sandywp / plugins / hide-my-wp

WP Ghost (Hide My WP Ghost)

Security & Firewall

4.5 out of 5 stars. 4.5 372 reviews

Hide and Secure WP paths with the 8G Firewall, Brute Force protection and Passkeys. AI security explanations available with a subscription.

Launch a sandbox with this plugin → No signup.
Ready in seconds.

v7.0.10 100,000+ installs WP 5.8+ PHP 7.4+

your-sandbox.sandywp.com/wp-admin
WP Ghost (Hide My WP Ghost) – Security & Firewall running inside a SandyWP sandbox

What you get inside

8 screens
  • WP Ghost Overview: Choose your Level of Security to instantly harden your site architecture.

  • Admin Security: Change and secure the wp-admin path to block unauthorized dashboard access.

  • Paths Security: Customize and secure your login and registration entry points.

  • Core Security: Harden your system paths (wp-content, uploads, includes) against bot reconnaissance.

  • API & AJAX Security: Secure the REST API and admin-ajax paths to prevent data scraping.

  • 8G Firewall Engine: High-performance, server-edge threat filtering for proactive hack prevention.

  • Brute Force Defense: Integrated Google reCaptcha and Math protection for all authentication paths.

  • Modern Authentication: Secure logins with 2FA and future-proof Passkey (Passwordless) support.

About this plugin

WP Ghost (formerly known as Hide My WP Ghost) is a professional-grade, comprehensive hack-prevention security solution for WordPress. Built for speed and engineered for maximum defense, WP Ghost provides a multi-layered security architecture designed to block hacker bots, neutralize automated scanners, and stop the hack before the reconnaissance even begins.

While traditional security tools focus on Detection (scanning for malware after a breach) or Signature-Filtering (blocking known exploits), WP Ghost focuses on Architecture. By implementing Paths Security and Site Hardening, we remove the digital footprints that make your site a target for automated botnets, providing a proactive foundation that secures your site before it can even be identified as a target.

WP Ghost Global Stats:

  • 10 Million+ Monthly Brute-Force Attempts Blocked
  • 100 Million+ Monthly Security Threats Prevented

Official websites:
WP Ghost (wpghost.com)
Hide My WP Ghost (hidemywpghost.com)

Stop Attacks with Paths Security & Architectural Hardening

Most WordPress attacks are automated. Bots scan millions of sites per hour looking for default paths like /wp-admin or /wp-login.php to confirm a site is running WordPress. Once confirmed, they launch targeted exploits against known plugin or theme vulnerabilities.

WP Ghost breaks this cycle. By changing and securing common paths, you reduce your attack surface by up to 90%. This isn’t “obscurity”, it’s Site Hardening. We re-engineer the visible structure of your site so it is no longer a low-hanging fruit for global botnets.

NEW: AI Security Explanations — Your Report, Explained for Your Website

Every security plugin hands you a list of red warnings. Almost none of them tell you what those warnings mean for your website.

WP Ghost now does. One click sends your findings for analysis against the way your site is actually configured — your server type, whether your rewrite rules are live, whether your config file is writable, which security mode you run — and returns a security report written for you, not for WordPress in general.

Requires a WP Ghost subscription, which includes a monthly allowance of AI checks. Everything else on the Security Check page — the scan, the score, the prioritised list, the severity bands and every task detail — is free and works on its own.

What you get back:

  • A plain-language summary of your whole website. One paragraph that finally answers “so, am I actually secure?”
  • A headline you can understand. The technical task name is replaced with what is genuinely at stake.
  • One clear action per finding. Not a description of the problem — an instruction telling you what to do.
  • A security explanation on demand. Open Details on any finding and you get the reasoning: why it matters on your server, what an attacker would do with it, and why it was ranked where it was. This is the part that teaches you WordPress security instead of just flagging it.
  • Priority based on real exposure. Findings are re-ranked using your actual configuration, so the item at the top is the one that genuinely puts you at risk — not the one that scores highest in a generic table.

