XML-RPC Settings

Description

XML-RPC Settings

Configure XML-RPC methods to increase the security of your website:

Build-in features could be used for malicious purposes and cannot be disabled by default.

• Disable GET access
  • XML-RPC API only responds to POST requests. Direct GET access is not needed and can be used to fingerprint websites and use them as XML-RPC zombies in later attacks.
• Disable system.multicall
  • system.multicall method can be misused for amplification attacks.
• Disable system.listMethods
  • system.listMethods method can be used for verifying attack scope.

Prevent malicious actors from enumerating usernames and credentials.

• Disable authenticated methods
  • Methods requiring authentication, such as wp.getUsersBlogs, are often used to brute-force your passwords.

Pingbacks are a helpful feature to discover back-links to your posts but can be misused for DDoS attacks or allow fingerprinting your WP version.

• Disable pingbacks
  • Pingbacks are generally safe, but are often used for DDoS attacks via system.multicall.
• Remove X-Pingback header
  • If you decide to disable pingbacks, it’s a good practice to remove the X-Pingback header return by your posts.
• Hide WordPress version when verifying pingbacks
  • Pingbacks’ user-agent can reveal your exact WordPress version, even when hidden by other plugins.
• Hide WordPress version when sending pingbacks
  • Pingbacks’ user-agent can reveal your exact WordPress version, even when hidden by other plugins.

Unnecessary XML-RPC API, leave enabled if you are not sure.

• Disable Demo API
  • Remove demo.sayHello and demo.addTwoNumbers methods, as they are not needed.
• Disable Blogger API
  • WordPress supports the Blogger XML-RPC API methods.
• Disable MetaWeblog API
  • WordPress supports the metaWeblog XML-RPC API.
• Disable MovableType API
  • WordPress supports the MovableType XML-RPC API.

If you are using some integrations or WP mobile applications, it might be a good idea to allow XML-RPC only to specific IPs.

• Allow XML-RPC only for
  • IP comma separated eg. 192.168.10.242, 192.168.10.241

It is possible to hide a message between the allowed methods when system.listMethods is called (not recommended).

• Add message to XML-RPC methods
  • We are hiring! Check jobs.yourdomains.com

Screenshots

Installation

Secure your website using the following steps to install XML-RPC Settings:

1. Install XML-RPC Settings automatically or by uploading the ZIP file.
2. Activate the XML-RPC Settings through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress. XML-RPC Settings is now activated.
3. Go to the Settings >> XML-RPC Settings and configure the plugin based on your needs.

FAQ

How does XML-RPC Settings protect sites from attackers?

The XML-RPC Settings plugin allows you to configure XML-RPC methods to increase the security of your website. For example, you can easily disable Pingback methods, which might be misused by attacks to launch DDoS attacks.

Reviews

Contributors & Developers

Changelog

1.2.1 – October 05, 2021

• Fix callback function to register settings

1.2 – October 05, 2021

• Add xmlrpc_settings_ prefix to function names to be unique

1.1 – October 03, 2021

• Updated readme.txt and fixed grammar

1.0

• An initial release