Andrew Norcross

Jason Coleman

<p>WP Bouncer restricts the number of simultaneous logins for the same WordPress user account. The plugin’s goal is to deter people from sharing their login credentials for your site, which is especially important for a paid membership, premium content, or eLearning site.</p>
<h3>How WP Bouncer Protects Shared User Logins</h3>
<ul>
<li>The plugin stores a random <code>FAKESESSID</code> for each user when they log in.</li>
<li>If a user is logged in, on each page load (init hook), WP Bouncer checks if the <code>FAKESESSID</code> stored in the user’s cookies is the same as the last login stored in a transient (<code>fakesessid_user_login</code>).</li>
<li>If the two values do no match, WP Bouncer logs the user out and redirects them to the WordPress login page or a custom page using the wp_bouncer_redirect_url filter.</li>
</ul>
<p>If the WP_BOUNCER_HEARTBEAT_CHECK is defined to true, JavaScript will be loaded to bounce users when a new user logs in with the same login. This is useful for sites with page caching.</p>
<p>Admininstrator accounts or any users with the “manage_options” capability are excluded from bounces.</p>
<h3>Or, Allow a Specific Number of Active Sessions</h3>
<p>By default, WP Bouncer only allows one session per user.</p>
<p>You can use this plugin to offer bulk memberships to corporate, education, or other group-type customers via a shared login.</p>
<p>Use the <code>wp_bouncer_number_simultaneous_logins</code> filter to allow a defined number of active “sessions”.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.paidmembershipspro.com/limit-user-active-sessions/" rel="nofollow ugc">View the Recipe</a></p>
<h3>Example Use Cases for WP Bouncer</h3>
<ul>
<li>User A logs in as “user”. Their <code>FAKESESSID</code>, say “SESSION_A” is stored in a WordPress option.</li>
<li>User B logs in as “user”. Their <code>FAKESESSID</code>, say “SESSION_B” is overwrites the stored WordPress option.</li>
<li>User A tries to load a page on your site, WP Bouncer catches them and logs them out, redirecting them to the warning message.</li>
<li>User B can browse around the site as normal… unless…</li>
<li>User A logs in again as “user”. Their <code>FAKESESSID</code>, “SESSION_A_v2” is stored in the WordPress option.</li>
<li>Now user B would be logged out if they load another page.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Hooks and Filters</h3>
<ul>
<li><code>wp_bouncer_ignore_admins</code> filter: if returning false even admins will be bounced.</li>
<li><code>wp_bouncer_redirect_url</code> filter: can be used to change the URL redirected to after being bounced.</li>
<li><code>wp_bouncer_number_simultaneous_logins</code> filter: can be set to limit logins to a number other than 1. 0 means unlimited logins.</li>
<li><code>wp_bouncer_login_flag</code>: runs right before bouncing (can be used to potentially stop the bouncing).</li>
<li><code>wp_bouncer_session_ids</code> hook: used to filter session ids when saving them. Passes $session_ids, $old_session_ids (before any were removed/bounced), and the current user’s ID as parameters.</li>
<li><code>wp_bouncer_session_length</code> hook: used to filter how long the session ids transients are set. This way, you can time the transients to expire at a specific time of day. Note that the transient is saved on every page load, so if you set it to 5 minutes, it’s going to push it out 5 minutes on every page load. You should try to set it to (the number of seconds until midnight) or something like that.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Support the Plugin Authors</h3>
<p>If you like this plugin, please check out Jason’s work with <a href="https://www.strangerstudios.com" rel="nofollow ugc">Stranger Studios</a> and <a href="https://www.paidmembershipspro.com" rel="nofollow ugc">Paid Memberships Pro</a> and <a href="http://andrewnorcross.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">Andrew’s work at his personal site</a>.</p>


WP Bouncer – Limit Simultaneous Logins

Deter members from sharing login credentials: restrict simultaneous logins for the same user.

