A WordPress malware removal plugin makes it easy to repair a compromised website. And it’s certainly simpler than doing it all on your own. And as a bonus, you’re saving all the hair that you might have pulled out in the process! In this post, we list the best WordPress malware removal tools. A plugin that lets you get rid of malware can also boost website security to deter further attacks. So you hit two birds with one stone!
1. Titan Anti-Spam & Security
This plugin provides an all-in-one solution to protect your WordPress website and search for corrupted files. The UI is really intuitive. The wizard leads you through the setup process when you first launch the plugin. The plugin will inspect your site, search for malware, and suggest a few “tweaks” to increase security.
While Titan is offering a free version, it’s worth noting that the most exciting features are included in the premium version. These include the following:
- Antispam PRO
- Firewall (WAF)
- WordPress Security Scanner PRO
- Malware scanner PRO
- Real-time IP Blacklist
- Detect Malicious Code in Themes and Plugins
- Site Checker
- Premium support
A premium license costs $55 per year as of writing.
2. MalCare
MalCare is a BlogVault service providing regular malware scans beginning at $99 per site and a hack recovery service starting at $249. Their selling points include:
One-Click Automatic Clean-Up – With MalCare One-Click Malware Cleaner, you no longer need to wait forever for professional assistance to clean up your WordPress website.
Detects Hard to Detect Malware – MalCare has been established after an analysis of more than 240,000 websites and uses over 100 signals to correctly recognize even the most sophisticated malware.
Early Malware Detection – The automated scanner means that you get to see before any harm is done.
Light Server Use – MalCare performs all the heavy lifting on its own servers to ensure zero load is on the WordPress site.
Secure WP Backups Built-In – Backup is the vital safety net of your website when your website is compromised. Powered by the strong backup service from BlogVault, you are always safe and have access to backups when you need them.
3. WordFence
Wordfence is by far the most popular WordPress security plugin and for good reason! The company offers a free version and a premium version starting at $99 a year. The plugin consists of three main features:
WordPress Security Scanner – Malware scanner searches malware core files, themes, and plugins for malware, bad URLs, backdoors, SEO spam, unauthorized redirects, and code injections.
WordPress Firewall – Web Application Firewall is used to identify and block malicious traffic. Designed, managed, and constantly updated, the WordFence team focused 100% on WordPress security.
WordPress Security Tools – The plugin also provides a range of security functions such as live traffic tracking, restrict login attempts, spam comment filter, IP address and blocking of the user agent, email alerts, and monthly reports.
4. Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall
One of the best WordPress malware removal tools is the ELI Anti-Malware Security plugin. Plugin features include:
- Run a complete scan to automatically remove known security threats and backdoor scripts.
- Firewall blocks SoakSoak and other malware from exploiting known plugin vulnerabilities.
- Download definition updates to protect against the latest known security threats.
You will have the option to register an account on GOTMLS.net when installing the plugin. If you register an account, you can download the most recent security definitions or “known threats” to help you assess potential threats when scanning your application.
5. Sucuri
Sucuri is one of the best-known WordPress security companies.
Sucuri plugin features include:
- Security Activity Auditing
- File Integrity Monitoring
- Remote Malware Scanning
- Blacklist Monitoring
- Effective Security Hardening
- Post-Hack Security Actions
- Security Notifications
- Website Firewall
Take note that the Web Firewall (WAF) is a premium feature supplied at a starting price of $16.66 per month.
In the free version, the plugin scans your WordPress installation and looks for changes to the core files provided by WordPress.org. Files located in the root directory, wp-admin, and wp-includes will be compared to files distributed with your version number; all files with discrepancies will be listed for evaluation.
6. Cerber Security, Anti-spam & Malware Scan
WP Cerber offers a comprehensive solution to secure, monitor, and safeguard WordPress installations. The plugin includes one of the best WordPress malware scanners, offering software to monitor file changes, check the integrity of WordPress, plugins, and themes, and eliminate malicious code and viruses from your website.
Once installed, you can select between a Quick Scan and a Full Scan. During Quick Scan, all files with executable extensions will be tested for virus. All files (including media) are inspected for malicious payloads during Full Scan.
7. Astra Security Suite
Astra is an all-in-one security solution for WordPress webmasters. The list of security services provided is comprehensive. Some of them include a real-time web application firewall, an on-demand machine learning malware scanner, immediate malware cleaning, and community vulnerability assessment, and penetration testing (VAPT).
As part of their subscriptions, they also offer a malware cleaning service (carried out by humans). Their starter package is priced at $24 a month and their business plan costs $149 a month.
8. Clean Talk
CleanTalk Security & Malware Scan is a tool that improves the website’s security. Built in the plugin is one of the best wordpress malware removal scanners, free firewall service, and security log.
The malware scanner may be automated to run at a predefined interval, but also on-demand if the website is hacked. The scan can look for hazardous code in modified files, malicious signatures in files, and attempt to patch and delete known malware.
9. SecuPress
SucuPress has grown to become one of the best security solutions for WordPress webmasters. A comprehensive tool, packed in a beautiful user interface. Features of the plugin include:
- Brute force protection
- IP Blacklisting
- Built-in Firewall protection
- Malware Scanner
- Protection of Security Keys
- Block visits from Bad Bots
- Vulnerable Plugins & Themes detection
- Security alerts and reports in PDF format
The free malware scanner is one of the best products on the market. Not only can the plugin scan your website, but it will also include a safety assessment report with tips to improve the security of your website.
Premium users have access to the “Auto Fix” features of the software that will attempt to instantly extract and restore corrupted files.
10. Defender Pro
Defender Pro scans WordPress files to find any weaknesses or changes that may occur. It also immediately recovers and replaces the modified files. Plugin and themes that you have built are reviewed for any known bugs, weak points, or suspicious behavior.
Your website will be searched automatically and a report will be produced. Based on the problems that appear in the scans, it gives you tips and specific one-click steps you may take to address the issues. On top of that, the audit log documents everything you need to know what the source of any security problem is.
Wrapping Up
Getting your site compromised is terrifying. You’ve worked too hard to set things up exactly the way you want it. Only to have it be spoilt by someone else. The best malware removal plugins are a quick way to get the website back to its former glory.
The plugins mentioned above also have the added benefit of providing features that secure the site and protect it from potential attacks. Attacks on WordPress pages are not unusual, but the continuous use of these plugins is a smart idea.