Adam Greenwell

Guard Dog is a comprehensive security plugin designed to protect your WordPress site from unauthorized access and brute-force attacks. With features like custom login URLs, two-factor authentication, and multiple CAPTCHA providers, Guard Dog provides enterprise-level security for any WordPress site.
Key Features:
<ul>
<li>Custom Login URLs – Hide your wp-admin and wp-login.php from attackers</li>
<li>Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – TOTP-based authentication with recovery codes</li>
<li>Social Login (OAuth) – Sign in with Google, Microsoft, or Apple</li>
<li>Passkeys – Use device-based biometric authentication like Face ID, Touch ID or Windows Hello</li>
<li>Multiple CAPTCHA Providers – Support for Google reCAPTCHA v2/v3, hCaptcha, and Cloudflare Turnstile</li>
<li>Login Attempt Limiting – Prevent brute-force attacks with intelligent lockout</li>
<li>Access Control – IP-based whitelist/blacklist protection</li>
<li>Activity Monitoring – Comprehensive logging of security events</li>
<li>Temporary User Access – Create temporary WordPress users with time-limited, secure access</li>
<li>User Management – Advanced user permission controls</li>
</ul>
Why Choose Guard Dog?
<ul>
<li>Privacy-Focused – Multiple CAPTCHA options including privacy-first providers</li>
<li>WordPress.org Compliant – Built following WordPress coding standards</li>
<li>Enterprise-Ready – Scalable features suitable for any site size</li>
<li>User-Friendly – Intuitive interface with helpful documentation</li>
<li>Regular Updates – Actively maintained and updated</li>
</ul>
Perfect For:
<ul>
<li>Business websites requiring enhanced security</li>
<li>WordPress sites handling sensitive data</li>
<li>Multi-user sites with complex access requirements</li>
<li>Anyone wanting comprehensive protection without complexity</li>
</ul>
<h3>Additional Information</h3>
Support: 
For support questions, please use the WordPress.org support forums.
Privacy: 
Guard Dog respects user privacy and offers multiple privacy-focused CAPTCHA options. No data is transmitted to third parties except for CAPTCHA verification when enabled.
Security: 
Guard Dog follows WordPress security best practices and undergoes regular security audits. All user input is sanitized and all output is escaped.
<h3>Third-Party Services</h3>
Guard Dog integrates with the following third-party services to provide CAPTCHA protection. These services are optional and only used when CAPTCHA features are enabled.
<h3>Google reCAPTCHA (v2 and v3)</h3>
What it is: Google’s CAPTCHA service that helps protect websites from spam and abuse.
What it’s used for: 
– Verifying that login, registration, and password reset attempts are made by humans 
– Preventing automated bot attacks on your WordPress forms
What data is sent and when: 
– User interaction data (mouse movements, time spent on page) when CAPTCHA is solved 
– IP address of the user 
– Site domain for verification 
– CAPTCHA response token
Privacy and Terms: 
– <a href="https://policies.google.com/privacy" rel="nofollow ugc">Google reCAPTCHA Privacy Policy</a> 
– <a href="https://policies.google.com/terms" rel="nofollow ugc">Google reCAPTCHA Terms of Service</a> 
– <a href="https://developers.google.com/recaptcha/docs/v3#data_usage" rel="nofollow ugc">Google reCAPTCHA Data Usage</a>
<h3>Cloudflare Turnstile</h3>
What it is: Cloudflare’s privacy-first CAPTCHA alternative that doesn’t require user interaction.
What it’s used for: 
– Invisible verification of human users during login, registration, and password reset 
– Privacy-focused protection without tracking or cookies
What data is sent and when: 
– Non-interactive browser signals when forms are submitted 
