=== ForceField ===
Contributors: majick
Donate link: https://wordquest.org/donate/?plugin=forcefield
Tags: login protect, bot protect, api access, admin protect, xml rpc, rest api, security
Author URI: https://wordquest.org
Plugin URI: https://wordquest.org/plugins/forcefield/
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
Requires at least: 4.0.0
Tested up to: 6.8.1
Stable tag: 1.0.9

Strong and Flexible Access, User Action, API, Behavioural and Role Protection

== Description ==

Adds several layers of security to restrict access to common hacking attack vectors. By filtering requests in a more specific and intelligent way, ForceField allows permitted actions to continue unaltered, but blocks actions that are disallowed or not explicitly unauthorized.

ForceField is not a "firewall" - nor a replacement for a comprehensive security plugin, but rather is intended to *complement and enhance your existing security measures*, by adding some unique and innovative protection features not easily found elsewhere. These include: 

- tokenizing and recording login/registration behaviour
- protecting whitelisted administrator and user roles
- restricting WordPress API access and endpoints
- tracking bot behavior and blocking repeat transgressors
- periodically checking for known vulnerabilities

**Tokenized Protection**

Easily reduce Brute Force Password attacks, SPAM Comments, Fake User Registrations and Sploggers! Adds a dynamic Javascript Token field to all common user action forms: Login, Registration (and optionally BuddyPress Registration), Blog Signup (Multisite only), Lost Password and Commenting. You can adjust the settings to apply to any or all of these, giving you more fine-grained control as needed.

Since the majority of bots do not have the capacity or time to recognize and process javascript fields, their attempts at access via these actions are instantly blocked - with repeat offender getting IP banned from further attempts. This gives seamless and invisible protection (without needing an annoying ReCaptcha field.)

**Login Role Protection**

A last line of defense against hackers who have managed to "somehow" create their own administrator account or escalate their user priveleges! Automatically block, notify by email, revoke role and/or demote to subscriber any "administrator" account that logs in who is not in an *explicitly allowed list* of verified administrator usernames. Goodbye escalated privelege attack!

**API Protection**

Adds several ways to restrict access to XML RPC and REST API features. While these *can* be disabled, there are several other options provided to severely limit bot and other unauthorized access while still being able to use these features as intended! Part of the aim of this plugin is to make these options available for everyone without needing to code them: Multiple request slowdown, disable XML RPC logins, logged in access only, restrict access to specified user roles, and require secure connection.

**Behavioural Protection**

ForceField also records access to user actions missing referer headers, missing or bad tokens, and other bad behaviours in a custom table. Reaching transgression limits for any specific action results in an IP ban. Transgression occurrences are reduced via cooldown over time, with old records expired and later deleted (with intervals adjustable.) This process keeps protection high for fresh attacks while keeping the database free of old record bloat. Also gives the option to output a form to banned IPs so users can unblock themselves manually in case of false positives (and so you don't lock yourself out of your site!)

**Vulnerability Check**

Checks your installed core, plugins and themes for known vulnerabilities, according to the frequency you set for each. Then sends email alerts and provides an Admin Notice for any new vulnerabilities when they found, giving you a heads up on updates that require action. (Note: This feature is complete but currently being retested more extensively before being included in the plugin in an upcoming version. If you wish to test it out yourself beforehand, you can download the plugin from [Github repository](https://github.com/majick777/forcefield/).)


[ForceField Home](https://wordquest.org/plugins/forcefield/)
[Support Forum](https://wordquest.org/support/forcefield/)


== Installation ==

1. Upload `forcefield.zip` via the Wordpress plugin installer.
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.
3. Access the Plugin Settings via the WordQuest -> ForceField menu.
4. Adjust the Plugin Settings according to your needs (sane defaults are set automatically, but there are some optional features you may wish to enable.) 
5. It is highly recommended you retest each of your login and registration forms after activating, as well as any plugins that rely on the WordPress APIs.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==


== Screenshots ==


== Changelog ==

= 1.0.9 = 
* Updated: Plugin Panel (1.3.5)
* Updated: Freemius SDK (2.12.0)
* Fixed: authentication blocking on password protected posts
* Fixed: token loading for manual unblock form
* Added: options for tokens/blocking password protected posts
* Added: logging calls for blacklisted IP / SSL required actions

= 1.0.8 =
* Updated: Plugin Panel (1.3.0)
* Updated: Freemius SDK (2.7.2)

= 1.0.7 =
* Updated: Freemius SDK (2.5.10)
* Updated: Plugin Panel (1.2.9)

= 1.0.6 =
* Updated: Plugin Panel (1.2.6)

= 1.0.5 =
* Updated: Plugin Panel (1.2.5)
* Updated: WordQuest Helper (1.8.2)
* Fixed: Missing sanitization and escaping

= 1.0.4 =
* Updated: Plugin Panel (1.2.4)
* Updated: WordQuest Helper (1.8.0)
* Improved: WordPress Coding Standards

