April 20, 2024

Disable XML-RPC-API Plugin

A simple and lightweight plugin to disable XML-RPC API, X-Pingback and pingback-ping in WordPress 3.5+ for a faster and more secure website

Protect your website from xmlrpc brute-force attacks,DOS and DDOS attacks, this plugin disables the XML-RPC and trackbacks-pingbacks on your WordPress website.

PLUGIN FEATURES
(These are options you can enable or disable each one)

Disable access to xmlrpc.php file using .httacess file
Automatically change htaccess file permission to read-only (0444)
Disable X-pingback to minimize CPU usage
Disable selected methods from XML-RPC
Remove pingback-ping link from header
Disable trackbacks and pingbacks to avoid spammers and hackers
Rename XML-RPC slug to whatever you want
Black list IPs for XML-RPC
White list IPs for XML-RPC
Some options to speed-up your wordpress website
Disable JSON REST API
Hide WordPress Version
Disable built-in WordPress file editor
Disable wlw manifest
And some other options

What is XMLRPC

XML-RPC, or XML Remote Procedure Call is a protocol which uses XML to encode its calls and HTTP as a transport mechanism.
Beginning in WordPress 3.5, XML-RPC is enabled by default. Additionally, the option to disable/enable XML-RPC was removed. For various reasons, site owners may wish to disable this functionality. This plugin provides an easy way to do so.

Why you should disable XML-RPC
Xmlrpc has two main weaknesses

Brute force attacks:
Attackers try to login to WordPress using xmlrpc.php with as many username/password combinations as they can enter. A method within xmlrpc.php allows the attacker to use a single command (system.multicall) to guess hundreds of passwords. Daniel Cid at Sucuri described it well in October 2015: “With only 3 or 4 HTTP requests, the attackers could try thousands of passwords, bypassing security tools that are designed to look and block brute force attempts.”
Denial of Service Attacks via Pingback:
Back in 2013, attackers sent Pingback requests through xmlrpc.php of approximately 2500 WordPress sites to “herd (these sites) into a voluntary botnet,” according to Gur Schatz at Incapsula. “This gives any attacker a virtually limitless set of IP addresses to Distribute a Denial of Service attack across a network of over 100 million WordPress sites, without having to compromise them.”

Installation

Upload the disable-xml-rpc directory to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory in your WordPress installation
Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
XML-RPC-API is now disabled!

To re-enable XML-RPC, just deactivate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu.

Screenshots

FAQ

Is there an admin interface for this plugin?

Yes, You can find the “XML-RPC Security” in your admin menu.

How do I know if the plugin is working?

There are three easy methods for checking if XML-RPC is off:
1. Easiest way is going to this url: http://yourdomain/xmlrpc.php enter your domain name instead of ‘yourdomain’ if you see “Access forbidden!” or “403 error” it’s working.
2. First, try using an XML-RPC client, like the official WordPress mobile apps. The WordPress mobile app should tell you that “XML-RPC services are disabled on this site” if the plugin is activated.
3. Or you can try the XML-RPC Validator, written by Danilo Ercoli of the Automattic Mobile Team – the tool is available at http://xmlrpc.eritreo.it/ with a blog post about it at http://daniloercoli.com/2012/05/15/wordpress-xml-rpc-endpoint-validator/. Keep in mind that you want the validator to fail and tell you that XML-RPC services are disabled.

Something doesn’t seem to be working correctly

If the plugin is activated, but XML-RPC appears to still be working … OR … the plugin is deactivated, but XML-RPC is not working, then it’s possible that another plugin or theme function is affecting the plugin functions.

Changelog

1.0.0

Initial release

1.0.1

Fix bugs

1.0.5

Remove pingback link tag in header
Add ability to fix htaccess file permission

1.0.6

Fix warnings for htaccess permission

1.0.7

Fix blank page when using W3 Total Cache and some other cache plugins

1.0.8

Fix code conflict with Autoptimize plugin

1.0.9

WordPress 5.7 compatible
Fix some issues

2.0.0

Fix code conflict with some other plugin
Fix hiding data in WooCommerce Product Tabs

2.1.0

*Major Update
*Add “XML-RPC Security”settings menu
*Add some new features
*Fix plugin deactivation bug

2.1.1

Add new feature fix hotlinks
Change notif timing

2.1.2

Add an option to disable auto change htaccess permission
Fix “DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT” warning
WordPress 5.8 compatibility

2.1.3

Fix compatibility issue with WordPress 5.9
Fix htaccess cleaning function

2.1.4

Fix some minor bugs
Refactor the entire codes
Add a fallback function for situations htaccess is not working

2.1.4.2

Hotfix for error on update

2.1.4.3

Hotfix for error on removing wordpress metadata

2.1.4.4

Fix warning undefined variable $htaccess_code when disable hotlink fix is off
Fix warning Undefined array key “plugins” on PHP 8+

2.1.4.5

Fix removing pingback header issue in the last major update
Update tested up to wp 6.1

2.1.4.7

Fix issues on uninstallation hook
Minor improvements on admin review notification

2.1.4.8

Fix bug with disable wp reset API option

2.1.4.9

Update Jetpack default whitelist IPs
Fix bug with update actions function
Keep enabling WP RSS in default settings
Test with WordPress 6.3 and update tested up to

2.1.5

Hotfix for .htaccess error and disabling the admin notices