WordPress and BPS

You cannot hide the fact that you have a WordPress site and you have nothing to worry about. WordPress is very secure all by itself. BPS adds another layer of security for common malicious attack vectors.

On the subject of trying to hide that you have a WordPress site. There is gossip, rumours, ridiculous claims, wrong information, repeated wrong information and just plain bad information all over the Internet regarding this subject. This WordPress subject is no different than any other subject that has bad or wrong information spread all over the place. ?? pick any topic go surfing and you will find plenty of bad or wrong information about that topic. That is just what is. ??

And the word “hiding” has no business being used when talking about website security. “hiding” has never been and never will be a valid security measure. I use an example like this to get that point across.

Does PayPal, eBay, Google or any of the other online giants try to hide anything? No, of course not because they have real security measures in place. ??

This is a very misunderstood phrase – “Security through obscurity”. The intended meaning is don’t make things obvious to guess, such as creating a password that is your website domain name. Instead create a secure password that would extremely hard to guess if not impossible to guess.

Thanks for this great response, This made me and soon to be a lot of other people feel more understanding with this subject in general.

Resolving.

Hi, I have just installed Bullet Proof Plugin to my brand new website. I only activated the very first magic box the notice requested i activate first up (re: root folder). I did not do anything else. Before i knew it i could not log into my WordPress Admin nor could i search for my website on the server. My website has basically disappeared. I would extremely appreciate some assistance on how i can retrieve my site. I cannot find any folder anywhere on my computer referring to the Bullet Proof Plugin. Dropbox had backed up web info just before i installed the plugin.My website has vanished, please help!

Use FTP or your web host control panel file manager and delete the .htaccess file in your website root folder. Your site should come up normally now.

Before you attempt to activate BPS again please post this information about your website that you will find on the BPS System Info tab page:

Server Type:
Operating System:
Server API:

Most likely what happened is that the AutoMagic buttons were not clicked first before activating Root folder BulletProof Mode. Thanks.

@mariee – thread has been reopened.

Hi, Thanks for your reply,
I do have access to the C panel however, In the files section, I have File Manager, FTP Accounts and FTP session control. I went to the File Manager and deleted the .htaccess file in my website root folder as you advised above.
However, I still cant get into the website and it is requesting for Authentication Required box – requesting Username and Password
What should I do now? Thank you

Is the Authentication box a grey box that is not a standard WordPress login? This might be a directory password authentication box I think? Do you have directory password protection setup in cPanel or did you add this to your wp-admin .htaccess file?

Download a copy of the .htaccess file here: /wp-admin/.htaccess and then delete it from your website. Can you login now?

No its not a normal log in box. I have used all the passwords I can – nothing works. It keeps telling me it requires authentication.
I cant get into the website- it was under maintenance therefore only the Coming Soon page shows.
I have found the Bullet Proof plugin, should I delete all the files? Sorry for the trouble-thank you for your help.

Sure sounds like a Directory Password protection authentication, but maybe it is something else.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-password-protect-your-wordpress-admin-wp-admin-directory/

Did you delete the wp-admin .htaccess file?

Actually I don’t think that has to do with BPS, but yep delete the /bulletproof-security plugin folder.

If you still are not able to login then rename the /plugins folder to /plugins-hold and try and login if you see the normal WordPres login page. If you are still seeing the Authentication Required login window then don’t bother trying to login. You can reset this password in cPanel – see the link above for the steps to do that.

or To remove password protection from the directory, uncheck Password protect this directory.

Hi again, I have deleted all the Bullet Proof folders and the plugin. Still cant login to website-same message keeps popping up. I have tried all the passwords I can nothing works. ??

The plugin folder does not have the option to rename.

I think this is a Password Protect Directories issue. Click the link i posted above and look at the image of the login window. Is that the same type of login window you are seeing?

Are you using a maintenance mode or coming soon plugin? If so, what is the name of that plugin?

Yes, that is the Authentication box I get. I checked to see if there were passwords but there wasn’t.
Yes, using the Coming soon plugin called “Ultimate Coming Soon Page”
Thank you for your patience

Ok then go into cpanel and look for the Password Protect Directories icon/tool or something that is named very similar to that. Click on it and you should see some sort of checkbox to remove password protection from the directory.

To remove password protection from the directory, uncheck Password protect this directory.

I followed your directions but there are no checked boxes in any of the folders to uncheck.
Should I delete the Ultimate Coming Soon Plugin?