Built with limits you can check. Only your findings and a small description of your setup are ever sent — no page content, no user data, no credentials. Your security list, your score, the severity bands and every task detail are generated locally and keep working whether the AI is available or not.

Read more about AI Security Explanations on wpghost.com

NEW: Ghost Doctor — Finds and Repairs a Broken Site by Itself

Changing your WordPress paths depends on your server honouring the new rules. When it doesn’t — Nginx never reads .htaccess, Apache ignores it without AllowOverride, a host locks the config file — your site can break, and nothing tells you why.

Ghost Doctor diagnoses it and repairs what a plugin is allowed to repair. It checks your homepage, theme files, editor requests and REST API the way a visitor sees them, then works through repairs from the safest to the most invasive. Every repair is tested immediately and undone automatically if it did not help, so a run never leaves a setting changed for nothing. Anything that genuinely needs a server change is named plainly, with a guide, instead of leaving you guessing.

Read the Ghost Doctor troubleshooting guides

Key Protections Included

WP Ghost is packed with advanced defensive mechanisms to protect your site against:

  • Brute Force Attacks: Blocks automated password guessing at the source.
  • SQL Injection & XSS: Neutralizes malicious query strings and script injections.
  • Zero-Day Exploits: Secures paths for plugins before patches are even released.
  • XML-RPC & REST API Attacks: Shuts down common remote-access entry points.
  • Bot Reconnaissance: Prevents “fingerprinting” that hackers use to map your site.
  • Spam & Scrapers: Filters malicious traffic, saving bandwidth and server load.

Over 115 Free Security Features Included

We believe professional security should be accessible to everyone. The free version of WP Ghost includes a massive suite of tools to harden your WordPress architecture.

1. Change and Secure Paths (Paths Security)

  • Change wp-admin & wp-login.php: Move your login to a unique URL and show a 404 error to intruders.
  • Change Lost Password & Register URLs: Secure all authentication entry points.
  • Change wp-content & wp-includes: Secure your core system folders from direct access.
  • Anonymize Plugins & Themes: Change visible plugin/theme paths so hackers can’t identify your software version.
  • Secure admin-ajax.php & REST API: Change the /wp-json path to prevent data scraping.
  • Security Presets: One-click activation with three preset levels — from minimal to full protection with Firewall, Brute Force, Logs, and 2FA.
  • Frontend Test: Verify your site loads correctly after changing paths before confirming settings.
  • Custom Redirects: Set unique login/logout redirects based on user roles.
  • Login Page Designer: Customize your secured login page with your logo, colors, background, and 10 color schemes.

2. Next-Gen Firewall & Authentication

  • 8G & 7G Firewall Filters: High-speed, lightweight server-edge filtering to block bad bots.
  • Passkey Authentication (Passwordless 2FA): Use Face ID, Touch ID, or Windows Hello for un-phishable, device-based logins.
  • Standard 2FA (Code & Email): Add an extra verification layer to all user accounts.
  • Security Headers: Automatically implement CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options, and more.
  • IP & User Agent Blocking: Manually blacklist suspicious traffic or referrers.
  • Security Threats Log: Track blocked attacks and malicious requests directly in your dashboard (limited view).
  • User Events Log: Monitor login activity, role changes, and user actions (limited view).
  • GEO Threats Map: Visualize where attacks originate with an interactive world map showing the top 5 threat countries.
  • Security Optimization Score: Real-time 0-100 score showing exactly how hardened your site is, with actionable recommendations.
  • Temporary Logins: Create time-limited access links for developers and clients without sharing passwords.

3. Deep Hiding & Footprint Removal

  • Scrub Meta Tags: Remove WordPress version numbers and generator tags.
  • Clean HTML Comments: Strip identifiable comments that reveal your tech stack.
  • Hide Admin Toolbar: Remove the toolbar for specific roles to hide backend indicators.
  • Disable Emoticons & RSD: Remove unnecessary header links that bloat code and reveal info.

