Jake

SpotBot was created for the purpose of controlling spam before it clutters up your server. Gone are the days of constant comments about Gucci bags in broken English. SpotBot not only stops spam from comments, but also stops bots from creating fake accounts or even logging in, but the fun doesn’t stop there! A custom action has been built in so you can add it into any template to stop access to that page!
<h4>So how does it work?</h4>
Every task that starts or ends in WordPress starts with an action! SpotBot utilizes these actions, to gain control over who has access to your site! But how can it tell who’s bad and who’s good? SpotBot uses a service from BotScout to determine who the baddies are. They have allowed public access to their database through an API that SpotBot utilizes. This API access is limited though, and only allows around 300 queries to it in any 24-hour period. You could pay BotScout for more access as they’re fairly cheap, but to help them keep their costs down and help you have control over your visitors, all IP’s are logged to your database. Each time a returning IP is found, it checks the cache first and if nothing is found checks BotScout for more information. It’s as simple as that, SpotBot can be a set-it-and-forget-it plugin, but it can be more than that. Have a problem with a particular user that keeps making user accounts? Flag them as a bot! The harder they try, the more flags they generate and the higher they go on the bot score! SpotBot comes with a built in search function to make finding those troublesome bots easier than ever. Don’t want to save the IP in a list of trouble makers? Make a note of them in each IPs note section for easy searching. Can only remember the first 3 digits of the IP address? Search for it!

SpotBot

SpotBot aids in controlling spam before it clutters up your server. It stops bots in their tracks before they have a chance to post or force post.

Paul

Shield Security

Most security plugins hand you a dashboard full of alerts and expect you to know what to do next. Shield works differently.
It blocks threats automatically, repairs what it can on its own, and then shows you exactly what still needs your attention — ranked by impact, not volume. Less noise. More action.
<h4>🤖 Security That Runs Itself</h4>
The most powerful thing Shield does is what it handles without you:
<ul>
<li>Automatic IP Blocking — every visitor is quietly scored as they interact with your site. Failed logins, firewall blocks, silentCAPTCHA failures, and other signals accumulate into a reputation score. When a visitor’s score crosses the threshold, Shield blocks them — automatically, without you lifting a finger</li>
<li>Automatic File Repair — when a file integrity scan finds a changed WordPress core file, Shield pulls the original from WordPress.org and restores it. Detected and fixed, without waiting for you to act</li>
<li>Automatic Bot Recognition — Shield identifies legitimate crawlers (Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yandex, Apple) and known services (ManageWP, Pingdom, Stripe, CloudFlare) and never blocks them. Your SEO and monitoring tools keep working</li>
</ul>
<h4>🧭 Guided Security, Not Just a Dashboard</h4>
Shield organises your security into four focused areas so you always know where to look:
<ul>
<li>Queue — things that need your attention, ranked by priority. Not everything at once — just what matters right now</li>
<li>Investigate — dig into blocked IPs, security events, and the specific signals that triggered each one</li>
<li>Configure — guided setup for each protection area, with clear recommendations matched to your site</li>
<li>Reports — a clear view of what Shield has blocked, detected, and repaired over time</li>
</ul>
The goal: guide you quickly towards action, not bury you in data.
<h4>🛡️ Free Protection</h4>
Bot Blocking & Firewall
<ul>
<li><code>silentCAPTCHA</code> — blocks bad bots on login, registration, lost password, and comment forms using passive signals invisible to real visitors. No CAPTCHA keys. No external requests. No JavaScript that breaks your forms. Everything runs on your server (GDPR friendly).</li>
<li>Firewall rules blocking common WordPress attack patterns — SQL injection probes, known exploit signatures, suspicious request parameters</li>
<li>XML-RPC protection — disable or restrict entirely, including pingbacks and trackbacks</li>
<li>REST API firewall — block unauthenticated requests</li>
<li>Fake crawler detection — identifies bots spoofing legitimate search engines</li>
</ul>
Login & Account Security
<ul>
<li>Two-factor authentication (2FA) — email codes, Google Authenticator, or YubiKey OTP for all users</li>
<li>Brute force protection with configurable login attempt limits and cooldown</li>
<li>Session locking — tie sessions to a browser or IP to stop account theft after a successful login</li>
<li>User enumeration blocking — closes off <code>?author=</code> probes used to harvest usernames before an attack</li>
</ul>
Scanning & Integrity
<ul>
<li>Core file scanning — compares WordPress core against official checksums and repairs changed files automatically</li>
<li>Suspicious PHP detection — flags PHP files in locations where they have no business being</li>
<li>Abandoned plugin detection — identifies unmaintained plugins most likely to carry unpatched vulnerabilities</li>
</ul>
Visibility & Control
<ul>
<li>Security Admin PIN — lock Shield’s own settings so other administrators cannot quietly weaken your configuration</li>
<li>Security activity log — logins, user changes, plugin and theme events, post edits, and suspicious requests: Everything in one clear view</li>
<li>IP Rules — automatic & manual block and bypass rules, CIDR range support, full per-IP request history</li>
</ul>
<h4>🤝 CrowdSec Integration</h4>
Shield is the only WordPress security plugin with a native CrowdSec integration. CrowdSec aggregates threat signals from millions of sites into a shared IP reputation network — your site blocks known attackers before they ever probe you, using intelligence far beyond your own traffic history.
<h4>✨ ShieldPRO</h4>
<ul>
<li>Passkeys — phishing-resistant, passwordless login for users</li>
<li>Backup login codes — emergency 2FA access when a device is lost</li>
<li>AI-based malware scanner — detects known and unknown PHP malware</li>
<li>Plugin & theme file scanning — compares installed files against WordPress.org originals, flagging unauthorised changes</li>
<li>Vulnerability scanning — active checks across all installed plugins and themes</li>
<li>Broader spam protection — WooCommerce, EDD, Contact Form 7, Ninja Forms, Elementor, and more</li>
<li>Traffic rate limiting — cap request rates per IP to absorb high-volume bot floods</li>
<li>User suspension — manual or automatic suspension of idle accounts</li>
<li>MainWP integration</li>
<li>White Label — rename and rebrand Shield for client sites</li>
</ul>
<h4>Who It’s For</h4>
Shield suits site owners, agencies, and MSPs who want protection that runs itself — not a plugin that demands constant attention to be useful.
If you have been burned by security plugins that generate more noise than protection, or dashboards that tell you everything is wrong without telling you what to fix, Shield was built to be the alternative.

Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking, Brute-Force Login Protection & File Scanning

Smart WordPress security that blocks bots automatically, guides you to what matters, and repairs problems — without drowning you in noise.

SpotBot vs Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking, Brute-Force Login Protection & File Scanning