What is xmlrpc.php and Why You Should Disable It in WordPress
WordPress has long included built-in features that allow remote interaction with your site. One such feature is the xmlrpc.php file, historically used to enable communication between WordPress and external applications.
In recent years, however, this mechanism has become more of a security risk than a benefit due to widespread abuse by malicious actors.
What is xmlrpc.php?
XML-RPC is a WordPress feature that enables data transmission using HTTP as the transport protocol and XML as the encoding format.
It was originally designed to allow WordPress to communicate with external systems such as mobile apps, remote publishing tools, or third-party services.
Why should you disable xmlrpc.php?
The main concern with xmlrpc.php lies in its security implications. While not inherently insecure, the file can be exploited in the following ways:
- Brute force attacks: attackers can use xmlrpc.php to try hundreds of username/password combinations in a single request, bypassing some traditional brute force protection tools.
- DDoS attacks: hackers can abuse the WordPress pingback feature to send simultaneous requests to thousands of websites, using your site as a DDoS amplifier.
Even with strong passwords and security plugins in place, the best protection is to disable xmlrpc.php entirely.
How to check if xmlrpc.php is active
Use a tool like XML-RPC Validator. If the test returns an error, xmlrpc.php is not enabled. If it returns a success message, consider disabling it.
How to disable xmlrpc.php via .htaccess
If you prefer not to use a plugin, you can manually block incoming requests to xmlrpc.php by editing your site's .htaccess file.
Open the .htaccess file in your site's root directory (you may need to enable "show hidden files" in your FTP client or file manager), and paste the following code:
# Block WordPress xmlrpc.php requests
<Files xmlrpc.php>
order deny,allow
deny from all
allow from 123.123.123.123
</Files>
You can allow access from specific IP addresses by modifying the allow from line.
