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WP Fail2Ban Redux

By Brandon Allen

Security & Privacy / Security Scanning & Malware Protection

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

WP Fail2Ban Redux Review - In-Depth Analysis

WP Fail2Ban Redux logs WordPress events to your server's system log for Fail2Ban integration. It enhances security by tracking authentication attempts and errors.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.88/10

User Rating

5/5 (based on 15+ reviews)

Active Installations

7,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

WP Fail2Ban Redux records various WordPress events to your server's system log for integration with Fail2Ban.

This plugin is mostly a drop-in replacement for WP fail2ban by Charles Lecklider.

While WP fail2ban is a great plugin, there are a number of improvements that could be made. In order to facilitate these improvements, a major refactoring of the codebase was necessary.

The core functionality between WP Fail2Ban Redux and WP fail2ban remains the same. WP Fail2Ban Redux is considered to be mostly a drop-in replacement, because all constants have been replaced with filters, and will possibly require some upgrade work.

The following events are recorded by default:

Failed XML-RPC authentication attempts.
Successful authentication attempts.
Failed authentication attempts - differentiated by a user's existence.
Pingback errors.

The following events can be enabled via filter:

Pingback requests.
Blocked user enumeration attempts.
Authentication attempts for blocked usernames.
Spammed comments.

Extra documentation is available on the WP Fail2Ban Redux GitHub Wiki.

Comparing to Alternatives

WP Fail2Ban Redux is a specialized plugin designed to integrate WordPress login attempts with the Fail2Ban system for enhanced security. It has a couple of close alternatives that offer similar functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Seamless integration with Fail2Ban for logging failed login attempts.
No unnecessary control panel or premium upsells, keeping it lightweight and straightforward.
Easy to install and activate with minimal configuration required.
Reliable logging to server auth.log, aiding in security monitoring.
No configuration needed within WordPress itself, reducing complexity.

Weaknesses

Requires manual setup of Fail2Ban filters and jails on the server side.
Lacks a graphical user interface within WordPress for managing settings.
No premium or advanced features available for extended functionality.
Not explicitly tested with the latest WordPress versions, though reported to work fine.

User Sentiment Analysis

With a perfect 5-star rating from all 15 reviewers, user sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. Users appreciate its simplicity, reliability, and effectiveness in enhancing WordPress security.

Positive highlights

"Works perfect!" - galactica333
"Could not be simpler to use this plugin." - thnilsen
"Awesome plugin, a must have for WordPress security." - teeboy4real
"Easy, effective, no unnecessary control panel, no premium parts." - ABCdatos
"No premium/freemium blocklist scam, just does what it's supposed to do." - brt

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Requires server-side Fail2Ban configuration which may be complex for some users.
No in-dashboard settings or user interface for plugin management.
Lacks premium features or advanced options for power users.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

This plugin is ideal for WordPress site owners who already have Fail2Ban configured on their servers and want a simple, reliable way to log failed login attempts without extra bloat or premium upsells.

Not ideal for

It is not suitable for users who prefer a plugin with a graphical interface for configuration or those who do not have access to configure Fail2Ban on their server. Also, users seeking advanced or premium security features may find it lacking.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version includes all core functionality needed to log failed login attempts to Fail2Ban without any restrictions or upsells.

Final Verdict

WP Fail2Ban Redux stands out as a straightforward, no-nonsense plugin that effectively bridges WordPress login security with Fail2Ban. Its perfect user ratings reflect satisfaction with its ease of use, reliability, and lack of intrusive premium features.

While it requires some server-side setup and lacks a user interface, it is an excellent choice for users comfortable with Fail2Ban who want a lightweight, dependable solution. The absence of security vulnerabilities and free availability further enhance its appeal.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free WP Fail2Ban Redux plugin.

Fail2ban

Security

Syslog

FAQ

If you haven’t set any of the WP fail2ban constants, you don’t need to do anything. If you have set some of the constants, view the upgrade instructions.