Vigilant — WordPress Authentication Plugin
Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner…
by Fernando Tellado · WordPress.org page · Website
Vigilant has 2,000+ active installs on WordPress.org and 30,938 downloads all time. We have tracked it since September 4, 2026; download trends appear after 30 days of data. The last update was on September 5, 2026, tested up to WordPress 7.1.
Vigilant at a glance
Is Vigilant well maintained?
Features
The feature list from the plugin's own readme on WordPress.org, trimmed to the essentials.
- SQL injection blocking
- XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attack prevention
- File inclusion protection (LFI/RFI)
- Directory traversal blocking
- Bad query string filtering (catches generic suspicious patterns the specific blockers miss)
- Bad bot detection and blocking
- Block requests with empty user agent
- Rate limiting against DDoS and brute force, with optional progressive lockouts
- IP whitelist and blacklist management (IPv4 and IPv6, with CIDR ranges and wildcards)
- User-Agent whitelist and blacklist with partial matching
- Visitor IP detection control – read the real IP directly from the connection (a spoof-proof default) or from a proxy header when behind Cloudflare, a reverse…
- HTTP method restriction
Vigilant reviews and ratings
18 reviews on WordPress.org, with the most recent ones as their authors posted them.
18 reviews
- 5★
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18
- 4★
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- 3★
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Impressive security plugin
I'm impressed by the scope and ease of use of this plugin. It has pointed out quite a few weak points in my website security which I have subsequently fixed. For a free plugin, Vigilant is surprisingly comprehensive and excellent!
Tim Gray -
Not working on WP!
Plugin could not be activated because it triggered a fatal error.
tinaponting -
El mejor plugin de seguridad para WordPress
Fernando está haciendo un gran trabajo con este plugin. Contiene casi todas las funcionalidades de todos los plugins que existen para WordPress relacionados con seguridad, y sin coste para la comunidad. Os animo a probar todos los plugins que Fernando desarrolla y podéis encontrar en el repositorio de WordPress, merecen mucho la pena. ¡Gracias Fernando por ser una joya para la comunidad WordPress!
nadiesinsuweb -
Effective, hassle-free security
‘Vigilante’ is a fantastic tool that includes a firewall. It’s very well optimised: it provides flawless protection without affecting the website’s performance in the slightest. You can tell there’s someone behind it who knows WordPress inside out. A robust, lightweight and very easy-to-configure solution. I’ve already installed it for all my clients. Highly recommended!
Gabriel -
Imprescindible
Un extraordinario plugin de seguridad gratuito que supera en funciones y efectividad a la gran mayoría de plugins de pago. Su sencillez y claridad, tanto a la hora de establecer los ajustes como al funcionamiento cotidiano, es pasmosa. Responde, previene y abarca prácticamente el 100% de las vías y puertas de entrada en que puede ser amenazado un sitio web. Para mí es la alternativa gratuita imprescindible para cualquiera que quiera tomarse en serio la seguridad de una instalación WordPress, ya que vas a obtener iguales resultados, si no mejores, que utilizando cualquier opción de pago. Baste con decir que es un plugin de Fernando Tellado. O sea: una sólida garantía.
Guillermo -
Excelente suite profesional de seguridad 100% gratuita
He instalado este plugin de seguridad de Fernando Tellado. Y tengo que decir que la mejora detectada para mi web en algunos análisis de seguridad ha sido inmediata y espectacular. No soy experto en suites de seguridad, como no soy experto en casi nada, pero, tras esos resultados, está llegando un punto en que me da más seguridad y certeza un plugin de Fernando que otros plugins de marca que encima hacen pagar por funcionalidades pro que en los de Fernando vienen de serie sin coste. Las ventajas del plugin en comparación con otros se puede ver en la página vigilante.works, que a mí me sirvió para tomar la decisión. Y a esto hay que añadir el impecable historial de soporte que tiene Fernando con sus plugins. Atención inmediata y resolución eficaz en tiempos mínimos. Y todo viniendo de un desarrollador español, al que puedes entender y sacar partido tanto en su web Ayuda WP como en su canal de Youtube, donde puedes aprender sobre sus plugins y sobre muchas más cosas del mundo Wordpress.
alfonsobb
Where Vigilant ranks on WordPress.org
The rankings we track that Vigilant appears in, and how its position changed over 30 days.
| Ranking | WordPress.org placement | Position | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Authentication Plugins | #22 in search, not tagged | #43 | – |
| Best Security Plugins | #17 in search, not tagged | #44 | – |
| Best Login Plugins | #29 in search, not tagged | #69 | – |
| Best Backup Plugins | #55 in search, not tagged | #82 | – |
| Best Password Protection Plugins | #51 in search, not tagged | #92 | – |
Vigilant alternatives
Plugins that solve the same problem, ranked by how closely they overlap with Vigilant.
-
Wordfence Security 5 million+ installs · 4.7 -
Security and Firewall 1 million+ installs · 4.7 -
Limit Login Attempts Security 1 million+ installs · 4.8 -
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40,000+ installs · 4.8 -
Kadence Security 700,000+ installs · 4.6
Details
Premium WordPress Security - 100% FREE: Firewall, 2FA, Security Headers, Login and Malware Protection, File Monitor, Security Audit & more
The full description, screenshots and every review live on the WordPress.org page.
Rankings Vigilant competes in
Tags
- 2FA
- firewall
- malware
- scanner
- security
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- Version
- 2.11.0
- Last updated
- Sep 5, 2026
- First published
- Feb 11, 2026
- Requires WordPress
- 6.2
- Tested up to
- 7.1
- Requires PHP
- 7.4
- Pricing
- Free on WordPress.org
Vigilant FAQ
What does Vigilant do?
According to its WordPress.org readme, Vigilant offers SQL injection blocking, XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attack prevention, File inclusion protection (LFI/RFI), Directory traversal blocking and Bad query string filtering (catches generic suspicious patterns the specific blockers miss).
How many active installs does Vigilant have?
WordPress.org reports 2,000+ active installs for Vigilant as of September 7, 2026.
Is Vigilant still maintained?
Yes. The last release was on September 5, 2026 and it is tested up to WordPress 7.1.
Does Vigilant have good support?
On the WordPress.org forum, 20 of 20 recent support threads for Vigilant are marked resolved. That is the developer's free support; a paid version usually comes with its own channel.
Is Vigilant free?
Vigilant is free to install from WordPress.org. Many plugins also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Where does Vigilant rank among Authentication Plugins?
Vigilant is #43 in the WordPress.org Authentication Plugins ranking.