Scott Reilly

<p>This plugin allows you to restrict the usernames that new users may use when registering for your site.</p>
<p>If open registration is enabled for your site (via Settings -> General -> Membership (“Anyone can register”)), WordPress allows visitors to register for an account on your blog. By default, any username they choose is allowed so long as it isn’t an already existing account and it doesn’t include invalid (i.e. non-alphanumeric) characters.</p>
<p>Possible reasons for wanting to restrict certain usernames:</p>
<ul>
<li>Prevent usernames that contain foul, offensive, or otherwise undesired words</li>
<li>Prevent squatting on usernames that you may want to use in the future (but don’t want to actually create the account for just yet) (essentially placing a hold on the username)</li>
<li>Prevent official-sounding usernames from being used (i.e. help, support, pr, info, sales)</li>
<li>Prevent official username syntax from being used (i.e. if all of your administrators use a prefix to identify themselves, you don’t want a visitor to use that prefix)</li>
<li>Prevent spaces from being used in a username (which WordPress allows by default)</li>
<li>Require that a username starts with, ends with, or contain one of a set of substrings (i.e. “support_”, “admin_”)</li>
<li>Require a minimum number of characters for usernames</li>
<li>Limit usernames to a maximum number of characters</li>
</ul>
<p>When attempting to register with a restricted username, the visitor will be given an error notice that says:<br />
ERROR: This username is invalid. Please enter a valid username.</p>
<p>NOTE: This plugin does not put any restrictions on usernames that the admin chooses for users when creating user accounts from within the WordPress admin. This only restricts the names that users choose themselves when registering for your site.</p>
<p>SPECIAL NOTE: Many membership plugins implement their own user registration handling that often bypasses checks (and hooks) performed by WordPress. As such, it is unlikely that the plugin is compatible with them without special plugin-specific amendments.</p>
<p>Compatible with Multisite and BuddyPress as well.</p>
<p>Links: <a href="http://coffee2code.com/wp-plugins/restrict-usernames/" rel="nofollow ugc">Plugin Homepage</a> | <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/restrict-usernames/" rel="ugc">Plugin Directory Page</a> | <a href="https://github.com/coffee2code/restrict-usernames/" rel="nofollow ugc">GitHub</a> | <a href="http://coffee2code.com" rel="nofollow ugc">Author Homepage</a></p>
<h3>Hooks</h3>
<p>The plugin exposes one filter for hooking. Typically, customizations utilizing this hook would be put into your active theme’s functions.php file, or used by another plugin.</p>
<p><strong>c2c_restrict_usernames-validate (filter)</strong></p>
<p>The ‘c2c_restrict_usernames-validate’ hook allows you to add your own customized checks for the username being registered. You can add additional restrictions or override the assessment performed by the plugin.</p>
<p>Arguments:</p>
<ul>
<li>$valid (boolean): The assessment by the plugin about the validity of the username based on settings. True means username can be used.</li>
<li>$username (string): The username being registered.</li>
<li>$settings (array): The plugin’s settings.</li>
</ul>
<p>Example:</p>
<pre><code>/**
 * Add custom checks on usernames.
 *
 * Specifically, prevent use of usernames ending in numbers.
 *
 * @param bool   $valid    True if the username is valid, false if not.
 * @param string $username The username.
 * @param array  $options  Plugin options.
 */
function my_restrict_usernames_check( $valid, $username, $options ) {
    // Only do additional checking if the plugin has already performed its
    // checks and deemed the username valid.
    if ( $valid ) {
        // Don't allow usernames to end in numbers.
        if ( preg_match( '/[0-9]+$/', $username ) ) {
            $valid = false;
        }
    }
    return $valid;
}
add_filter( 'c2c_restrict_usernames-validate', 'my_restrict_usernames_check', 10, 3 );
</code></pre>


Restrict Usernames

Restrict the usernames that new users may use when registering for your site.

