Why Firewalls and CDNs Matter
Security isn’t just about strong passwords. Firewalls and CDNs add powerful layers of defense, filtering malicious traffic before it reaches your WordPress site.
What Is a Web Application Firewall (WAF)?
A firewall monitors traffic and blocks suspicious activity. For WordPress, a firewall can:
- Stop brute-force login attempts.
- Block SQL injections and XSS attacks.
- Monitor IP addresses and bot traffic.
Popular Firewall Plugins/Services:
- Wordfence Security
- Sucuri Firewall
- Cloudflare WAF
What Is a CDN?
A Content Delivery Network (CDN) distributes your website across servers worldwide. Benefits:
- Performance: Faster load times globally.
- Security: DDoS protection and traffic filtering.
- Uptime: Redundancy ensures your site stays online.
Popular CDNs for WordPress:
- Cloudflare
- StackPath
- KeyCDN
Combining Firewalls & CDNs
The best results come when you use both:
- Firewall stops malicious traffic.
- CDN delivers content quickly and securely.
- Together, they improve SEO rankings (thanks to speed) and reduce server strain.
Setting Them Up
- Cloudflare: Offers free CDN + firewall on setup.
- Sucuri: Adds a global WAF with CDN services.
- LiteSpeed Cache + QUIC.cloud: Cache + CDN combo for WordPress hosting.
Final Thoughts
Firewalls and CDNs are essential for modern WordPress security. They don’t just protect against hacks—they also improve speed and reliability. Consider them a must-have for serious websites.