= 1.0.3 =
* Hotfix: for Application Password disable setting

= 1.0.2 =
* Updated: Freemius SDK (2.4.3)
* Updated: Plugin Panel (1.2.3)
* Updated: WordQuest Helper (1.7.9)
* Moved: Blocklist options from General to Blocklist tab

= 1.0.1 =
* Updated: Freemius SDK (2.4.1)
* Updated: WordQuest Helper (1.7.8)
* Updated: Plugin Panel (1.1.8)
* Added: option to disable Application Passwords (WP 5.6+)
* Improved: use of WordPress Coding Standards
* Fixed: blocklist expiry and delete records interval checking
* Deprecated: use of WPVulDB API v2 (v3 token now required)
* Disabled: Super Admin actions for further testing
* Disabled: API slowdowns for further testing
* Temporarily Disabled: Vulnerability Checking Feature

= 1.0.0 =
* remove Curl fallback for Vulnerability Checker API
* updated to WordQuest Helper 1.7.5 (button fix)
* fix to IP unblock form (remove unnecessary form target)
* fix to loop multiple vulnerability item in admin notice
* fix to current installed version vulnerability check 
* fix to set new vulnerabilities array empty subarrays
* fix to multi-update form on vulnerabilities list
* fix to remove missing resources from vulnerability list
* fix to update of vulnerability last check times
* fix to array index for single vulnerability trigger
* improved vulnerability check by adding pageload delay
* improved to extend existing token expiry on page refresh
* added clearing of theme and plugin cache for checker
* added plugin vulnerability alert rows on Plugin Page
* added no cache header for IP unblock form
* added automatic redirect to IP unblocked success

= 0.9.9 =
* updated Freemius SDK to 2.3.0
* sanitize and validate all posted action token values
* vulnerability API check default to use wp_remote_get
* fix to vulnerability checker already updated check
* fix to vulnerability alert emails for plugins/themes
* allow listing multiple vulnerabilities per resource
* added vulnerability notice dismissal button / AJAX
* added vulnerability checker API overload Detection
* added vulnerability checker auto-resume at position
* improved admin notice vulnerability display table
* improved background trigger for vulnerability check
* improved error checking for vulnerability checker

= 0.9.8 =
* updated WordQuest Helper library to 1.7.4
* added vulnerability checker for core, plugins and themes!
* use do_actions to allow adding extra admin interfaces
* use apply_filters for filtering whitelist / blacklist
* honour FORCEFIELD_REQUIRE_SSL constant override
* fix to reset input type to button so enter submits

= 0.9.7 =
* fix to transgression record check
* fix for possible empty referrer global
* fix to default limit settings
* fix to function names for signup and lostpass token fields
* fix to remove unchecked API role restrictions
* update plugin loader class 1.0.6 for multiple alert emails
* change single alert email setting type to allow multiple
* removed REST API prefix change option (better hard-coded)

= 0.9.6 =
* Updated to use Plugin Loader Class
* Disabled Plugin/Theme Updates sections
* maybe transfer old Settings from settings key
* moved Role Protect options to separate tab
* allow for auto-pass/auto-fail limit values
* added filters for contexts/intervals/expiries
* added nonce field to user IP unblock form
* fix to IP blocklist display query arguments

= 0.9.5 =
* Added BuddyPress registration token field 
* Fix multiple undefined function forcefield_record_ip
* Fix record retrieval by reason without specific IP
* Removed auto-update features for retesting

= 0.9.4 =
* Better localhost Detection for Local Usage
* Auto-Refresh Tokens according to Expiry Time
* Added Context-specific Token Expiry Time Filter
* Added Option to Auto-update Inactive Plugins
* Added Option to Auto-update Inactive Themes
* Added Option to Auto-update this Plugin

= 0.9.3 = 
* Dynamically add token input field to forms
* Added obfuscation of javascript token value

= 0.9.2 = 
* Single Global Plugin Settings Array
* Improved Blacklist / Whitelist Checking
* IP 4 Range Support for Blacklist / Whitelist
* Added calls for possible Pro features

= 0.9.1 =
* Added IP Table Recording with Transgression Limits
* Added Restrict API Access by Role Option
* Added Simple IP Blacklist / Whitelist
* Added Settings Reset to Default Button
* Standardized User Action Tokenizer Logic

= 0.9.0 =
* Development Version
* Javascript Tokenizer Engine
* Plugin Admin Options


== Other Notes ==

[ForceField Home](https://wordquest.org/plugins/forcefield/)

Like this plugin? Check out more of our free plugins here: 
[WordQuest](https://wordquest.org/plugins/ "WordQuest Plugins")

Looking for an awesome theme? Check out my child theme framework:
[BioShip Child Theme Framework](https://bioship.space "BioShip Child Theme Framework")

= Support =
For support or if you have an idea to improve this plugin:
[ForceField Support Quests](https://wordquest.org/support/forcefield/ "ForceField Support")

= Contribute = 
Help support improvements and log priority feature requests by a gift of appreciation:
[Contribute to ForceField](https://wordquest.org/contribute/?plugin=forcefield)

= Development =
To aid directly in development, please fork on Github and do a pull request:
[ForceField on Github](https://github.com/majick777/forcefield/)
