WordPress Plugin
The Atomic Edge Security plugin for WordPress provides a seamless connection between your WordPress site and your Atomic Edge dashboard. While you can manage everything from the web dashboard, the plugin brings powerful security features directly into your WordPress admin—plus exclusive features like Two-Factor Authentication and malware scanning that run locally on your server.
Why Install the Plugin?
Installing the WordPress plugin unlocks a more integrated experience:
| Feature | Dashboard Only | With Plugin |
|---|---|---|
| WAF Protection | ✓ Configure & monitor | ✓ View logs in WordPress |
| Analytics | ✓ Full dashboard | ✓ Quick stats in WordPress |
| IP Whitelist/Blacklist | ✓ Manage from dashboard | ✓ Manage from WordPress |
| Geographic Blocking | ✓ Configure rules | ✓ Configure from WordPress |
| CDN Settings | ✓ Enable/configure | ✓ Enable with one click |
| Adaptive Defense | ✓ Configure & monitor | ✓ View status & threats |
| Two-Factor Authentication | ✗ Not available | ✓ Plugin Exclusive |
| Malware Scanner | ✗ Not available | ✓ Plugin Exclusive |
| Vulnerability Scanner | ✗ Not available | ✓ Plugin Exclusive |
| 2FA Enforcement Policies | ✗ Not available | ✓ Plugin Exclusive |
Key Features
🔐 Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Protect your WordPress login with industry-standard TOTP authentication:
- Works with any authenticator app: Google Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, Microsoft Authenticator
- Backup recovery codes: Never get locked out of your site
- Role-based enforcement: Require 2FA for administrators, editors, or any user role
- Configurable grace periods: Give users time to set up 2FA before enforcement
- Full audit logging: Track all 2FA events for security compliance
💡 Note: 2FA works independently and does not require an Atomic Edge account. You can use it even without connecting to the dashboard!
🔍 Malware Scanner
Scan your entire WordPress installation for threats:
- File integrity checks: Detect unauthorized modifications to WordPress core
- Signature-based detection: Find known malware patterns in PHP files
- Quick vs. thorough modes: Fast PHP-only scans or comprehensive full-site scans
- Resumable scanning: Large sites can be scanned in chunks without timing out
🛡️ Vulnerability Scanner
Keep your site safe from known security issues:
- WordPress core vulnerabilities: Check if your version has known CVEs
- Plugin vulnerabilities: Identify insecure plugins with available patches
- Theme vulnerabilities: Find security issues in your active theme
- One-click info: Links to vulnerability databases for remediation steps
Requires connection to Atomic Edge for vulnerability data.
📊 Security Dashboard
Monitor your site’s security at a glance:
- Connection status: Verify your Atomic Edge connection is active
- Traffic overview: See requests, blocked threats, and visitor counts
- Quick actions: Jump to common security tasks
- WAF log viewer: See what attacks are being blocked in real-time
🌍 Access Control
Manage IP and geographic access directly from WordPress:
- IP Whitelist: Allow trusted IPs to bypass security checks
- IP Blacklist: Block malicious IPs immediately
- Geographic Blocking: Restrict access by country
- CIDR Support: Block or allow entire IP ranges
☁️ CDN Integration
Enable Atomic Edge CDN directly from WordPress:
- One-click enable: Turn on CDN for static assets
- Automatic URL rewriting: CSS, JS, and images served from edge servers
- No configuration needed: Works automatically once enabled
🧠 Adaptive Defense
Monitor AI-powered threat detection directly from WordPress:
- Real-time status: See if Adaptive Defense is enabled and its current mode
- Threat overview: View recent high-threat detections and blocked IPs
- Quick stats: Active blocks, threats detected, and AI analysis budget
- Auto-block history: Review IPs that were automatically blocked
💡 Note: Adaptive Defense configuration (sensitivity, thresholds, auto-block settings) is managed from the Atomic Edge dashboard. The plugin provides monitoring and status visibility.
Requires Pro or Enterprise plan. See Adaptive Defense for full configuration details.
Installation
From WordPress.org (Recommended)
- Go to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress admin
- Search for "Atomic Edge Security"
- Click Install Now, then Activate
Manual Installation
- Download from wordpress.org/plugins/atomic-edge-security
- Upload the
atomic-edge-securityfolder to/wp-content/plugins/ - Activate through Plugins menu
Connecting to Atomic Edge
Step 1: Generate an API Key
- Log in to your Atomic Edge dashboard
- Go to your site’s Edit page
- Click the API button in the header
- Click Generate API Key
- Copy the key immediately—it’s only shown once!
