Best WordPress Malware Removal

10 Best WordPress Malware Removal Plugins in 2024 (Tested and Reviewed) 

Do you need a simple yet powerful malware removal plugin that fulfills your demands and suits your website? You are looking at the right place! 

Your concern for your website is normal. Malware is programs or code designed to wreak havoc on any programmable device, service, or network. These things encompass a wide range of harmful software, including viruses, worms, trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, and more.

If you don’t take strong and preventive measures, there is an 80% chance you will get hit by a malicious program like malware. The worst part is that malware from fishy plugins can also affect your website! 

So, we present you the best WordPress malware removal plugins for any website and make your website future-proof. 

Let us begin, 

10 Superb Plugins for Malware Removal in WordPress

Now that you have decided to invest in malware removal tools stay assured that these tools not only cleanse your site of existing infections but also shield it from potential future attacks. 

1. Eazy Plugin Manager (EPM) 

Eazy Plugin Manager is built to simplify plugin management and make it easy to handle by providing unique features that we rarely see in regular plugins. 

One of these features is the Active Guard for plugins. With Active Guard in your website’s backend, forget about any threats from plugins, even cracked plugins with malicious code! After you install a plugin, EPM will run a security check and warn you about any exposed vulnerabilities or security issues. 

This process is entirely automatic and doesn’t have any type of internal coding. We can say that Active Guard protects your website by 98% for any plugin-related vulnerabilities and malicious attempts like malware. 

Other Highlighted Features 

  • Plugin Remote Management
  • Bulk activation, deactivation, and install 
  • Find out plugin vulnerabilities
  • Download plugin in bulk
  • Plugin version management 
  • Bookmark favorites plugin
  • Plugin vault
  • On-demand plugin asset optimization

2. Sucuri Security

Sucuri Security is a comprehensive WordPress security plugin designed to protect your website from threats and vulnerabilities. 

It offers tools to ensure your site remains safe and secure, monitoring for malware, blocklist status, and potential security breaches. With its focus on preemptive measures, Sucuri aims to fortify your digital presence against attacks before they happen.

Other Highlighted Features

  • Malware scanning
  • Security activity auditing
  • File integrity monitoring
  • Blocklist monitoring
  • Security hardening
  • Post-hack security actions
  • Website firewall (premium)
  • Security notifications

3. Quttera Web Malware Scanner

The Quttera Web Malware Scanner plugin is designed to enhance the security of WordPress sites by scanning for malware and other threats. It offers deep insights into the health of your website, identifying potential security risks with precision. 

Tailored for non-technical users, it simplifies the complex website security process, providing clear reports and actionable steps to mitigate any detected issues. This plugin is crucial for maintaining a clean and secure online presence, ensuring your website remains protected against evolving cyber threats.

Other Highlighted Features

  • Real-time threat detection
  • Comprehensive scan reports
  • Automatic clean file marking
  • External link scanning
  • Phishing content detection
  • Blacklist monitoring
  • User-friendly dashboard
  • Frequent updates to security algorithms

4. WordFence Security

WordFence Security is a top-tier WordPress plugin designed to safeguard your website with features like firewall protection and malware scanning. It employs the latest firewall rules, malware signatures, and malicious IP address databases to keep your site secure. 

It is intuitive, offering a dashboard highlighting potential security threats and actionable insights. It’s built for website owners who prioritize security without needing deep technical knowledge, ensuring your digital space is efficiently protected against the latest threats.

Other Highlighted Features

  • Real-time firewall protection
  • Live traffic monitoring
  • Login security measures
  • Country blocking
  • Advanced manual blocking
  • Malware scanner
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Repair damaged files

5. MalCare WordPress Security Plugin

The MalCare WordPress Security Plugin is engineered to provide comprehensive security solutions with advanced features tailored to WordPress sites. It emphasizes early detection and prevention, offering a proactive stance against threats. 