– IP address for verification 
– Site domain for validation
Privacy and Terms: 
– <a href="https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/" rel="nofollow ugc">Cloudflare Privacy Policy</a> 
– <a href="https://www.cloudflare.com/terms/" rel="nofollow ugc">Cloudflare Terms of Service</a> 
– <a href="https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/" rel="nofollow ugc">Turnstile Documentation</a>
<h3>hCaptcha</h3>
What it is: A privacy-focused CAPTCHA service that doesn’t track users across websites.
What it’s used for: 
– Human verification during login, registration, and password reset forms 
– Privacy-conscious alternative to Google reCAPTCHA
What data is sent and when: 
– User interaction with CAPTCHA challenge 
– IP address for verification 
– Site domain for validation
Privacy and Terms: 
– <a href="https://www.hcaptcha.com/privacy" rel="nofollow ugc">hCaptcha Privacy Policy</a> 
– <a href="https://www.hcaptcha.com/terms" rel="nofollow ugc">hCaptcha Terms of Service</a> 
– <a href="https://www.hcaptcha.com/data-processing" rel="nofollow ugc">hCaptcha Data Processing</a>
<h3>Google OAuth (Social Login)</h3>
What it is: Google’s OAuth 2.0 service that allows users to sign in using their Google account.
What it’s used for: 
– Authenticating WordPress users via their Google account 
– Retrieving basic profile information (name, email) to link or create accounts
What data is sent and when: 
– User is redirected to Google’s authorization server when clicking “Sign in with Google” 
– An authorization code is exchanged for an access token on your server 
– Basic profile information (name, email, Google user ID) is retrieved from Google’s API 
– No ongoing data sharing – data is only retrieved during the login process
Privacy and Terms: 
– <a href="https://policies.google.com/privacy" rel="nofollow ugc">Google OAuth Privacy Policy</a> 
– <a href="https://policies.google.com/terms" rel="nofollow ugc">Google OAuth Terms of Service</a> 
– <a href="https://developers.google.com/terms/api-services-user-data-policy" rel="nofollow ugc">Google API Services User Data Policy</a>
<h3>Microsoft Azure AD (Social Login)</h3>
What it is: Microsoft’s OAuth 2.0 service via Azure Active Directory that allows users to sign in using their Microsoft account.
What it’s used for: 
– Authenticating WordPress users via their personal Microsoft account or organizational (work/school) account 
– Retrieving basic profile information (name, email) to link or create accounts
What data is sent and when: 
– User is redirected to Microsoft’s authorization server when clicking “Sign in with Microsoft” 
– An authorization code is exchanged for an access token and ID token (JWT) on your server 
– Basic profile information (name, email, Azure object ID) is extracted from the ID token 
– No ongoing data sharing – data is only retrieved during the login process
Privacy and Terms: 
– <a href="https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement" rel="nofollow ugc">Microsoft Privacy Statement</a> 
– <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/servicesagreement" rel="nofollow ugc">Microsoft Services Agreement</a> 
– <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/" rel="nofollow ugc">Microsoft Identity Platform Documentation</a>
<h3>Apple Sign In (Social Login)</h3>
What it is: Apple’s OAuth 2.0 / OpenID Connect service that allows users to sign in using their Apple ID.
What it’s used for: 
– Authenticating WordPress users via their Apple ID 
– Retrieving basic profile information (name, email) to link or create accounts
What data is sent and when: 
– User is redirected to Apple’s authorization server when clicking “Sign in with Apple” 