⚠️ Important: Store your API key securely. If you lose it, you’ll need to generate a new one (which revokes the old key).
Step 2: Configure the Plugin
- In WordPress, go to Atomic Edge → Settings
- Paste your API key into the API Key field
- Click Save Changes
- You should see a green "Connected" status
Step 3: Verify the Connection
- Go to Atomic Edge → Dashboard
- You should see your site information and current status
- Check that WAF status, analytics, and features are displaying correctly
Setting Up Two-Factor Authentication
2FA is a standalone feature that works even without an Atomic Edge connection.
Enable 2FA for Your Account
- Go to Users → Your Profile in WordPress
- Scroll to the Atomic Edge 2FA section
- Click Enable Two-Factor Authentication
- Scan the QR code with your authenticator app
- Enter the 6-digit code to verify
- Save your backup codes in a secure location
Enforce 2FA for Users (Admin Feature)
- Go to Atomic Edge → 2FA Policy
- Enable Require 2FA for selected roles
- Select which roles must use 2FA (Administrator, Editor, etc.)
- Set a grace period (e.g., 7 days) for users to set up 2FA
- Click Save Policy
Users will see reminders and must enable 2FA before the grace period expires.
Running Security Scans
Malware Scan
- Go to Atomic Edge → Malware Scanner
- Choose Quick Scan (PHP files only) or Thorough Scan (all files)
- Click Start Scan
- Review results for any suspicious files
- Investigate flagged files before taking action
💡 Tip: Quick scans are usually sufficient for routine checks. Run thorough scans after suspected compromises.
Vulnerability Scan
- Go to Atomic Edge → Vulnerability Scanner
- Click Run Scan
- Review results for WordPress core, plugins, and themes
- Update any components with known vulnerabilities
Best Practices
Connection Health
- Check connection regularly: Verify the green "Connected" status
- Regenerate API key: If you suspect it’s compromised, regenerate immediately
- Keep plugin updated: Security fixes are released regularly
Two-Factor Authentication
- Enable for all administrators: Admin accounts are high-value targets
- Test backup codes: Verify they work before you need them
- Use hardware keys for critical sites: TOTP is good, but hardware keys are better
Security Scanning
- Schedule regular scans: Weekly malware scans catch issues early
- Update immediately: When vulnerability scans find issues, patch promptly
- Monitor WAF logs: Look for patterns in blocked attacks
Adaptive Defense
- Start in Monitor mode: Let Adaptive Defense learn your traffic patterns for a week before enabling Auto-Enforce
- Review detections regularly: Check the threats tab for false positives
- Honor your whitelist: Ensure trusted IPs (office, VPN, monitoring) are whitelisted to prevent accidental blocking
- Adjust sensitivity: If you see too many false positives, lower sensitivity; if attacks slip through, raise it
Troubleshooting
"Connection Failed" Error
- Verify your API key is entered correctly (no extra spaces)
- Check that your site is active in the Atomic Edge dashboard
- Ensure your server can reach
api.atomicedge.io(port 443) - Try regenerating the API key
2FA Not Working
- Clock sync: Ensure your server and phone times are synchronized
- Try backup codes: If TOTP codes fail, use a backup code
- Clear browser cache: Stale sessions can cause issues
- Check PHP extensions: Ensure OpenSSL is installed
Scans Timing Out
- Use Quick Scan instead of Thorough Scan
- The scanner is resumable—let it continue where it left off
- Check server timeout settings (
max_execution_time) - Consider running scans via WP-CLI:
wp atomicedge scan malware --quick
Adaptive Defense Not Showing
- Check your plan: Adaptive Defense requires Pro or Enterprise plan
- Enable in dashboard: Adaptive Defense must be enabled in the Atomic Edge dashboard first
- Verify connection: Ensure the plugin is connected and showing "Connected" status
- Check site activity: Adaptive Defense needs traffic data to analyze—new sites may not have enough data yet
Adaptive Defense Blocking Legitimate Traffic
- Add to whitelist: Add the IP to your global whitelist in the Access Control tab
- Lower sensitivity: Consider using Medium or Low sensitivity
- Check thresholds: In Custom mode, raise the auto-block threshold (e.g., 90 → 95)
- Review in dashboard: Check the specific threat detection to understand why it was flagged
WP-CLI Commands
For advanced users, the plugin includes WP-CLI commands:
# Run malware scan
wp atomicedge scan malware --quick
# Run vulnerability scan
wp atomicedge scan vulnerabilities
# Check connection status
wp atomicedge statusPlugin Requirements
| Requirement | Minimum |
|---|---|
| PHP | 7.4+ |
| WordPress | 5.8+ |
| OpenSSL | Required for 2FA |
| Atomic Edge Account | Required for WAF/CDN features |
Getting Help
- Plugin Support: wordpress.org/support/plugin/atomic-edge-security
- Atomic Edge Documentation: Check other help topics in this dashboard
- Contact Support: Use the support form in your Atomic Edge dashboard
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Atomic Edge WordPress plugin?
