Patrick Schlesinger

ReportedIP Hive Light protects WordPress logins against brute-force and password-spray attacks. It is intentionally focused: a per-IP attempt counter, a progressive block ladder, and an optional community lookup. No bloat, no dashboards, no upsell.
Two operating modes
<ul>
<li>Local Shield (default). Counts failed logins per IP and blocks attackers based on configurable thresholds. The plugin makes zero outbound network requests in this mode — all data stays on your server.</li>
<li>Community Network (optional). When you enter a free Community Access Key from reportedip.de, the plugin additionally checks the source IP against the reportedip.de community database during login attempts and shares blocked IPs back to the community. Both calls are clearly disclosed in the settings UI.</li>
</ul>
How it works
<ul>
<li><code>wp_login_failed</code> increments a per-IP counter using an atomic upsert (no race conditions under concurrent attacks).</li>
<li>When the counter exceeds your threshold, the IP is blocked for a duration drawn from a progressive ladder (5 min → 15 min → 30 min → 24 h → 48 h → 7 days).</li>
<li><code>wp_authenticate_user</code> short-circuits known-bad IPs before the WordPress core authentication runs.</li>
<li>Cache plugins (WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, LiteSpeed) are honoured via the HTTP 403 status plus explicit <code>Cache-Control: no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0</code> and <code>Pragma: no-cache</code> headers on the block page.</li>
</ul>
Privacy
<ul>
<li>IP addresses are processed for the legitimate purpose of network security (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)).</li>
<li>Usernames are stored only as a SHA-256 hash, salted with <code>wp_salt()</code>. Plain-text usernames are never persisted or transmitted.</li>
<li>In Local Shield mode, no data leaves your server. In Community Network mode, only the IP, hashed username, event type, and timestamp are sent — no domain, no contact details, no traffic data.</li>
</ul>
For developers
<ul>
<li>Filters: <code>reportedip_hive_is_whitelisted</code>, <code>reportedip_hive_get_client_ip</code>, <code>reportedip_hive_event_category_map</code>, <code>reportedip_hive_api_endpoint</code>.</li>
<li>Actions: <code>reportedip_hive_log</code>, <code>reportedip_hive_ip_blocked</code>, <code>reportedip_hive_report_queued</code>.</li>
</ul>
A free Community Access Key is available at reportedip.de. The plugin works without one in Local Shield mode.
<h3>External services</h3>
This plugin can connect to the ReportedIP API at <code>https://reportedip.de</code>. All 
external requests are opt-in only — they are made exclusively when (a) a 
“Community Access Key” has been entered in the plugin settings and (b) the 
“Operation Mode” is set to “Community Network”. The default mode is “Local 
Shield”, which performs zero external requests.
<h4>Endpoint 1: IP-reputation lookup</h4>
<ul>
<li>URL: <code>https://reportedip.de/wp-json/reportedip/v2/check?ip={ip}</code></li>
<li>HTTP verb: GET</li>
<li>Auth header: <code>X-Key: {your-access-key}</code></li>
<li>Trigger: a login attempt reaches <code>wp_authenticate_user</code></li>
<li>Timeout: 2 seconds (fail-open — login proceeds when the API does not respond)</li>
<li>Data sent: only the source IP address of the current login attempt</li>
<li>Data NOT sent: usernames, passwords, cookies, server identifiers, domain name</li>
</ul>
<h4>Endpoint 2: Blocked-IP report</h4>
<ul>
<li>URL: <code>https://reportedip.de/wp-json/reportedip/v2/report</code></li>
<li>HTTP verb: POST (JSON body)</li>
<li>Auth header: <code>X-Key: {your-access-key}</code></li>
<li>Trigger: a brute-force / spray threshold has been exceeded; the report is 
queued in the database and dispatched by a 15-minute cron job</li>
<li>Data sent: the offending IP, an integer category ID for the threat type, 
and a short human-readable comment (e.g. “5 failed logins in 15 minutes”)</li>
<li>Data NOT sent: usernames in plain text, passwords, full request bodies, 
domain name, contact information</li>
</ul>
<h4>Endpoint 3: Access-key verification</h4>
<ul>
<li>URL: <code>https://reportedip.de/wp-json/reportedip/v2/verify-key</code></li>
<li>HTTP verb: GET</li>
<li>Auth header: <code>X-Key: {entered-key}</code></li>
<li>Trigger: an administrator clicks “Test connection” in the plugin settings</li>
<li>Data sent: only the access key under verification</li>
</ul>
<h4>Hashing of submitted usernames</h4>
When a brute-force attempt is detected and the failing username is recorded 
locally, the plugin stores <code>sha256( username + wp_salt() )</code> only — never the 
plain text. The salted hash is also what would be transmitted with a report, 
preventing recipients from recovering the original username.
<h4>Service provider</h4>
<ul>
<li>Operator: Patrick Schlesinger, Germany</li>
<li>Service URL: <a href="https://reportedip.de" rel="nofollow ugc">reportedip.de</a></li>