Patchstack

<p>Patchstack is a powerful tool that helps identify security vulnerabilities within your websites’ plugins, themes, and WordPress core. It is powered by the WordPress ecosystem’s most active community of ethical hackers. Patchstack is trusted by leading WordPress experts such as Pagely, Cloudways, GridPane, Plesk, and others!</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Patchstack Personal Plan 2025" width="750" height="422" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z2nuYpg26Vc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Patchstack is a security plugin for WordPress that finds WP core, plugin and theme vulnerabilities in your websites.</p>
<p>The free version includes up to 48-hour early warning for new vulnerabilities found by our security research community. It also allows you to automatically update vulnerable software, manage updates remotely, and get snapshot reports on your sites’ security status.</p>
<p>The paid version includes automatic vulnerability protection. Patchstack deploys highly targeted rules on a per-site basis, only when a specific vulnerability is detected on a site.</p>
<p>This prevents vulnerable components from being exploited without modifying website code, or impacting site performance or functionality. Patchstack’s paid version includes access to 12,000+ individual protection rules (vPatches).</p>
<p>Patchstack paid version also includes other preventive security features, such as 2 factor authentication, WordPress specific hardening rules, a Community IP blocklist for malicious IP addresses, advanced security settings, and custom protection rules.</p>
<h3>Post-hack cleanups vs attack prevention in WordPress security</h3>
<p>Unlike the standard approach to WordPress security (malware scanning and infection cleanups), Patchstack is focused on preventing infections in the first place.</p>
<p>Thanks to its big WordPress security research community and partnerships with nearly one thousand plugin vendors and developers, Patchstack is regularly among the first to identify new vulnerabilities.</p>
<h3>Who is Patchstack’s WordPress security plugin for?</h3>
<p>Patchstack’s vulnerability management works extremely well for:</p>
<ul>
<li>Agencies with WordPress care/maintenance plans for their customers’ websites</li>
<li>WooCommerce websites to protect their revenue and customers from attacks</li>
<li>Hosting companies that want to deliver highly targeted vulnerability protection easily and at scale<br />
Website owners</li>
</ul>
<p>You don’t have to be highly technical to use it. Install the plugin, connect it with the Patchstack App, and stay safe!</p>
<h3>What features are included in the Patchstack Personal (Free) plan?</h3>
<p>Patchstack’s Personal plan is a free security service for WordPress that lets you find and manage vulnerabilities in your websites. It includes access to a central security dashboard via the Patchstack web App for more visibility and control over your sites’ security:</p>
<ul>
<li>Be the first to know about new vulnerabilities.</li>
<li>Receive notifications if any installed plugins or themes have security issues.</li>
<li>Detect the latest security vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins.</li>
<li>Detect the latest security vulnerabilities in WordPress themes.</li>
<li>Detect the latest security vulnerabilities in WordPress core.</li>
<li>Receive real-time alerts via email if any security vulnerabilities are found.</li>
<li>Manage core, plugin and theme updates from a single dashboard.</li>
<li>[Optional] Enable automatic updates for vulnerable plugins only.</li>
<li>Generate snapshot reports about the security status of your website.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What features do Patchstack paid subscriptions have?</h3>
<p>Patchstack’s paid subscriptions include automatic protection for WordPress vulnerabilities, as well as other protection modules.</p>
<ul>
<li>Virtual patching to prevent vulnerable components from being exploited</li>
<li>Advanced hardening module for added WordPress security</li>
<li>Remote hardening settings (including .httacess, login protection and reCAPTCHA)</li>
<li>Community IP Blocklist of known attacker IP addresses<br />
All of these features are included in the Developer and Enterprise plans.<br />
Additionally, Developer and Enterprise plan users have access to custom protection rule creation, periodical security reports and report scheduling.</li>
</ul>
<p>Personal (Free) plan users can enable these features on a per-site basis for $5 / site per month.</p>
<p><strong>Important Resources</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://patchstack.com" rel="nofollow ugc">Patchstack website</a></li>
<li><a href="https://docs.patchstack.com" rel="nofollow ugc">Help Center</a></li>
<li><a href="https://docs.patchstack.com/patchstack-plugin/changelog/" rel="nofollow ugc">Changelog</a></li>
<li><a href="https://patchstack.com/database" rel="nofollow ugc">Patchstack Vulnerability Database</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>See what our customers say about our paid plans:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>“An excellent and valuable service that’s backed by a company that contributes a significant number of resources and money directly back to the WordPress ecosystem.” – John Blackbourn  </li>
<li>“Patchstack is like CrowdStrike, but for websites!” – Ryan McCue, HumanMade  </li>
<li>“The service here is superb! And they are always right on it with the best solution to solve the problem or question at hand. The tool itself speaks for itself. I am very satisfied with this project and the service they offer.” – Daniel Canup  </li>
<li>“This is a security plugin everyone needs to install. The Patchstack team are incredible at what they do. We have been using them for years and have not been disappointed!” – @craniumstudio  </li>
<li>“We’ve been with Patchstack for a LONG time (even before they were Patchstack). It has always done its job seamlessly and without fail. Ongoing innovation and updates to the Patchstack product mean this plugin is a winner. 5 stars all the way.” – @guapx  </li>
</ul>
<p>(*Comparisons are made by evaluating paid versions.)</p>
<p><a href="https://patchstack.com/sucuri-alternative/" rel="nofollow ugc">Sucuri vs. Patchstack</a><br />
<a href="https://patchstack.com/wordfence-alternative/" rel="nofollow ugc">Wordfence vs. Patchstack</a><br />
<a href="https://patchstack.com/malcare-alternative/" rel="nofollow ugc">Malcare vs. Patchstack</a><br />
<a href="https://patchstack.com/sitelock-alternative/" rel="nofollow ugc">Sitelock vs. Patchstack</a></p>


Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security

We have been connected with PatchStack Team for Our WordPress Plugins/Themes Audits, Their knowledge and expertise is unbelievable. They have helped us make our products secure on top of that given lots of tips to make WordPress Sites Secure. 

After having an amazing experience with them as an audit partner, We come to know about this plugin for on-site security, We have started to use that in our sites and It's phenomenal too. 

I am not surprised to see such an extraordinary plugin for security, Because It's made by THE PATCHSTACK TEAM.

Install it on your WordPress site and Go take a deep sleep. Patchstack team is there for your site. Big congratulations to the team on this amazing plugin and wish to use that all possible sites of ours and clients.

Now, WordPress Security is in Good Hands

I get all my clients to use Patchstack, love the look'n'feel too.

Only wish they would make local sites (dev environments) a bit more seamless like Jetpack does with their "Offline Mode".

Truly next-gen security

Been using the Patchstack for years. The plugin is lightweight and great. 

The only WP security firewall you need

Just works ;)


As a website developer, PatchStack is a critical part of my security protocol for any site that I build. Having all plugins and themes on auto-update is not an ideal setup when this can break a production site that needs 99.99% uptime, and having a quarterly security review on all sites is difficult to manage. This makes the security work-flow event-driven and efficient.


use it or lose it


I started using the free version of Patchstack about a year and a half ago, and upgraded to the Developer plan several months ago. I switched over from another service, and I found that Patchstack found more vulnerabilities and sent notices faster. I'm also subscribed to some security newsletters, and I've found they are much slower. They often report vulnerabilities days or sometimes even weeks after Patchstack does.



The free version is great, but the paid version gives me even more peace of mind. I know that my websites are protected right away, and the firewall protection means I don't have to jump on the upgrades immediately.



Also, some vulnerabilities get reported even when the developer hasn't fixed the plugin yet. So far, on the paid version, Patchstack reported and virtually patched all of the ones that came up on my websites. It's nice to not have to think about removing a plugin right away, just because the developer is slow to release a fix.


The best choice for reducing plugin risk


An excellent and valuable service that's backed by a company that contributes a significant amount of resources and money directly back to the WordPress ecosystem.


Excellent service


Originally this was a 1 star review but triage team turned it around. Patchstack published CVE-2025-57923 and did not respond for a couple weeks while we actively tried to respond to a purported vulnerability.



However the Head of Threat Intelligence at Patchstack reached out to us directly. We were able to communicate directly, understand the underlying concerns and he helped us resolve this issue within hours. Very helpful. Triage team obviously doing their best. Much credit to them.


Helpful Outreach from Triage

Patchstack automatically identifies and mitigates security vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins, themes, and core.

WP Bouncer – Limit Simultaneous Logins vs Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security