Plugin overview and benefitsThe Atomic Edge Security plugin connects your WordPress site to your Atomic Edge dashboard for seamless security management. It brings WAF logs, analytics, IP management, and CDN settings into your WordPress admin, plus exclusive features like Two-Factor Authentication and malware scanning that run locally on your server.
How do I install the Atomic Edge WordPress plugin?
Installation instructionsGo to Plugins > Add New in WordPress, search for ‘Atomic Edge Security’, click Install Now, then Activate. Alternatively, download from wordpress.org/plugins/atomic-edge-security and upload to your /wp-content/plugins/ directory. After activation, go to Atomic Edge > Settings to connect your site.
How do I connect the plugin to my Atomic Edge account?
API key setup processFirst, generate an API key in your Atomic Edge dashboard by going to your site’s Edit page and clicking the API button. Copy the key immediately (it’s only shown once). Then in WordPress, go to Atomic Edge > Settings, paste your API key, and click Save Changes. A green ‘Connected’ status confirms success.
Does the Two-Factor Authentication feature require an Atomic Edge account?
2FA standalone functionalityNo! The 2FA feature works completely independently and does not require an Atomic Edge account or API connection. It uses industry-standard TOTP compatible with Google Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, and other authenticator apps. You can enable it even without connecting to the dashboard.
How do I enable Two-Factor Authentication for my WordPress account?
Setting up 2FAGo to Users > Your Profile in WordPress, scroll to the Atomic Edge 2FA section, and click Enable Two-Factor Authentication. Scan the QR code with your authenticator app, enter the 6-digit verification code, then save your backup codes in a secure location. These backup codes let you log in if you lose access to your authenticator.
Can I require 2FA for all administrators on my site?
Role-based 2FA enforcementYes! Go to Atomic Edge > 2FA Policy, enable ‘Require 2FA for selected roles’, select which roles must use 2FA (Administrator, Editor, etc.), and set a grace period for users to comply. Users will see reminders and must enable 2FA before the grace period expires or they’ll be blocked from logging in.
What does the malware scanner check for?
Malware detection capabilitiesThe malware scanner performs file integrity checks to detect unauthorized modifications to WordPress core files, and signature-based detection to find known malware patterns in PHP files. Quick mode scans only PHP files for speed; Thorough mode scans all files including uploads, themes, and plugins.
How does the vulnerability scanner work?
CVE detection for WordPressThe vulnerability scanner checks your WordPress core version, installed plugins, and active theme against known CVE databases. It requires a connection to Atomic Edge to access vulnerability data. Results show which components have known security issues and link to remediation information.
What features require an Atomic Edge connection vs. work offline?
Online vs offline functionalityFeatures requiring connection: WAF logs, analytics, CDN, IP whitelist/blacklist management, geographic blocking, and vulnerability scanning. Offline features: Two-Factor Authentication (all 2FA features), malware scanning, and file integrity checks work without any Atomic Edge connection.
My API connection shows 'Failed' - how do I fix this?
Connection troubleshootingVerify your API key is entered correctly without extra spaces. Check that your site is active (not suspended) in the Atomic Edge dashboard. Ensure your server can reach api.atomicedge.io on port 443 (check firewall rules). Try regenerating a new API key if problems persist.
What are the server requirements for the WordPress plugin?
Minimum system requirementsMinimum requirements: PHP 7.4 or higher, WordPress 5.8 or higher, and the OpenSSL PHP extension (required for 2FA encryption). For 2FA to work, you need either native libsodium (included in most PHP installations) or WordPress 5.2+ which includes a pure PHP fallback.
Can I manage Atomic Edge settings from the command line?
WP-CLI integrationYes! The plugin includes WP-CLI commands. Run ‘wp atomicedge scan malware –quick’ for malware scans, ‘wp atomicedge scan vulnerabilities’ for vulnerability checks, and ‘wp atomicedge status’ to verify connection. This is useful for automation, cron jobs, or servers without web access.