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REST API Guard

v1.5.0 · by Sean Fisher

Restrict and control anonymous access to the WordPress REST API, with optional JSON Web Token (JWT) authentication.

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About this plugin

The WordPress REST API is public by default and shares a good deal of information about your site with anyone who asks. REST API Guard makes it easy to decide who can see what.

Out of the box, the plugin:

  • Blocks anonymous access to the users endpoint (/wp/v2/users) so usernames aren’t exposed.
  • Blocks anonymous access to the REST API index (/) and namespace endpoints (/wp/v2) so visitors can’t list your plugins and post types.

It can also:

  • Block all anonymous access to the REST API.
  • Allow anonymous access only to specific routes (allowlist), or block specific routes (denylist).
  • Require anonymous requests to include a JSON Web Token (JWT).
  • Let users authenticate with a JWT tied to their account.
  • Generate, list, and revoke tokens from the settings page or WP-CLI.

Every option is available on the settings page (Settings REST API Guard) and as a filter for configuring the plugin in code. A setting controlled by a filter is shown as read-only on the settings page.

Restrict access to user information

Anonymous access to /wp/v2/users is blocked by default. To allow it:

add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_allow_user_access', '__return_true' );

Restrict access to the index and namespace endpoints

Anonymous access to the index (/) and namespace (/wp/v2) endpoints is blocked by default. To allow it:

add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_allow_index_access', '__return_true' );
add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_allow_namespace_access', '__return_true' );

Block all anonymous access

add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_prevent_anonymous_access', '__return_true' );

Allow anonymous access to specific routes (allowlist)

When an allowlist is set, anonymous requests to any route not on the list are denied. The allowlist takes priority over the denylist. Use * as a wildcard.

add_filter(
    'rest_api_guard_anonymous_requests_allowlist',
    fn () => [
        '/wp/v2/posts*',
        '/custom-namespace/v1/public/*',
    ]
);

Deny anonymous access to specific routes (denylist)

Anonymous requests to routes on the denylist are denied. All other routes are allowed. Use * as a wildcard.

add_filter(
    'rest_api_guard_anonymous_requests_denylist',
    fn () => [
        '/wp/v2/comments*',
        '/custom-namespace/v1/private/*',
    ]
);

Require a JSON Web Token (JWT) for anonymous requests

Anonymous requests can be required to send a token in an Authorization: Bearer <token> header:

add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_authentication_jwt', '__return_true' );

Tokens are expected to have an audience of wordpress-rest-api and an issuer of the site URL. Both can be changed:

add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_jwt_audience', fn () => 'custom-audience' );
add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_jwt_issuer', fn () => 'https://example.com' );

Tokens are signed with a secret generated automatically and stored in the rest_api_guard_jwt_secret option. It can also be set in code:

add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_jwt_secret', fn () => 'my-custom-secret' );

Authenticate users with a JWT

Tokens can also be tied to a user. A request with a user token is treated as that user, with the same permissions they have:

add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_user_authentication_jwt', '__return_true' );

Generate, list, and revoke tokens

Once JWT authentication is enabled, tokens can be generated from the Tokens tab of the settings page. Give each one a name so you can tell them apart later, and optionally tie it to a user or set an expiration. The token is shown once after it’s generated, so copy it somewhere safe.

The same tab lists every token the plugin has issued, and any of them can be revoked. A revoked token stops working right away.

Tokens can also be managed with WP-CLI:

wp rest-api-guard generate-jwt [--name=<name>] [--user=<user-id>] [--expiration=<seconds>]
wp rest-api-guard list-jwts
wp rest-api-guard revoke-jwt <id>

Or generated in code:

$token = \Alley\WP\REST_API_Guard\generate_jwt(
    expiration: HOUR_IN_SECONDS, // Optional. Seconds until the token expires.
    user: 1,                     // Optional. A user ID or WP_User.
    name: 'Mobile App',          // Optional. A name to identify the token by.
);

Tokens issued before version 1.5.0 aren’t tracked, so they can’t be listed or revoked one at a time. They’re still accepted by default. To reject them:

add_filter( 'rest_api_guard_allow_untracked_jwt', '__return_false' );

Changing the rest_api_guard_jwt_secret option invalidates every token issued so far, tracked or not.

Caching

Responses to REST API requests that include an Authorization header are sent with no-cache headers so a page cache or CDN doesn’t store them.

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