It is designed to be user-friendly and simplifies complex security processes, making it accessible for website owners without requiring extensive technical knowledge. This plugin stands out for its ability to automate security measures, ensuring your site’s protection is always up-to-date and effective against the latest cyber threats.

Other Highlighted Features

  • Automatic malware scanning
  • Instant malware removal
  • Firewall protection
  • Login protection
  • Site hardening
  • Daily security reports
  • Performance optimization
  • White-labeling options

6. Security & Malware plugin by CleanTalk 

The Security & Malware plugin is a complete security solution that protects WordPress websites from various threats. It emphasizes preventing unauthorized access, blocking potential security threats, and ensuring the integrity of your website’s data. 

With this plugin, you can seamlessly integrate your WordPress environment. It also offers a user-friendly interface and powerful tools to maintain the security of your site without requiring deep technical expertise.

Other Highlighted Features

  • Real-time firewall
  • Daily malware scans
  • Security audits
  • Brute force attack protection
  • Security alerts
  • File change detection
  • Database security
  • Website blacklist monitoring

7. All In One WP Security & Firewall

The All In One WP Security & Firewall plugin is an extensive security solution for WordPress, designed to enhance your website’s protection through easy-to-use settings and features. 

It covers everything from essential firewall protection to advanced security measures aimed at safeguarding your site from potential threats. This plugin simplifies security management without compromising effectiveness, making it an ideal choice for website owners looking to secure their online presence with minimal technical complexity.

Other Highlighted Features

  • Firewall rules
  • Login security
  • Database security
  • File system protection
  • Blacklist functionality
  • Security scanning
  • Brute force login attack prevention
  • Comment spam prevention

8. SecuPress Security Plugin 

The SecuPress Security Plugin offers various features to protect WordPress websites from security threats. It’s designed simply, making advanced security measures accessible to website owners of all technical levels. Its comprehensive security suite provides robust protection mechanisms, ensuring your site’s safety and integrity without overwhelming you with complex configurations.

Other Highlighted Features

  • Malware scanning
  • Firewall implementation
  • Anti-brute force login
  • Security alerts
  • Database protection
  • Blocked IPs management
  • Security audits
  • Vulnerability detection

9. Shield Security Plugin 

The Shield Security Plugin for WordPress is designed to simplify website security, making it accessible to beginners and experienced users. It offers a comprehensive approach to safeguard websites from various threats while maintaining ease of use. 

With a focus on automating security tasks, Shield helps reduce the burden on-site administrators, ensuring robust protection without needing constant manual intervention.

Other Highlighted Features

  • Automated security scans
  • Firewall protection
  • Login and comment spam defense
  • User session management
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Automatic IP blacklisting
  • Email alerts for security issues
  • Easy-to-navigate security settings

10. Defender Security

Defender Security is a WordPress plugin designed to ensure your website’s security is tight, straightforward, and hassle-free. It packs powerful features into an intuitive interface, making it accessible to users of any skill level. 

By focusing on preventive measures and ease of use, Defender Security takes a proactive approach to secure your site from potential threats, ensuring your digital presence is safeguarded efficiently.

Other Highlighted Features

  • Malware scanning
  • Firewall protection
  • Login security
  • IP blocking
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Security audits
  • Vulnerability reports
  • Automated security scans

How to Remove Malware from Your WordPress Site? 4 Most Effective Tricks  

You can take many precautions to defend your site from malware, but what do you do when your site is infected? Don’t worry; you can remove malicious elements from your site after getting attacked. Here are 4 quick solutions.   

1. Clean your browser .htaccess file

When malware infects your WordPress site, one of the first places it can spread to is your site’s .htaccess file. This crucial file controls how your website interacts with the server, affecting URLs and site accessibility.

To locate the .htaccess file, you will need a FTP plugin. For this case, we used WP File Manager,  

You .htaccess file should look like this, 

# BEGIN WordPress

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>

RewriteEngine On

RewriteBase /

RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d

RewriteRule . /index.php [L]

Look for suspicious lines like those above, such as redirects to unknown sites or base64 encoded segments, often used to hide malicious code. After you remove any code that does not match the default WordPress configuration or your custom configurations that you are aware of. 