– An authorization code is exchanged for an access token and ID token (JWT) on your server 
– Basic profile information (email, user ID) is extracted from the ID token 
– User’s name is only provided on first authorization; subsequent logins return only the user ID 
– Apple may provide a private relay email address instead of the user’s real email 
– No ongoing data sharing – data is only retrieved during the login process
Privacy and Terms: 
– <a href="https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/" rel="nofollow ugc">Apple Privacy Policy</a> 
– <a href="https://developer.apple.com/sign-in-with-apple/get-started/" rel="nofollow ugc">Sign in with Apple Guidelines</a> 
– <a href="https://developer.apple.com/terms/" rel="nofollow ugc">Apple Developer Program License Agreement</a>
<h3>TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password) Standard</h3>
What it is: An open standard (RFC 6238) for generating time-based one-time passwords used in two-factor authentication.
What it’s used for: 
– Generating secure, time-limited authentication codes for 2FA 
– Providing backup authentication when primary 2FA methods are unavailable 
– Enabling compatibility with popular authenticator apps (Google Authenticator, Authy, Microsoft Authenticator, etc.)
What data is sent and when: 
– No external data transmission – TOTP codes are generated locally using the TOTP algorithm 
– Secret key generation – A unique secret key is generated locally when 2FA is enabled for a user 
– QR code generation – QR codes are generated locally for easy setup with authenticator apps 
– Code verification – Generated codes are verified locally against the stored secret key
Privacy and Terms: 
– <a href="https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6238" rel="nofollow ugc">RFC 6238 – TOTP Standard</a> 
– <a href="https://policies.google.com/privacy" rel="nofollow ugc">Google Authenticator Privacy Policy</a> (if using Google Authenticator app) 
– <a href="https://authy.com/privacy/" rel="nofollow ugc">Authy Privacy Policy</a> (if using Authy app) 
– <a href="https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement" rel="nofollow ugc">Microsoft Authenticator Privacy Policy</a> (if using Microsoft Authenticator app)
<h3>Data Handling Summary</h3>
When CAPTCHA is disabled: No data is sent to any third-party services.
When CAPTCHA is enabled: Only the specific provider you choose receives verification data. Data is not shared between providers or stored by Guard Dog beyond the verification process.
When 2FA is disabled: No external data transmission occurs.
When 2FA is enabled: 
– All TOTP operations (code generation, verification) happen locally on your server 
– No data is transmitted to external services for 2FA functionality 
– Authenticator apps only receive the initial setup QR code or secret key 
– Recovery codes are generated locally and stored securely
When Social Login is disabled: No data is sent to any OAuth provider.
When Social Login is enabled: 
– Data is only sent to the configured providers (Google, Microsoft, Apple) during the login process 
– Only basic profile information (name, email, user ID) is retrieved 
– Social account links are stored locally in your WordPress database 
– Users can unlink their social accounts from their profile at any time
User control: Users can choose which CAPTCHA provider to use, or disable CAPTCHA entirely. 2FA can be enabled/disabled per user, and users can choose their preferred authenticator app. Social login can be enabled/disabled by administrators, and users can manage their linked social accounts. All security features are optional and configurable.

