Email Notification Settings
Email Notifications automatically send emails to administrators when security events occur. This allows you to detect unauthorized access attempts and malware in real time.
Why Email Notifications Matter
To minimize the impact of security incidents, it is crucial to reduce the time from detection to response (MTTD/MTTR). With email notifications, you can stay informed of security events and respond quickly — even when you are not logged into the admin dashboard.
Notification Types (5 Types)
| Notification Type | Description | Free/Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Login Alert | Notifies on successful admin login | Free |
| Brute-Force Alert | Notifies when an IP lockout occurs | Free |
| File Change Notification | Notifies when file integrity monitoring detects changes | Pro |
| Vulnerability Alert | Notifies when plugins/themes have known vulnerabilities | Pro |
Configuration
- Navigate to SentinelSecurity → Email Notifications
- Toggle each notification type on or off
- Set the recipient email address (comma-separated for multiple)
- Click Save
Recipient Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Default | Sends to the WordPress "Administration Email Address" |
| Custom | Can be changed to any email address |
| Multiple Recipients | Send to multiple addresses simultaneously, separated by commas |
Email Format
Plain Text (Free version default)
Sends simple plain-text notifications.
HTML Format (Pro)
Sends visually rich HTML emails.
- Color-coded by security event type
- Direct links to the dashboard
- Detailed information tables
Template Customization (Pro)
The Pro version allows you to customize email templates using the TinyMCE editor.
Available Template Variables
| Variable | Content | Applicable Notifications |
|---|---|---|
[site_name] | Site name | All |
[site_url] | Site URL | All |
[admin_email] | Admin email address | All |
[timestamp] | Event date and time | All |
[ip_address] | Related IP address | Login / Brute-Force |
[username] | Username | Login |
[user_agent] | Browser information | Login |
[lockout_duration] | Lockout duration | Brute-Force |
[failed_attempts] | Number of failed attempts | Brute-Force |
[changed_files] | List of changed files | File Change |
[scan_result] | Scan result summary | Malware |
[threat_name] | Detected threat name | Malware |
[threat_file] | File path where threat was detected | Malware |
[plugin_name] | Plugin name | Vulnerability |
[vulnerability_id] | Vulnerability ID | Vulnerability |
[severity] | Severity level | Vulnerability |
[recommended_action] | Recommended action | Vulnerability |
[dashboard_url] | Admin dashboard URL | All |
Customization Steps
- Navigate to SentinelSecurity → Email Notifications → Template Settings
- Select the tab for the notification type you want to customize
- Edit the Subject and Body using the TinyMCE editor
- Insert template variables with a single click from the buttons on the left
- Use Preview to check how the email will look
- Click Save
Notification Frequency Management
The following controls prevent email overload when a large number of security events occur:
- Event aggregation: Consecutive lockouts from the same IP are consolidated into a single email
- Rate limiting: Maximum number of notifications per hour is configurable (default: 50)
- Digest delivery (Pro): Switch from individual notifications to a once-daily summary
Troubleshooting
Emails Not Being Delivered
- Verify that WordPress email sending is working by testing
wp_mail() - Using an SMTP plugin (such as WP Mail SMTP) is recommended
- Check that your server's SPF/DKIM/DMARC records are properly configured
- Check whether emails are being filtered to the spam folder