4. Advanced Disable Options

  • Disable XML-RPC: Shut down the most common vector for DDoS and brute force.
  • Disable REST API Access: Restrict API access to authenticated users only.
  • Frontend Lockdown: Disable right-click, “View Source,” and text selection to prevent manual reconnaissance.
  • Disable Directory Browsing: Ensure your server folders are never visible to the public.

5. Brute Force Protection

  • Integrated ReCaptcha: Supports Google V2, V3, Enterprise, and Math ReCaptcha.
  • Targeted Protection: Enable brute force defense on Login, Signup, and WooCommerce pages.
  • Custom Throttling: Define your own lockout times and attempt limits.

6. Extra Tools & Integrations

  • Magic Links: Log in securely without a password via a one-time email link.
  • Text & URL Mapping: Change any class name or URL in your source code dynamically.
  • CDN & Cache Support: Works perfectly with WP Rocket, Cloudflare, and Litespeed.
  • Ghost Doctor: Diagnoses why your paths stopped working and repairs what it can, testing every repair and undoing anything that did not help.
  • Prioritized Security Check: Failing paths and failed hardening tasks arrive as one list, worst first, with bands described in time — “worth fixing this week” — instead of separate tables to reconcile.
  • AI Security Explanations: Get every finding explained for your website and ranked by real exposure. Requires a connected WP Ghost account with an active subscription; a monthly allowance applies. Learn more.

Premium Hack-Prevention Features

For agencies and high-traffic sites, WP Ghost Premium adds advanced features focused on Security Intelligence, Automated Response, and Copyright Protection.

  • AI Security Explanations: Your findings explained for your own website and re-ranked by what actually exposes you, with a monthly allowance of AI checks included in your subscription. Read more.
  • Ghost Mode: Maximum security preset, changes all paths, hides all file extensions, and enables all hiding options in one click.
  • IP Block Automation: Automatically block IP addresses that trigger repeated security threats.
  • AI Copyright Protection: Block 30+ AI training crawlers (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, and others) at the firewall level. List auto-updated with each release. Does not affect Google, Bing, or regular search visibility.
  • Full Security Threats Log: Unlimited entries with filters by threat type, status, country, and time range, full-text search, pagination, and CSV export.
  • Full User Events Log: Unlimited entries with filters, search, pagination, and CSV export.
  • Cloud Event Storage: 30-day cloud retention for audits and incident reports.
  • Real-time Email Alerts: Get notified instantly of brute-force attempts or suspicious activity.
  • Geo-Security (Country Blocking): Block entire countries or specific paths by country.
  • Advanced File Hardening: Hide file extensions (PHP, CSS, JS, JSON), secure wp-config.php, php.ini, and debug.log.
  • Database & Server Hardening: Fix file permissions, change database prefix, regenerate SALT keys.
  • Priority Support: Direct access to our security experts and founder-led assistance.

Hide My WP Premium Feature

Technical Compatibility

WP Ghost is engineered for the modern WordPress ecosystem:

  • Hosting Support: Optimized for WP Engine, Inmotion Hosting, Hostgator Hosting, Godaddy Hosting, Host1plus, Payperhost, Fastcomet, Dreamhost, Bitnami Apache, Bitnami Nginx, Google Cloud Hosting, Amazon AWS Lightsail, Litespeed Hosting, Flywheels Hosting, Kinsta Hosting, Ploi.io, CloudPanel, RunCloud, Rocket Domain, Yunohost.
  • Server Support: Fully compatible with Nginx, Apache, LiteSpeed, and IIS.
  • Plugin Support: Seamless integration with Woocommerce, WPML, WPMUDEV, W3 Total Cache, Gravity, WP Super Cache, WP Fastest Cache, Hummingbird Cache, Cachify Cache, Litespeed Cache, SiteGround Optimizer, Nitropack, Cache Enabler, CDN Enabler, WOT Cache, Autoptimize, Jetpack by WordPress, Contact Form 7, bbPress, Manage WP, All In One SEO, Rank Math, Yoast SEO, Squirrly SEO, WP-Rocket, Minify HTML, Solid Security, Sucuri Security, Really Simple SSL, WordFence Security, WP Cerber Security, BBQ Firewall, Anti-Malware Security, Back-Up WordPress, Elementor Page Builder, Divi Builder, Weglot Translate, AddToAny Share Btn, Limit Login Attempts Reloaded, Loginizer, Shield Security, Asset CleanUp, WP Hide & Security Enhancer, and more.