<li>Legal notice (Impressum): <a href="https://reportedip.de/impressum/" rel="nofollow ugc">reportedip.de/impressum</a></li>
<li>Terms of use: <a href="https://reportedip.de/nutzungsbedingungen/" rel="nofollow ugc">reportedip.de/nutzungsbedingungen</a></li>
<li>Privacy policy: <a href="https://reportedip.de/datenschutzerklaerung/" rel="nofollow ugc">reportedip.de/datenschutzerklaerung</a></li>
<li>Source code: <a href="https://github.com/reportedip/reportedip-hive-light" rel="nofollow ugc">github.com/reportedip/reportedip-hive-light</a></li>
<li>Contact: <a href="mailto:1@reportedip.de" rel="nofollow ugc">1@reportedip.de</a></li>
</ul>
You can switch back to Local Shield mode at any time in Settings → ReportedIP 
Hive → Connection. Doing so stops all external traffic immediately.
<h3>Bundled assets</h3>
This plugin ships every stylesheet and script it needs inside the plugin 
folder. No CDN, no Google Fonts, no remote stylesheets, no remote scripts 
are loaded — every asset URL begins with the plugin’s own 
 wp-content/plugins/reportedip-hive/ path.
The full list of bundled, locally-served assets:
<ul>
<li><code>assets/css/design-system.css</code> — design tokens and components used on 
every plugin admin page.</li>
<li><code>assets/css/admin.css</code> — admin-page overrides on top of the design 
system.</li>
<li><code>assets/css/wizard.css</code> — standalone styles for the first-run setup 
wizard.</li>
<li><code>assets/js/admin.js</code> — handles tab switching and the AJAX 
“Test connection” button. Its only network call is <code>fetch()</code> against 
WordPress’ own <code>admin-ajax.php</code> (same origin); no third-party endpoint 
is contacted.</li>
<li>Inline SVG icons (the shield logo, the menu icon, and trust-badge 
glyphs) are emitted from PHP via <code>wp_kses()</code> with an explicit allow-list 
— no <code><img></code> element points at an external host.</li>
</ul>
The complete list of files distributed in the WordPress.org ZIP is 
visible at Plugins → Plugin File Editor once the plugin is installed.
<h3>Third-party services and licences</h3>
<ul>
<li>GPLv2 (or later) licence text is bundled with the plugin in the 
 LICENSE file at the plugin root and is also referenced from the 
plugin header (<code>License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html</code>).</li>
<li>No third-party PHP, JavaScript, or CSS libraries are bundled with 
the plugin. There is no Composer <code>vendor/</code> directory, no jQuery copy, 
no minified third-party bundle. WordPress itself supplies any global 
scripts (<code>jquery</code>, <code>wp-list-table</code>, etc.) and the plugin only depends 
on WordPress core APIs.</li>
<li>The only external HTTP service the plugin can talk to is the 
 https://reportedip.de/wp-json/reportedip/v2/ API, and only when the 
administrator has explicitly enabled Community Network mode — see 
the “External services” section above for the full data flow.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Privacy</h3>
<ul>
<li>IP addresses are processed under GDPR Art. 6(1)(f) (legitimate interest in network security).</li>
<li>Usernames are stored as a salted SHA-256 hash; plain-text values are never persisted or transmitted.</li>
<li>In Local Shield mode (default) no data leaves your server.</li>
<li>In Community Network mode the data listed above is sent to reportedip.de.</li>
<li>Data retention is configurable in Settings → Privacy. The default attempt window is 15 minutes; the API queue retention is 7 days.</li>
<li>Activate “Delete all data on uninstall” in Settings → Privacy to remove all plugin tables and options when the plugin is deleted.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Disclaimer</h3>
ReportedIP Hive Light is provided “as is”, without warranty of any kind, express or 
implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness 
for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. The author shall not be liable 
for any claim, damages, or other liability arising from the use of this 
software (this is the standard GPLv2-or-later disclaimer; see the LICENSE 
file for the full text).
The plugin provides defense-in-depth against brute-force and password-spray 
login attacks. It does not replace strong passwords, two-factor 
authentication, server-level firewalls, or web-application firewalls. No 
single security measure offers a 100 % guarantee against compromise. You 
remain responsible for the overall security posture of your WordPress site.
The optional Community Network mode forwards data to the third-party service 
operated at https://reportedip.de — see the “External services” section 
above for the full data flow. Site operators that enable Community Network 
mode are responsible for assessing the lawful basis under their applicable 
data-protection regime (in the EU, GDPR Art. 6(1)(f) — legitimate interest 
in network security — typically applies) and for updating their own privacy 
policy accordingly.

