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Authorizer

By Paul Ryan

User Management & Authentication / User Registration & Login

Authorizer Review - In-Depth Analysis

Authorizer limits login attempts and restricts access to specific users. It authenticates against external sources like OAuth2, Google, LDAP, or CAS.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.85/10

User Rating

5/5 (based on 20+ reviews)

Active Installations

5,000+

Update Frequency

Outstanding 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

Authorizer restricts access to a WordPress site to specific users, typically students enrolled in a university course. It maintains a list of approved users that you can edit to determine who has access. It also replaces the default WordPress login/authorization system with one relying on an external server, such as Google, CAS, LDAP, or an OAuth2 provider.

Additionally, Authorizer lets you limit invalid login attempts to prevent bots from compromising your users' accounts. It provides various options for authentication and access control.

Authorizer requires a CAS server or LDAP server and specific PHP extensions to function properly.

Comparing to Alternatives

Authorizer is a specialized WordPress plugin focused on authentication management, particularly integrating with external services like Active Directory and LDAP. Compared to other authentication plugins, it offers a straightforward setup and essential security features.

Top alternatives

Authorizer

Strengths

Easy to set up and configure.
Supports integration with Active Directory and LDAP.
Includes protection against brute force attacks.
Works well in multisite WordPress environments.

Weaknesses

Lacks option to restrict authentication to external services only.
No advanced user management features for offboarding users.
Limited customization options for authentication workflows.

User Sentiment Analysis

User feedback highlights the plugin's ease of use and effective integration with external authentication services, though some users note missing features and minor issues.

Positive highlights

'Very easy to setup and works with Active Directory.' - flim0
'Sencillo y práctico, funcionalidad muy útiles.' - aleadco94
'Brilliant plugin & team behind it!' - svyatoslavnetrunner
'Works very well on WP Multisite with Google Cloud 2FA.' - JSL
'Includes protection against brute force and comprehensive settings.' - oshurkov

Common complaints

Missing option to restrict authentication to external services only.
Some effort required when users leave the company due to lack of offboarding features.

Weaknesses

No built-in user offboarding management.
Limited translation updates noted by users.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Organizations needing straightforward integration of WordPress authentication with external services like Active Directory or LDAP, especially in multisite setups.

Not ideal for

Users seeking advanced user management, detailed access restrictions, or extensive customization of authentication processes.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers essential authentication features including Active Directory and LDAP integration, brute force protection, and multisite compatibility.

Final Verdict

Authorizer is a reliable and easy-to-use plugin for integrating WordPress authentication with external services, making it suitable for organizations with such needs.

While it lacks some advanced features and customization options, its free offering provides solid value for users requiring basic authentication management.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Authorizer plugin.

Authentication

CAS

LDAP

OAuth

Screenshots

FAQ

If you add external=wordpress to the wp-login.php URL querystring, you can always get the WordPress login form to reappear. For example, if your site is at https://www.example.com, then the URL would be: https://www.example.com/wp-login.php?external=wordpress