star review and help spread the word!

We are specialists in WordPress security, SEO, AI and performance optimization plugins. We create tools that solve real problems for WordPress site owners while maintaining the highest coding standards and accessibility requirements.

Description published by Fernando Tellado on WordPress.org, licensed under GPL v2 or later.

Tags
2FA firewall malware scanner security

Screenshots

Screenshots published by Fernando Tellado on WordPress.org, licensed under GPL v2 or later.

Security Dashboard - Security score, module controls, and preset selection
Security Dashboard - Security score, module controls, and preset selection
Two-Factor Authentication - Second verification step during login
Two-Factor Authentication - Second verification step during login
Login Security - Brute force protection, 2FA, lockouts, and custom login URL
Login Security - Brute force protection, 2FA, lockouts, and custom login URL
User Security - Complete user protection tools and settings
User Security - Complete user protection tools and settings
Password Expiration - Force periodic password changes with history
Password Expiration - Force periodic password changes with history
Registration Approval and Session Limits - Control new users and concurrent logins
Registration Approval and Session Limits - Control new users and concurrent logins
File Integrity - Scanner settings and verification results
File Integrity - Scanner settings and verification results
Security Audit - Filterable event viewer with export option
Security Audit - Filterable event viewer with export option
Database Backup - Download full or partial database backups with table selection
Database Backup - Download full or partial database backups with table selection
Security Check - On-demand audit widget with score, per-category breakdown, and fix links
Security Check - On-demand audit widget with score, per-category breakdown, and fix links

Per-version history

Show per-version detail (1 version)

How the plugin evolves version by version.

Version Homepage Admin Last scan
v3.0.0 1 scan 1 scan 1 month ago

Alternatives in the same category

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Scan history

Show individual scan log (2 scans)

Date Version Context Score Grade Time Memory
1 month ago v3.0.0 Homepage 95/100 A 47 ms 0.0 MB
1 month ago v3.0.0 Admin 83/100 B 86 ms 0.0 MB