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>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>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
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. All security features are optional and configurable.

Guard Dog

Comprehensive WordPress security plugin with custom login URLs, two-factor authentication, CAPTCHA protection, event and activity logging, as well as  …

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Use the “Two-Factor Options” section under “Users” → “Your Profile” to enable and configure one or multiple two-factor authentication providers for your account:
<ul>
<li>Email codes</li>
<li>Time Based One-Time Passwords (TOTP)</li>
<li>FIDO Universal 2nd Factor (U2F)</li>
<li>Backup Codes</li>
<li>Dummy Method (only for testing purposes)</li>
</ul>
For more history, see <a href="https://georgestephanis.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/two-cents-on-two-factor/" rel="nofollow ugc">this post</a>.
<h4>Actions & Filters</h4>
Here is a list of action and filter hooks provided by the plugin:
<ul>
<li><code>two_factor_providers</code> filter overrides the available two-factor providers such as email and time-based one-time passwords. Array values are PHP classnames of the two-factor providers.</li>
<li><code>two_factor_providers_for_user</code> filter overrides the available two-factor providers for a specific user. Array values are instances of provider classes and the user object <code>WP_User</code> is available as the second argument.</li>
<li><code>two_factor_enabled_providers_for_user</code> filter overrides the list of two-factor providers enabled for a user. First argument is an array of enabled provider classnames as values, the second argument is the user ID.</li>
<li><code>two_factor_user_authenticated</code> action which receives the logged in <code>WP_User</code> object as the first argument for determining the logged in user right after the authentication workflow.</li>
<li><code>two_factor_user_api_login_enable</code> filter restricts authentication for REST API and XML-RPC to application passwords only. Provides the user ID as the second argument.</li>
<li><code>two_factor_email_token_ttl</code> filter overrides the time interval in seconds that an email token is considered after generation. Accepts the time in seconds as the first argument and the ID of the <code>WP_User</code> object being authenticated.</li>
<li><code>two_factor_email_token_length</code> filter overrides the default 8 character count for email tokens.</li>
<li><code>two_factor_backup_code_length</code> filter overrides the default 8 character count for backup codes. Providers the <code>WP_User</code> of the associated user as the second argument.</li>
</ul>

Two-Factor

The plugin is good, it works fine with the membership plugin.

Good Plugin, But need some improvements

The best to increase the security of your WordPress.

Great plugin


Works flawlessly! Easy UI for users to setup their 2FA, does not need much configuration if at all. And what I appericiate, does just one thing and does it good - instead of being packed with multiple more or less related functionalities.


My go-to plugin for 2FA!

Extremely safe and secure

Extremely Secure


As a contributor to the Two-Factor WordPress Plugin, I'm excited to present my review of this exceptional security solution. This plugin operates flawlessly, delivering a streamlined and user-friendly interface for configuring two-factor authentication (2FA) with minimal effort. One of the aspects I'm particularly fond of is its commitment to focusing on a single function while excelling at it, providing users with a reliable and efficient solution. In this review, I will delve deeper into the plugin's impressive features and highlight its effectiveness in enhancing WordPress security.



Impressive Simplicity: The Two-Factor WordPress Plugin truly shines in its simplicity. Configuring 2FA is a breeze, thanks to its straightforward and intuitive interface. Even users with minimal technical knowledge can easily set up the plugin without any hassle. By focusing on the core functionality of two-factor authentication, the plugin avoids overwhelming users with unnecessary features, ensuring a smooth and uncomplicated experience.



User-Centric Design: The plugin's user-centric design is a testament to its effectiveness. It prioritizes the needs and preferences of users, providing them with a seamless and efficient 2FA setup process. Whether users opt for time-based one-time passwords (TOTP), QR code scanning, or other authentication methods, the plugin caters to their diverse requirements, enhancing security without compromising convenience. The straightforward configuration options empower users to strengthen their WordPress logins with just a few clicks.



Contributor Involvement: As a proud contributor to the Two-Factor WordPress Plugin, I'm grateful for the opportunity to be part of a project that prioritizes user security. Collaborating with the dedicated development team has been an enriching experience, and I've witnessed firsthand their commitment to excellence and attention to detail. Contributing to this plugin has allowed me to play a role in providing users with a reliable and effective security solution for their WordPress websites.



Conclusion: In conclusion, the Two-Factor WordPress Plugin stands out as a remarkable tool for enhancing WordPress security. Its flawless performance, coupled with a user-friendly interface, makes it a top choice for configuring two-factor authentication with ease. The plugin's simplicity is commendable, offering users a focused and streamlined solution without overwhelming them with unnecessary features. As a contributor to this exceptional project, I take great pride in recommending the Two-Factor WordPress Plugin to WordPress users who value simplicity, security, and reliability.


Streamlined and Effective


This plugin functions flawlessly! It provides users with a straightforward and straightforward interface for configuring two-factor authentication (2FA), requiring minimal configuration, if any. What I appreciate most is that it focuses on doing one thing exceptionally well, as opposed to overwhelming users with a multiplicity of unrelated features.


Two-Factor plugin functions flawlessly!


The installation was easy. No problems so far.


Works like expected


Easy to set up, easy to use. Works like a charm. Thanks a lot!


Just works!

Works out of the box

Very good plugin

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) using time-based one-time passwords (TOTP), Universal 2nd Factor (U2F), email, and backup verification codes.

Guard Dog vs Two-Factor