Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner…
by Fernando Tellado · Security
Also makes 22 other plugins · 31K+ installs across the portfolio →
Premium WordPress Security - 100% FREE: Firewall, 2FA, Security Headers, Login and Malware Protection, File Monitor, Security Audit & more
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 95/100
no flags
Active installs
3K+
≈3.1K estimated
Momentum
+5%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “malware” and “security” for “suite” and “headers”. “malware” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #17. “suite” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “security” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #15. “headers” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
95 health vs 66 average across 1,779 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →5.0%
of downloads still active
At least 3K of 60.1K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Security plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,061 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Security plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 97 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 2 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 24 reviews, weighted for review count to 4.4★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
25 of 25 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
44
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.0
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
32%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.3
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2fa login | #3 | #5 | up 1 |
| file integrity | #2 | #3 | up 1 |
| suite | #4 | #6 | up 1 |
| 2fa your tag | #4 | #6 | 0 |
| scanner your tag | #4 | #6 | 0 |
| top 100 | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| headers | #6 | #10 | up 1 |
| qr scanner | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| security audit | #6 | #7 | up 1 |
| security headers | #6 | #9 | up 2 |
| csp | #4 | #2 | up 3 |
| firewall your tag | #8 | #16 | down 1 |
| malware protection | #7 | #14 | up 1 |
| seo security headers | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| file monitor | #10 | #18 | down 2 |
| qr login | #4 | #6 | 0 |
| login | #14 | #18 | up 3 |
| wordpress 2fa | #5 | #7 | up 1 |
| plugin scanner | #5 | #7 | 0 |
| security your tag | #15 | #17 | up 8 |
1154 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 1091 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).
What to do about it
- Swap “malware” and “security” for “suite” and “headers”. “malware” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #17. “suite” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “security” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #15. “headers” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- One page off on “security”. #15 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 12 Feb 2026 · 265 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 16.4K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
97
releases in the last 12 months
2d ago
latest release · v3.0.10 · 1 Nov 2026
97
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “3K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 35 days ago and a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, so the real count is still just over 3K.
At the current install trend, crossing 4K+ in roughly 69 days.
Install history since 11 Feb 2026
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.9.5 Improved: the daily password expiry cron no longer runs one database query per user. Asking WordPress for user IDs alone leaves the usermeta cache empty, so every reminder check went back to the database; the whole set i 2.9.5
- — Version 2.9.4 Fix: with a custom login URL active, blocking access to the hidden wp-admin no longer renders the theme’s 404 template from inside the ‘init’ hook. Every blocked request was paying for a full page render before WordPress 2.9.4
- — Version 2.9.3 Improved: the firewall IP and User-Agent whitelists now also cover the .htaccess-level protections (Block Bad Bots, bad query strings, HTTP method limits). They only exempted the PHP firewall before, so a legitimate craw 2.9.3
- — Version 2.9.2 Improved: the proxy/CDN detection notice is now dismissible and no longer shows up on local development environments. 2.9.2
- — Version 2.9.1 Fix: the file integrity scanner no longer raises false “suspicious code” or “injected file” alerts on legitimate themes and plugins (for example the Astra theme). It now requires a real unserialize() call sitting next to 2.9.1
- — Version 2.9.0 New: Vigilant now verifies any plugin or theme against the official WordPress.org files the moment it finishes updating, instead of waiting for the next scheduled scan. If an update has been tampered with, the mismatch i 2.9.0
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (3.0.10). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2026-09-10 CVE-2026-81754 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.10.2 Patched in 2.10.3
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 4 languages, 2 at 90% or more
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Share of voice
How often each assistant names Vigilant when asked about this topic, where it comes in the answer, and how that compares with its wp.org search position. Latest run 1 Nov 2026.
- Assistants
- ChatGPT, Claude
- Topics tracked
- Security
Readme readiness
7 of 8 pass · checked 27 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Premium WordPress Security - 100% FREE: Firewall, 2FA, Security Headers, Login and Malware Protection, File..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 48 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 48 of 48 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("suitable for"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce, Elementor, Contact Form 7, WPForms and 5 more.
- ✓ Headings and lists 19 headings and 15 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 16,511 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-09-29 2K+ → 3K+ up after 44 days in tier
- 2026-08-16 1K+ → 2K+ up after 73 days in tier
- 2026-06-04 900+ → 1K+ up after 8 days in tier
- 2026-05-27 800+ → 900+ up after 6 days in tier
- 2026-05-21 700+ → 800+ up after 7 days in tier
- 2026-05-14 600+ → 700+ up after 4 days in tier
- 2026-05-10 500+ → 600+ up after 10 days in tier
- 2026-04-30 400+ → 500+ up after 8 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ installs · 4.7★ · 5 shared tags A -
Atomic Edge Security – Firewall, Malware Scan and Login Security 700+ installs · 4.2★ · 5 shared tags A -
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ installs · 4.7★ · 4 shared tags A -
Limit Login Attempts Security – Brute Force Protection, 2FA, Firewall & Login Security 1M+ installs · 4.8★ · 3 shared tags B -
Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ installs · 4.2★ · 3 shared tags A -
Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall 100K+ installs · 4.9★ · 3 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/vigilante" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner…: 3K+ active installs, 5.0★ (24 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-03. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/vigilante
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Report a data issue and we'll check it against the source.