Brendigo

<p>BrenWP Client Safe Mode helps you troubleshoot safely and reduce risk when handing a WordPress site to clients or non-technical users.</p>
<p>Safe Mode is <em>per-user</em>: it applies only to the currently logged-in user who enabled it. Visitors and other users are not affected.</p>
<h4>Safe Mode (per-user) can optionally</h4>
<ul>
<li>Block access to risky wp-admin screens (plugin/theme management, core updates, Site Health, and update actions)</li>
<li>Disable file modifications (plugin/theme installs, updates, editors)</li>
<li>Optionally block update/install capabilities (prevents running updates/installs even via alternative flows)</li>
<li>Optionally block destructive capabilities (prevents deleting plugins/themes while Safe Mode is enabled)</li>
<li>Optionally disable the built-in plugin/theme editors (capability-based) while Safe Mode is enabled</li>
<li>Hide update notices</li>
<li>Trim selected admin bar nodes (Updates / Comments / New Content)</li>
<li>Auto-disable after a configurable number of minutes (optional)</li>
</ul>
<h4>Client restrictions (role-based + optional user targeting) can</h4>
<ul>
<li>Optionally target a specific user account (in addition to roles)</li>
<li>Hide risky menus</li>
<li>Block direct access to sensitive wp-admin screens</li>
<li>Disable file modifications</li>
<li>Hide update notices</li>
<li>Optionally limit the Media Library to a user’s own uploads (privacy on multi-author sites)</li>
<li>Optionally hide common Dashboard widgets for restricted roles (UI cleanup)</li>
<li>Optionally hide the Screen Options dropdown (independent toggle)</li>
<li>Optionally hide the Admin Bar on the front end for restricted roles</li>
<li>Optionally block Customizer access (customize.php)</li>
<li>Optionally block Users screens (Users list/Add/Edit) even if the broader screen blocklist is disabled</li>
<li>Optionally block Tools screens (Tools/Import/Export) even if the broader screen blocklist is disabled</li>
<li>Optionally lock profile email/password changes for restricted roles (prevents self-service account takeover)</li>
<li>Optionally show a dismissible 2FA security reminder notice (notice only)</li>
<li>Optionally hide the Admin Bar on the front end for restricted roles</li>
</ul>
<h4>General hardening (site-wide, optional)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Disable XML-RPC</li>
<li>Disable the built-in plugin/theme editors for all users (capability-based)</li>
<li>Optional settings export download (admin-only) via a nonce-protected endpoint (default OFF)</li>
</ul>
<p>Administrators are never restricted by client restrictions. On multisite, super-admins are also excluded.</p>
<h4>Privacy</h4>
<p>This plugin does not send data to external services. It performs <strong>no tracking, telemetry, analytics, or “phone-home” requests</strong>.</p>
<h4>Data stored on your site</h4>
<p>The plugin stores the minimum required data to provide Safe Mode and optional auditing:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Options (Settings)</strong>: stored in the <code>brenwp_csm_options</code> option (site option). This contains your configured settings.</li>
<li><strong>Activity log (optional)</strong>: stored in the <code>brenwp_csm_activity_log</code> option <strong>only if Activity logging is enabled</strong>. This log is bounded by <strong>Max entries</strong> and can optionally be pruned by age (Retention days).</li>
<li><strong>Operational options</strong>: internal housekeeping options such as <code>brenwp_csm_last_settings_change</code> and a short-lived lock key used to avoid concurrent log writes.</li>
<li><strong>User meta (Safe Mode)</strong>:
<ul>
<li><code>brenwp_csm_safe_mode</code> (on/off flag for a user)</li>
<li><code>brenwp_csm_safe_mode_until</code> (optional expiry timestamp if auto-off is enabled)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h4>Data minimization and retention</h4>
<ul>
<li>Activity logging is <strong>disabled by default</strong>.</li>
<li>The activity log does <strong>not</strong> store IP addresses and attempts to redact likely secrets from context values.</li>
<li>Retention controls:
<ul>
<li><strong>Max entries</strong> caps log size.</li>
<li><strong>Retention days</strong> can automatically prune older entries (0 = disabled).</li>
<li>The <strong>Clear log</strong> action removes all log entries immediately (admin-only, nonce protected).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h4>Privacy tools</h4>
