How To Create Shield Security Network With Automatic Import/Export Feature

Import/Export is a feature inside Shield plugin. It helps you to automatically import options and deploy configurations across your entire security network. 

With Import/Export automated feature, you can manage all your Shield Security installations from 1 (or a few) key sites.

This unique feature has the following characteristics:

  • Direct Site-To-Site. You import the options directly from any remove site.
  • Security First:
    • A ‘secret key’ is required to export options from a site. This key rotates every hour so don’t need to worry about people “finding” it.
    • Handshaking – when a site requests an export, we check back with the site to make sure that it really did request it.
  • Master Site Templates– create a “master site” where you change your settings only once, and have your other WordPress sites automatically update themselves from it
    • One Site To Rule Them. Rather than go round each site and manually update or import, you can all your sites poll your master site and import automatically.
    • You can even have your master site notify your other sites that the options have changed and they should update asap.
  • White list site URLs – any URL on the white list will not need to provide the secret key.
  • Import Options From File. Download and import options from file easily.

How to create Shield Security Network

Before you do this, please ensure that Automatic Import/Export option is enabled for both master and slave sites.

Note: Here, you can see your secret key that will allow the import and export of options from site explained below and also enable "Notify Whitelist" option if you want.

Once you've done that, you can create your own Shield Security Network 

  1. from export file; or
  2. from site. 

Note: We have support for excluding individual options from import and export.

You can easily exclude individual options from import/export altogether by simply marking an option as “not included”.

How to create Shield Security Network from export file

To do this, you'll just need to export options from a master site and import them to your slave site by following these steps:

  1. Go to the master site > main Tools menu > Import/Export section > and click the button to download export file.


  2. Go to the slave site and select "Import From File" tab.

    Then, browse to the exported file and check the checkbox to confirm that the existing options will be overwritten.

    Note: Before confirming this, please be sure that this is what you intend - it can't be undone.

  3. Click the "Import Options" button and all Shield options will be imported to your slave site within seconds.

Hint: You can also use this option to create a backup of your ShieldPRO plugin settings.

How to create Shield Security Network from site

By creating a Master site, you can update options on there, and have all your “slave” sites pull their configuration from it. To achieve this, you need to setup your Master-Slave Network by following these steps:

  1. Go to the slave site > main Tools menu > Import/Export section > select "Run Import From Another Site" tab and enter the URL of the master site into the "Master Site URL" field.

  2. Enter a secret key into "Master Site Secret Key" field of your slave site.

    A key is located under the "Configuration" tab.

  3. Check "Create Shield Network - Turn On" option checkbox.

    Note: Checking this option on will link this site to Master site. Options will be automatically imported from the Master site each night. When you adjust options on the Master site, they will be reflected in this site after the automatic import.

  4. Check the checkbox to confirm that you understand that the existing options will be overwritten.

    Note: Before confirming this, please be sure that this is what you intend - it can't be undone.

  5. Click the "Import Options" button and all Shield options will be imported to your slave site within seconds.

Once you've done this, you'll see a notice on the Slave site that it's a part of a Shield Network and what the Master Site URL is. You don't need to re-add Master Site Secret Key. Each Master Site has it's own Key and it should be added into the form only in case you want to use a different Master Site.

To learn more about Import/Export feature, read the blog article here.

Note: ShieldPRO is required for this feature. To find out what the extra ShieldPRO features are and how to purchase, please follow this link here.