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How to Change Author Path and Hide ID with Hide My WP Ghost Plugin

Persistent automated programs, often known as hacker bots, tirelessly search websites to reveal author usernames. They achieve this by reaching out to the website using author IDs.

This method grants them access to author usernames effortlessly. Once acquired, these usernames can be manipulated to gain unauthorized entry into the website’s dashboard via the login form.

What do “Author Path” and “Author ID” mean in WordPress?

In WordPress, the “Author Path” refers to the URL structure used to access the pages or profiles of individual authors on a website. When a WordPress site has multiple authors contributing content, each author typically has their own page or profile that showcases their posts, information, and sometimes a biography.

For example, if your WordPress site’s domain is “www.example.com” and an author with the username “john” has contributed articles, the author path might look like this:

Default Author Path: http://www.example.com/author/john/

Visiting this URL would take users to a page that displays all of John’s published posts and any additional information provided about him.

On the other hand, “Author ID” refers to the unique numerical identifier assigned to each registered user (author) on a WordPress website. This ID is used internally by WordPress to differentiate between users and assign permissions. Every user, including administrators, is assigned a specific numeric ID.

For instance, if John has an Author ID of 5, the URL to his author page might also include the Author ID in this format:

Author Path with ID: http://www.example.com/author/5/

Why Secure Author Path and Author ID in WordPress?

Think of your WordPress website as a digital castle.

Inside this castle, there are rooms for different authors who create content. Each author has a special name (like a username) and a secret number (like a code) that lets them in.

But, there are some sneaky characters outside who want to find out these secrets. They can use tricks to guess the author’s name and secret number. If they succeed, they can try to break into the castle and cause trouble.

Now, imagine if the castle had secret doors with names written on them and secret codes displayed. The sneaky characters could easily find out who lives where and which code opens each door.

That’s kind of like what happens with author paths and IDs in WordPress. By default, WordPress shows the author’s name and secret number in the web addresses. This makes it easier for sneaky characters (hackers) to guess and cause problems.

But, here’s the important part:

If you hide the author’s name and secret number (path and ID), the sneaky characters get confused. They can’t guess who lives where or which code opens the doors.

This is super important because it keeps your castle safe:

  • No Guessing Games: Hackers can’t easily guess author names and codes, so they can’t sneak in.
  • Stopping Tricks: Hackers can’t use these secrets to trick your castle’s guards (security measures) and get in.

Think of it like a game of hide and seek. If you hide really well, it’s tough for the seekers (hackers) to find you.

So, securing author paths and IDs is like putting a strong lock on those secret doors and keeping your castle safe from the sneaky characters. It’s a smart move to keep your website and your authors’ information safe and sound.

Overall, securing author paths and IDs is an integral part of maintaining the security, integrity, and privacy of your WordPress website and its users.

Activate and Configure

To safeguard against this, you can modify the author path using Hide My WP Ghost Plugin. By following the subsequent steps, you can reinforce the security of your WordPress website and thwart unauthorized access by hacker bots. Here are the steps:

Activate Safe Mode or Ghost Mode

  1. After installing and activating the Hide My WP Ghost plugin, navigate to the WordPress dashboard.
  2. Locate the “Hide My WP” menu on the left-hand side and click on it.
  3. In the Hide My WP Ghost settings, find the “Change Paths” tab and click on it.
  4. Under the “Lever of Security” section, you will see options such as “Safe Mode” or “Ghost Mode“.
  5. Choose either Safe Mode or Ghost Mode, depending on your preference and website requirements.
  • Safe Mode: This mode offers essential protection by changing paths and hiding sensitive information. It is recommended for most websites.
  • Ghost Mode: This mode provides advanced protection by adding additional layers of security. It disguises the WordPress installation and plugins, making it more difficult for hackers to detect.
  1. Select the desired mode by toggling the switch to the “On” position.
  2. Click the “Save Changes” button to apply the selected mode.

Change Author Path

Now, let’s transform the paths that guide visitors through your castle’s halls:

  1. Navigate to Hide My WP > Change Paths > User Security > Custom Author Path.
  2. Here, you have the power to change the author path by altering the name.

Certain profile plugins and themes rely on the author path for user portfolios and customized profile pages. These functionalities might malfunction if the author path is modified. If you encounter such issues, you can revert to the default path: Remove the custom author path and use the default path instead.

Hide Author ID URL

To disable the author ID calls, simply switch on Hide Author URL in Hide My WP > Change Paths > User Security > Hide Author ID URL

hide author id in wordpress

How Does the Option to Hide Author ID URL Improve Site Security?

Normally, when someone enters a URL like http://www.example.com/?author=1 on a WordPress site, they are automatically redirected to: http://www.example.com/author/username/. Here, “username” is the author’s login name associated with an ID of 1 (usually the admin user).

Likewise, if the URL http://www.example.com/?author=2 is used, the redirection leads to http://www.example.com/author/person2/, where “person2” represents the login name of the author with an ID of 2 (if such an account exists). This pattern continues for other author IDs.

Unfortunately, this exposes sensitive information, as it reveals authors’ login details.