Stop the hack before it starts. Join over 100,000 users who trust WP Ghost to secure their digital presence.

Questions

Does WP Ghost physically move or rename my WordPress files?

No. WP Ghost utilizes high-performance server rewrite rules (Nginx, Apache, IIS) to change the visible paths in your source code. Your actual WordPress files and directories remain exactly where they are, ensuring zero risk to your site’s stability and core updates.

Is WP Ghost a complete standalone solution?

For the vast majority of WordPress sites, Yes. By combining Architectural Hardening with an 8G Firewall and Automated IP Blocking, WP Ghost neutralizes the automated reconnaissance and brute-force attempts that account for over 90% of real-world attacks. It provides a foundational defense that is often statistically sufficient on its own, while remaining fully compatible with “Defense in Depth” strategies involving malware scanners or file-integrity monitors.

What are AI Security Explanations?

Security scanners tell you what is wrong. AI Security Explanations tell you what it means for your website. WP Ghost sends your findings for analysis together with a short description of how your site is set up — your server type, whether your rewrite rules are active, whether your config file is writable, and your security mode — and returns a plain-language explanation for each finding, one clear action to take, and a priority order based on what genuinely exposes your site. Open Details on any finding to read the reasoning behind it. Read more on wpghost.com.

What data is sent when I use AI Security Explanations?

Only the findings already on your Security Check page and a small description of your configuration: server type, whether the config file is writable, whether the rules are present, whether a cache plugin is installed, your security mode, and a count of mapped files. No page content, no user data, no passwords and no database contents are ever sent. The feature is entirely opt-in — nothing is transmitted until you press the button.

Does WP Ghost still work without the AI?

Completely. The Security Check scan, the 0-100 score, the prioritized list, the severity bands, every task detail and the whole Ghost Doctor diagnosis and repair process run on your own server and need no connection at all. AI Security Explanations only add the wording on top. Using them requires a connected WP Ghost account with an active subscription and a monthly allowance of checks, and the page tells you exactly how many you have left.

Is it compatible with other WordPress security plugins?

Yes! WP Ghost is designed as your “Outer Perimeter” defense. It works perfectly alongside malware scanners and reactive security tools like Wordfence, Sucuri, or Solid Security. By implementing Paths Security first, WP Ghost stops bots before they even get close enough to be scanned by other plugins.

Will changing my paths affect my SEO or Google rankings?

Not at all. WP Ghost handles Sitemap.xml and Robots.txt mapping automatically. This ensures that Google and other search engines can still index your content perfectly, while malicious bots receive a 404 error when attempting to probe your system paths.

What is the difference between Paths Security and “Security through Obscurity”?

Obscurity is simply hiding a key under a mat. Paths Security is an architectural hardening strategy—like moving the door to a secure, unique location and changing the lock. It is a recognized technical hardening standard used by enterprise-grade sites to prevent Bot Reconnaissance.

4.5

372 reviews

  • 5 ★ 316
  • 4 ★ 5
  • 3 ★ 8
  • 2 ★ 9
  • 1 ★ 34

Ratings come from WordPress.org. SandyWP does not collect its own reviews.

sandywp / also on the shelf

Try another plugin

Spin up a real WordPress site in seconds.

Test plugins, build a demo, hand a client a link — then squash it and start again. No local setup, no Docker.