Finally, save your changes to the .htaccess file and upload the cleaned .htaccess file back to your website’s root directory, replacing the old one.

2. Update or Reset User Permissions and Passwords

Malware often exploits weak or stolen user credentials to gain unauthorized access to your WordPress site. To stop this, review and update your user permissions and passwords. Begin by examining the roles assigned to each user; ensure they have only the permissions necessary for their tasks.

You can change roles if you have any issues with the user from here-

3. You can use “Active Guard” 

As we mentioned earlier, malware can attack your site via plugins too. So, you can use EPM’s active Guard feature to search and remove any fishy plugin.  

If EPM finds any suspicious plugin, it will notify you immediately in the Guard section and Deactivate it! 

4. Update WordPress and plugins

Keeping your WordPress core and all plugins up to date is one of the most effective ways to protect your website from malware. Developers regularly release updates that introduce new features and fix security vulnerabilities. 

To update WordPress, log into your dashboard, and you will often see notifications prompting you to update either the WordPress core, plugins, or themes. 

FAQ 

How to know if my WordPress site has malware?

Identifying malware on your WordPress site involves monitoring for signs like sudden slow performance, unexpected pop-ups, or unauthorized advertisements. Other red flags include changes to your site’s files or appearance without your action, search engine warnings, and being blacklisted. 

Security plugins can offer detailed scans and alerts for suspicious activity. Google Search Console is another critical tool; it provides notifications if Google detects malware, helping you take prompt action to secure your site.

Does deleting a Trojan work for a website?

Deleting a Trojan from your website is a step in the right direction but not a complete solution. Malware, including Trojans, can leave backdoors, allowing attackers to regain access. It’s essential to identify how the malware infiltrated your site, close that security gap, and strengthen your site’s defenses. 

This may involve updating software, changing passwords, and thoroughly cleaning your website’s files and databases to ensure no remnants of the malware remain.

What is a WordPress safe mode?

WordPress Safe Mode is a diagnostic state where themes and plugins are temporarily disabled, allowing you to troubleshoot and resolve issues without the interference of customizations and extensions. 

This mode is handy for identifying and fixing problems caused by plugin or theme conflicts or after a site has been compromised. It provides a secure environment to work on repairs and updates, ensuring that potential errors or vulnerabilities can be addressed without affecting the live site’s functionality.

Why do hackers target WordPress websites the most?

Hackers frequently target WordPress websites due to its vast popularity and extensive user base, which includes many sites with outdated themes, plugins, or core installations. These vulnerabilities offer easy entry points for exploitation. 

The open-source nature of WordPress also means that code is accessible to everyone, including malicious actors who look for exploits they can use to gain unauthorized access. Regular maintenance and security best practices are vital to protect WordPress sites from these threats.

What is the most dangerous aspect of WordPress site security?

The most dangerous threats to WordPress site security include neglecting software updates and using weak passwords. Outdated themes, plugins, and core versions often have known vulnerabilities hackers can exploit to access your site. 

Weak passwords are easily cracked, offering another simple entry point for unauthorized access. Implementing strong password policies, using two-factor authentication, and keeping all site components current are critical strategies for mitigating these risks and safeguarding your WordPress site from attacks.

Use these Best WordPress Malware Removal Plugins to Start the Year 

As you enter a new year, prioritizing the security of your WordPress site is paramount. The landscape of digital threats is constantly evolving, making the need for effective countermeasures more critical than ever. 

Utilizing the best WordPress malware removal plugins helps mitigate the risk of infections and is vital to your website’s ongoing maintenance and security. These tools are designed to scan, identify, and eliminate malware, ensuring your site remains clean, secure, and optimally functioning.

We know you are smart enough to determine the importance of malware removal plugins. 

Wishing you all the best! 

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