Guard Dog

Comprehensive WordPress security plugin with custom login URLs, two-factor authentication, social login (OAuth), CAPTCHA protection, event and activit …

Marcus (aka @msykes)

Marcus

Pixelite

Login With Ajax is for sites that need user logins or registrations and would like to avoid the normal wordpress login pages, or add AJAX effects to the regular login pages. This plugin adds the capability of placing a login widget in the sidebar with smooth AJAX login effects.
Some of the features:
<ul>
<li>AJAX-powered logins, no screen refreshes!
<ul>
<li>Login</li>
<li>Registration</li>
<li>Remember/Reset Password</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>PassKeys (new in 4.4)
<ul>
<li>Next-Generation security, no passwords required!</li>
<li>Users can log in without a username AND password.</li>
<li>Biometric support (fingerprint, face ID, etc.)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>2FA – Two-Factor Authentication
<ul>
<li>TOTP – Time-based One-Time Password</li>
<li>Scan a QR code with popular authenticator apps like Google Authenticator, Authy, etc.</li>
<li>Email – Send a code to the user’s email address</li>
<li>Backup Codes – Generate and use backup codes</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Integrate 2FA setup options in other plugin account pages
<ul>
<li>WooCommerce</li>
<li>BuddyPress</li>
<li>BuddyBoss</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>“AJAXify” other login forms
<ul>
<li>Create a better login experience in the default WP login form with AJAX effects for logins, password recovery and registration.</li>
<li>Regular WP login and registration forms</li>
<li>WooCommerce login forms</li>
<li>Events Manager login forms</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Many ways to display and customize your login form:
<ul>
<li>Gutenberg Blocks</li>
<li>Full-site editor compatible</li>
<li>Widgets (classic and blocks)</li>
<li>Shortcode</li>
<li>Template Tags</li>
<li>PHP API</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Flexible templates and options
<ul>
<li>Multiple templates to choose from</li>
<li>Including Modal/Pop-Up login forms</li>
<li>Responsive and Accessible!</li>
<li>Choose a base color for each individual login form.</li>
<li>Individual display options via all display methods (e.g. Gutenberg Blocks, Shortcode etc.)</li>
<li>Create your own upgrade-safe templates, or override our own ones.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Custom Login/Logout redirections
<ul>
<li>Redirect users to custom URLs on Login and Logout</li>
<li>Redirect users with different roles to custom URLs</li>
<li>WPML – Language-specific redirects</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Modify registration email templates</li>
<li>Other Features
<ul>
<li>Disable CSS styling (via shortcode or PHP display methods)</li>
<li>SSL-compatible</li>
<li>Fallback mechanism, will still work on javascript-disabled browsers</li>
<li>Compatible with WordPress, MultiSite, BuddyPress and many other plugins</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Developer Friendly
<ul>
<li>Multiple PHP and JS hooks</li>
<li>Overridable CSS and JS files</li>
<li>Easy-to-customize and overridable template files</li>
<li>Well-documented</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
First released in 2009, the oldest login plugin for WordPress, regularly maintained and updated since then!
<h4>Pro Add-On Features</h4>
As of version 4.0, <a href="https://loginwithajax.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">we now offer a Pro add-on</a> which extends Login With AJAX with multiple new features:
<ul>
<li>Security Features – Harden the security of your login forms
<ul>
<li>2FA – Additional Two-Factor Authentication Methods:</li>
<li>SMS – Send a code to the user’s phone</li>
<li>WhatsApp – Send a message, user clicks a button, done!</li>
<li>Telegram – Send a message, user clicks a button, done!</li>
<li>reCaptcha (v2, v2 Invisible and v3)</li>
<li>Login limiter</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>3rd Party Page Builder Blocks/Widgets/Modules
<ul>
<li>Divi</li>
<li>Elementor</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>More on the way!</li>
</ul>
<h4>Getting Help/Support</h4>
<blockquote> Version 4 is a major overhaul of the plugin, which has remained largely unchanged for 11 years yet remained a staple tool for logins to WordPress! Changes include a complete rewrite of login templates updated to modern stadnards and practices, as well as new WP features such as Gutenberg Blocks. </blockquote>
If you’re stuck, we strongly suggest visiting our <a href="https://docs.loginwithajax.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">Documentation Site</a> which contains exensive information and advice on setup and troubleshooting.
If you have any problems with the plugin after reading our <a href="https://doocs.loginwithajax.com/troubleshooting/" rel="nofollow ugc">Troubleshooting</a>, please visit our freely supported <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/login-with-ajax" rel="ugc">community forums</a>, or <a href="https://loginwithajax.com/gopro/" rel="nofollow ugc">Go Pro</a> for premium support.
<h3>Notes</h3>
Please visit our <a href="https://docs.loginwithajax.com" rel="nofollow ugc">documentation site</a>, which is regularly and extensively maintained and updated with all the information relevant to getting started, advanced setup and troubleshooting common issues.

Login With Ajax – Fast Logins, 2FA, Redirects

I have it working on several websites, awesome!

Add beautiful login forms with smooth AJAX login/registration effects, 2FA support, custom redrection options and many more login-related features!

Guard Dog vs Login With Ajax – Fast Logins, 2FA, Redirects