Monarx vs Solid Security (formerly iThemes Security)

Monarx

Model: Custom (contact sales)

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Solid Security (formerly iThemes Security)

Model: Freemium (Free tier + annual Pro license)

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Monarx

• Real-time Filesystem Monitoring

  Monitors file system operations at the server level in real-time. Inspects files as they are being written, catching malware regardless of the delivery vector (HTTP, FTP, SSH, plugin updates).

• Pre-write Malware Blocking

  Blocks malware before it is written to disk, not after. This prevents the malware from ever executing, eliminating the window of compromise that exists with scan-and-clean approaches.

• Vector-agnostic Detection

  Detects malware regardless of how it arrives, whether through web exploits, compromised FTP credentials, malicious plugin updates, or supply chain attacks. Traditional WAFs only see HTTP traffic and miss other vectors.

• Shared Hosting Protection

  Protects all websites on a shared hosting server with a single deployment. No per-site configuration required. Particularly valuable for shared hosting environments where hundreds of sites share the same server.

• Malware Analytics Dashboard

  Dashboard showing malware detection events, trends, and affected accounts. Hosting providers can identify compromised accounts and take targeted action.

• Automatic Signature Updates

  Malware signatures are updated automatically as new threats are identified. The Monarx team maintains and updates the signature database without requiring manual intervention from hosting providers.

• Low Performance Overhead

  Designed to run on production hosting servers without noticeable performance impact. Filesystem-level inspection is lightweight compared to full traffic inspection by traditional WAFs.

• API Integration

  API for integrating Monarx data into hosting provider management systems, ticketing workflows, and customer dashboards. Enables automated responses to malware detection events.

Solid Security (formerly iThemes Security)

• Patchstack Firewall

  Virtual patching rules powered by Patchstack that protect against known plugin and theme vulnerabilities automatically.

• Two-Factor Authentication

  Multiple 2FA methods including authenticator apps, email codes, and backup codes for all user roles.

• Passwordless Login

  Login via passkeys and biometrics, eliminating password-based attacks entirely (Pro feature).

• Site Scanner

  Checks for known malware, vulnerabilities in plugins and themes, and blocklist status.

• File Change Detection

  Monitors WordPress core files and alerts when unexpected changes are detected.

• Security Dashboard

  Unified dashboard showing security status, recent events, and actionable recommendations.

• Trusted Devices

  Recognizes trusted devices and restricts admin access from unknown devices (Pro feature).