Description

The Smart User Slug Hider Plugin hides usernames in Author Pages URLs to enhance Security

Usage

The plugin automatically replaces user names with 16 digits coded strings. There are no settings. Just install and forget. Deactivating the Plugin restores the default WordPress behavior.

Version 4.0.0 Update Notice

Previous versions of this plugin used a function that was removed in PHP 7.2. Version 2 of this plugin introduced a so called Future Proof Mode, that used a different encryption method to work with PHP 7.2 and newer.

In version 4.0.0 only this new method is available. The old method was completely removed.

Unfortunately it is not possible to get the same result. This means that the coded User Slug changes if you haven’t activated Future Proof Mode yet.

Why use this plugin?

WordPress uses the pattern example.com/author/name for author page URLs where name represents the users login name.

This means that the login names from all your users are publicly visible which is a serious security flaw.

The Smart User Slug Hider Plugin changes all author page URLs from e.g. example.com/author/john to something like example.com/author/e9e716def73f76ac.

The codes are generated automatically and its impossible to make conclusions about the user names. The WordPress default URLs will cause a 404 (not found) error.

Also works for BuddyPress member pages.

As of version 4.0.0 also the author class from body tag is removed (see this topic)

Shortcodes

The plugin adds three shortcodes you can use in your posts:

• [smart_user_slug] – the user slug of the post author – e.g. e9e716def73f76ac
• [smart_user_url] – the url of the post author’s profile page – e.g. example.com/author/e9e716def73f76ac
• [smart_user_link] – adds a link to the post author’s profile page

Theme Functions

The plugin adds two functions that can be used in theme files:

• get_smart_user_slug( $author_id ) to get the user slug for the author – the parameter $author_id is optional, if omitted the author`s ID of the current post is used
• the_smart_user_slug( $author_id ) to display the user slug for the author – the parameter $author_id is optional, if omitted the author`s ID of the current post is used

Support

Support Forum.

Video

How to easily close a HUGE WordPress Security Gap using the free Plugin Smart User Slug Hider

Do you like this plugin?

I spend a lot of my precious spare time to develop and maintain my free WordPress plugins. You don’t need to make a donation. No money, no beer, no coffee. If you like this plugin then please do me a favor and give it a good rating. Thanks.

Plugin Privacy Information

• This plugin does not set cookies
• This plugin does not collect or store any data
• This plugin does not send any data to external servers

Peters’ Plugins Privacy Information Page

ClassicPress

This plugin is compatible with ClassicPress.

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