Understanding WPS Hide Login Redirects: Slugs, 404 Pages, and Custom URL Limitations
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WPS Hide Login is a popular plugin for changing the default WordPress login URL to enhance security. A common topic of discussion among users is how the plugin handles redirects for unauthorized access attempts. This article explains the plugin's default behavior, its limitations, and the reasoning behind its design choices based on community feedback and developer responses.
The Default Behavior: Redirecting to a 404 Page
By default, WPS Hide Login is designed to redirect any attempt to access the default wp-admin or wp-login.php URLs to a 404 error page. This is a core security feature. The plugin uses a simple slug (like "404") to define this 404 page. Users cannot leave this slug field empty; if they try, the plugin will automatically repopulate it. The WPS Hide Login team has stated that this behavior is intentional, as redirecting to a standard 404 error page is the normal, expected web behavior when a page does not exist. Redirecting to the homepage or another URL can be suspicious and potentially reveal that an action has been taken to hide a page.
Common User Requests and Plugin Limitations
Analysis of community threads reveals several frequent user requests that the plugin does not currently support natively:
- Custom Redirect URLs: Many users want to redirect failed login attempts to a custom page (e.g., a homepage or a branded "unauthorized" page) instead of the standard 404. While the WPS Hide Login team has acknowledged this as a good idea for a future version, it is not currently a built-in feature.
- URLs with Query Parameters: The plugin's redirect field is designed to accept only a simple slug (e.g.,
my-error-page). It does not support full URLs or query parameters (e.g.,page_ID=5147or?status=401). If you enter a string containing an equals sign (=) or a slash (/), the plugin may strip these characters, leading to a broken URL and a 404 error. - Complex Login Slugs: The custom login URL itself must also be a simple slug. The plugin does not support creating a login URL with multiple path segments (e.g.,
temp/temp2/temp3).
Why These Limitations Exist
The design philosophy behind these limitations appears to be centered on simplicity and security. The plugin's primary goal is to change the login URL with minimal complexity. Allowing arbitrary redirects or complex URLs could introduce unexpected vulnerabilities or conflicts with other plugins and server configurations. The team maintains that a 404 redirect is the safest and most standard method for handling requests to hidden pages.
Potential Workarounds
For advanced users who require functionality beyond the plugin's scope, workarounds may involve custom code or server configuration:
- .htaccess Rules: To redirect to a URL with parameters, you could set the plugin's slug to a simple value and then use mod_rewrite rules in your
.htaccessfile to perform a second redirect to your desired destination (e.g.,index.php?status=401). Be aware that this creates a two-step redirect process. - Custom Code Hooks: While not directly supported by the plugin's settings, WordPress filters and actions could potentially be used to alter its behavior. However, this requires significant development expertise and is not recommended for most users.
It is always advised to test any workaround thoroughly on a staging site before implementing it on a live website.
Conclusion
WPS Hide Login is built for a specific, secure purpose: obfuscating the WordPress login URL and redirecting unauthorized requests to a 404 page. Its intentional limitations on custom redirects and complex URLs are part of its security-first design. Users seeking more advanced redirection capabilities may need to look for alternative security plugins that offer those specific features or implement custom development solutions.
Related Support Threads Support
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Redirect to non-wordpress pagehttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/redirect-to-non-wordpress-page/
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How can we customize the 404 page?https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-can-we-customize-the-404-page/
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The slug is shown in the export and data deletion emailshttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/%f0%9f%8d%ac-the-slug-is-shown-in-the-export-and-data-deletion-emails/
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Redirect URLhttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/redirect-url-35/
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custom link redirect instead 404 errorhttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/custom-link-redirect-instead-404-error/
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404 page without slughttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/404-page-without-slug/
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Please addhttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/please-add-4/
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redirect to a category pagehttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/redirect-to-a-category-page/
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How do I redirect to the home page?https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-do-i-redirect-to-the-home-page/
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Any plan to implement custom redirects?https://wordpress.org/support/topic/any-plan-to-implement-custom-redirects/
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Adding query string on redirected login pagehttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-query-string-on-redirected-login-page/
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Private slug shown in source pagehttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/private-slug-shown-in-source-page/
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allow custom url with parameters in redirection url rather than just slughttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-custom-url-with-parameters-in-redirection-url-rather-than-just-slug/
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more complex urlhttps://wordpress.org/support/topic/more-complex-url/