<p>The plugin:<br />
* Adds suggested text to the Privacy Policy Guide (Settings <span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-exclude-emoji">→</span> Privacy)<br />
* Registers a personal data exporter and eraser for the Safe Mode user meta</p>
<h4>Data deletion</h4>
<p>On uninstall (delete), the plugin removes its options, optional log option, Safe Mode user meta, and (best-effort) the optional <code>bren_client</code> role if it was created by the plugin.</p>
<h3>Security</h3>
<p>This plugin follows WordPress hardening best practices:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>CSRF protection</strong>: all state-changing actions use <strong>POST</strong> and require a <strong>WordPress nonce</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Authorization</strong>: privileged admin actions are gated by <strong>capability checks</strong> (<code>manage_options</code> by default, filterable).</li>
<li><strong>XSS defense</strong>: user-controlled data is sanitized on input and escaped on output.</li>
<li><strong>No remote requests</strong>: the plugin does not make outbound HTTP requests.</li>
<li><strong>Data minimization</strong>: the activity log is bounded, does not store IP addresses, and redacts likely secrets in log context values.</li>
</ul>
<p>Assumptions and scope:</p>
<ul>
<li>The plugin enforces policies inside WordPress; it does not replace server/WAF hardening.</li>
<li>Safe Mode is <strong>per-user</strong> and does not modify the site’s active plugins/themes list.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Troubleshooting</h3>
<h4>I don’t see the Safe Mode toggle in the admin bar</h4>
<ul>
<li>Confirm the WordPress admin bar is enabled for your account.</li>
<li>Confirm <strong>Enforcement</strong> is enabled in the plugin settings.</li>
<li>Confirm your role is included in <strong>Who can toggle Safe Mode</strong> (or you are an administrator / multisite super-admin).</li>
</ul>
<h4>My profile email/password cannot be changed</h4>
<p>If <strong>Restrictions <span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-exclude-emoji">→</span> Lock profile email/password</strong> is enabled and your account is restricted, you will not be able to change your own email or password. Contact an administrator.</p>
<h4>XML-RPC stopped working</h4>
<p>If you rely on legacy services that require XML-RPC (some old mobile apps / integrations), disable <strong>General <span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-exclude-emoji">→</span> Disable XML-RPC</strong>.</p>
<h4>I get redirected with an “Access blocked” notice</h4>
<p>A configured policy blocked a sensitive admin screen. Review:<br />
* <strong>Restrictions <span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-exclude-emoji">→</span> Block direct screen access</strong> (for restricted roles)<br />
* <strong>Safe Mode <span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-exclude-emoji">→</span> Block risky admin screens</strong> (for your account if Safe Mode is enabled)</p>
<h4>Safe Mode is enabled but I want to turn it off</h4>
<ul>
<li>Use the <strong>Safe Mode</strong> tab to toggle it off.</li>
<li>If auto-off is enabled, it will disable automatically after the configured time window.</li>
<li>If Enforcement is OFF, the UI provides a <strong>Clear stored Safe Mode</strong> button to remove the stored flag.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Developer Hooks</h3>
<p>Filters:<br />
* <code>brenwp_csm_required_cap</code> — change the capability required to manage this plugin (default: <code>manage_options</code>).<br />
* <code>brenwp_csm_presets</code> — customize Dashboard presets (label/description/patch arrays).<br />
* <code>brenwp_csm_create_client_role</code> — return <code>false</code> to prevent creating the <code>bren_client</code> role on activation.<br />
* <code>brenwp_csm_client_role_caps</code> — customize capabilities assigned to the <code>bren_client</code> role on activation.<br />
* <code>brenwp_csm_remove_client_role_on_uninstall</code> — return <code>false</code> to keep the <code>bren_client</code> role during uninstall cleanup.</p>


BrenWP Client Safe Mode

Per-user Safe Mode plus role-based client restrictions for safer troubleshooting and cleaner client handoff.

Restrict Usernames vs BrenWP Client Safe Mode