ReportedIP Hive Light

Lightweight brute-force login protection with optional community-powered IP reputation checks.

BitCleric

Guardify is a powerful WordPress firewall plugin designed to protect your website from a wide range of threats, including brute force attacks, SQL injections, malicious bots, and unauthorized access attempts. With an intuitive dashboard, detailed statistics, and advanced settings, Guardify empowers you to secure your site effortlessly.
<h3>🔐 Key Features:</h3>
<ul>
<li>
Advanced Web Application Firewall (WAF) 
Intercepts and filters all incoming traffic before it reaches WordPress. Blocks SQL injection, XSS, RFI, LFI, and other attack vectors.
</li>
<li>
Brute Force Attack Protection 
Blocks repeated login attempts by limiting login frequency and analyzing IP reputation.
</li>
<li>
2-Factor Authentication (2FA) 
Adds an extra layer of login security for admin users, using time-based one-time passwords (TOTP).
</li>
<li>
Real-Time Activity Logs 
Track login attempts, blocked IPs, suspicious requests, and system actions with detailed logs. View statistics by day, week, or month.
</li>
<li>
Custom IP Whitelisting & Blacklisting 
Control access to your site by adding IPs or IP ranges to allow or deny lists. Includes temporary blocking for failed login attempts.
</li>
<li>
GeoIP Blocking 
Block or allow access from specific countries using the MaxMind GeoIP2 database integration.
</li>
<li>
Bot Access Control 
Detect and manage access from known bots, scrapers, and fake crawlers. Option to block non-human traffic.
</li>
<li>
Anti-PHP Injection & File Access Blocking 
Prevents direct access to PHP files in sensitive directories such as <code>/wp-includes/</code> and <code>/wp-content/uploads/</code>.
</li>
<li>
Block Plugin and Theme Installation 
Restrict installation of new plugins and themes via the WordPress dashboard — even by administrators. This helps prevent unauthorized or accidental installation of insecure components. Manual installation via FTP remains possible.
</li>
<li>
Block Theme Editor 
Disable access to the Theme Editor (<code>/wp-admin/theme-editor.php</code>) to prevent direct file editing. This minimizes the risk of malicious code injection or unintentional file corruption.
</li>
<li>
Forbidden Comment Words Filter 
Automatically mark comments as spam if they contain forbidden words or patterns (e.g., <code>http</code>, <code>viagra</code>, <code>casino</code>, <code>porn</code>). Helps drastically reduce comment spam by detecting common keywords and links.
</li>
<li>
Auto Block IPs in .htaccess 
When enabled, IPs that exceed the rate limit are automatically added to the <code>.htaccess</code> file for permanent blocking. This server-level block prevents any further requests. Use with care, as shared or corporate IPs may be affected.
</li>
<li>
Email Notifications 
Stay informed with email alerts about critical security events, such as admin login attempts or IP bans.
</li>
<li>
Customizable Firewall Rules 
Advanced users can fine-tune rules with regex filters, HTTP method checks, user-agent filters, and more.
</li>
<li>
User-Friendly Admin Interface 
Guardify features a modern and intuitive UI built using native WordPress design language.
</li>
<li>
Clean Uninstall 
Automatically cleans up all data, logs, and settings when uninstalled—leaving your database clean.
</li>
</ul>

Guardify Firewall

Guardify is a powerful WordPress firewall plugin designed to protect your website from a wide range of threats, including brute force attacks, SQL inj …

ReportedIP Hive Light vs Guardify Firewall