{"id":4677,"date":"2020-08-12T12:37:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-12T12:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azoora.com\/blog\/?p=4677"},"modified":"2020-08-17T12:57:57","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T12:57:57","slug":"6-top-notch-two-factor-authentication-plugins-for-wordpress-for-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azoora.com\/blog\/wordpress\/6-top-notch-two-factor-authentication-plugins-for-wordpress-for-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Top-Notch Two-Factor Authentication Plugins for WordPress for 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s easy to overlook the importance of using strong and secure passwords for your websites and applications. In an age of major data breaches, where checking if you\u2019ve been pwned<\/a> has become a necessity, nobody can profess that they\u2019re exempt from potentially far-reaching security risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most recently, one of the largest social platforms, Quota, was compromised by malicious hackers<\/a>. The result? More than 100 million users had their personal information exposed. Names, emails, passwords (encrypted), and other sensitive information was accessed by a party outside of Quora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This kind of an attack might seem like it has nothing to do with you personally, but if you\u2019ve ever signed up with Quora, you\u2019re exposed to the risks of having your other accounts compromised<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other major breaches in recent times include Adobe, LinkedIn, and most recently, hackers found a way to exploit<\/a> one of the most popular WordPress GDPR plugins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication<\/a>) comes into play for WordPress. Unlike traditional password-protected pages, 2FA introduces a second layer of identity verification that can protect WordPress websites. In this post, we showcase the best choices for adding 2FA to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. miniOrange 2FA<\/li>
  2. UNLOQ<\/li>
  3. Duo Two-Factor Authentication<\/li>
  4. Rublon<\/li>
  5. 2FAS<\/li>
  6. SecSign<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    What is Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Have you ever forgotten your password before on a site like Google or Amazon? When you tried to reset it, you were asked to double-verify your identity using a memorable phrase, or by having a pin code sent to your mobile phone. This is the basic implementation of two-factor verification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Basic in the sense that you\u2019re only required to verify your identity twofold after you\u2019ve lost access to your account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A more robust and secure approach is to ensure that every<\/em> login attempt is protected by two-factor verification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The most popular methods employed for two-factor authentication include external email addresses, using a mobile phone to access a security code, hardware-based tokens, and memorable phrases in addition to the password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Fortunately, there is an\u00a0ample number of WordPress plugins available\u00a0that provide two-factor authentication solutions. Some plugins user services like Google Authentication or Authy, while others implement completely different methods, such as email verification and custom push notifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We\u2019ll get to the plugins shortly, but before we do, let\u2019s understand why 2FA plays an important role in WordPress security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why 2FA is Important for WordPress Security<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    At the time of writing this post, WordPress is used by more than 32% of all websites on the web. That\u2019s a staggering 60% market share<\/a> amongst all known content management systems. It\u2019s an impressive statistic, but has one major downside: it makes WordPress is a prime target for hackers and security experts with malicious intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The most common uses for hacked WordPress sites<\/a> include SEO spam (which can affect your long-term rankings), sending malicious emails, stealing user data, and performing malicious redirects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And there\u2019s only one thing protecting your site against this kind of malicious activity: your password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Unless, of course, you\u2019re actively pursuing security solutions like two-factor authentication. With 2FA, you can ensure that you\u2019re always notified of unusual activity, such as too many login attempts or, in the worst-case scenario, a notification that someone has logged inside your account while you\u2019re not actively working on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Ready to explore your options for a more secure WordPress experience?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s a rundown of the best WordPress plugins for adding 2FA to your site, each listed with their respective pros and cons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    01. miniOrange 2FA<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    miniOrange<\/a> seamless authentication solutions to protect the exposure of sensitive data. The company\u2019s WordPress plugin is built to provide easy integration with the Google Authenticator service. Nevertheless, you can use additional authentication methods such as scannable QR codes, push notifications, soft tokens, and security questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Upon activating the plugin, you can head over to the miniOrange Dashboard and begin configuring your preferred method of authentication verification. The intuitive interface design makes it easy to quickly select a solution that feels right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s important to note that miniOrange requires you to install their mobile application if you wish to use more robust verification techniques like push notifications and QR codes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The free version limits 2FA to one single user per site. Should you wish to enable 2FA for more than one user, you\u2019ll have to consider a paid option. The advantage of using the premium version is that you can enable additional authentication methods. Specifically, SMS and Email verification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you operate a smaller blog and you\u2019re the only active administrator, then the free version should be more than enough to provide adequate protection of your site\u2019s security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    02. UNLOQ<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    UNLOQ has been developed to provide quick integration with your WordPress site, while adding numerous unique features for customizing the login experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It takes less than a minute to set everything up, and you can choose from multiple login options. The design appearance is fully customizable, and UNLOQ allows for personalizing the WP Login experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Further, using the personalization feature, you can change the default Login URL, and utilize shortcodes to protect certain parts of your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Once you configure the authentication method that you would like to use, you can start using the UNLOQ mobile application to verify your identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This can be done in the form of a unique pin code, or simply a popup (on your phone) that is asking you to verify that it is indeed you trying to log in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Should your phone be stolen or you lose access to it, you can visit the UNLOQ dashboard to disable your active devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    03. Duo Two-Factor Authentication<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Duo is a sturdy \u201c2FA as a Service\u201d plugin to help safeguard your WordPress account security. The straightforward onboarding process<\/a> takes only a few minutes to configure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    After you have finished configuring the plugin, another layer of security is added to your WordPress site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    As you can see above, after users log in using their default WordPress credentials, they will be asked to double-verify their identity using any of your chosen Duo authentication methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The full list of authentication methods provided by Duo includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n