By activating the Hide Author ID URL feature, URLs like domain.com/?author=1 will no longer reveal the user’s login name.

Running a Security Check

Once the settings are saved, it’s recommended to run a security check from Hide My WP > Security Check to ensure that the wp-login path remains concealed.

run security check

Follow these steps to perform a security check:

  1. Access the Hide My WP Ghost settings by navigating to Hide My WP > Overview.
  2. Click the “Run full Security Check” button to initiate the check. The security check will scan your website and verify if the Author path is properly hidden.

Note: If any issues or warnings are detected during the security check, review the plugin’s documentation or seek support for further assistance in resolving the identified issues.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully taken control of your WordPress website’s security by making strategic changes to author paths and IDs. These adjustments are pivotal in maintaining the privacy, integrity, and overall security of your online platform.

By modifying author paths and concealing IDs, you’ve effectively disrupted potential threats from hackers seeking unauthorized access. This proactive approach ensures that sensitive user information remains hidden from malicious actors, reducing the risk of breaches.

Remember that cybersecurity is an ongoing commitment. Regularly revisiting these steps and staying informed about evolving security practices will help you stay one step ahead of potential vulnerabilities.

Your dedication to safeguarding your website and its users is a testament to your responsible and vigilant online presence.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Why are my author pages or profiles not accessible after changing the author path?

Solution:

  1. Check the Custom Author Path: Double-check the custom author path that you’ve set to ensure that it has been entered accurately and without any typos. Even a small mistake in the path can lead to accessibility issues.
  2. Clear Cache and Refresh: Clear the cache of your website and your browser to ensure that you’re seeing the latest changes. Cached pages might still have the old author paths stored, causing confusion.
  3. Permalink Settings: Go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to “Settings” > “Permalinks,” and click “Save Changes” to refresh the permalinks. This action can sometimes help resolve issues related to URL structures.
  4. Revert to Default Path: Temporarily revert to the default author path to see if the accessibility issue is related to the custom path itself. If the default path works, there might be an issue with the custom path configuration.
  5. Incompatible Plugins or Themes: Some plugins or themes might conflict with changes to the author path. Deactivate recently added plugins or switch to a default WordPress theme to check if they are causing the issue.
  6. Database Integrity: Changing URLs can sometimes affect the database integrity. If you’re comfortable with it, consider performing a database search and replace to ensure consistent URLs throughout the content.
  7. Check for Errors: Inspect your website’s error logs for any specific error messages related to the author path. These logs might provide insights into what’s causing the accessibility problem.
  8. Reach Out for Support: If the issue persists and you’re unable to resolve it on your own, consider seeking help from WordPress support forums or experienced developers who can provide targeted solutions based on your website’s configuration.

Remember, patience and a systematic approach are key when troubleshooting. Start with the simpler solutions and work your way to more complex ones if needed.

If you’ve noticed that some of your links are broken or directing you to the wrong destinations after modifying the author path, there might be an issue with the permalink structure. When you change the author path, the URLs associated with author profiles and pages are also altered. This can lead to incorrect links and broken navigation.

Solution:

  1. Update Permalinks: To fix this issue, you need to refresh your permalink structure. This will ensure that WordPress generates correct URLs based on the new author path.
    • Navigate to your WordPress dashboard.
    • Go to “Settings” and select “Permalinks.”
    • Without making any changes, click the “Save Changes” button. This action will refresh your permalink structure.
  2. Clear Browser Cache: Sometimes, your browser might still be using the old URLs from its cache. Clear your browser’s cache and cookies to ensure that it fetches the updated URLs from your website.
  3. Clear WordPress Cache (If Applicable): If you’re using a caching plugin, such as W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache, clear the cache within the plugin’s settings. This step will ensure that cached pages are updated with the new URLs.
  4. Check for Hard-Coded Links: If you’ve manually added author links within your content or theme files, make sure they are updated to reflect the new author path.

After applying these steps, your links should lead to the correct destinations, and the issue of broken or incorrect links should be resolved.

Why are certain profile plugins or themes not functioning properly after changing the author path?

After modifying the author path, you may encounter issues with specific profile plugins or themes that rely on the default author path structure. These plugins and themes might be designed to interact with the original author path, causing them to malfunction when the path is changed.

Solution:

  1. Revert to Default Path: If you experience compatibility issues with certain profile plugins or themes, consider reverting to the default author path.
    • Go to “Hide My WP” in your WordPress dashboard.
    • Navigate to “Change Paths” and select “User Security.”
    • Locate the “Custom Author Path” setting.
    • Remove the custom author path and leave the field blank.
    • Save your changes.
  2. Contact Plugin or Theme Support: If reverting to the default path is not an option and the compatibility issues persist, reach out to the support team of the affected profile plugin or theme. Explain that you’ve changed the author path and are experiencing problems. They may provide guidance or updates to ensure compatibility with the modified author path.
  3. Explore Alternatives: If the profile plugin or theme continues to pose problems, consider looking for alternative plugins or themes that offer similar functionality and are compatible with your modified author path.
  4. Custom Code or Development: In some cases, you might need to involve a developer to make custom adjustments to the profile plugin or theme. This can involve modifying code to align with the changed author path or creating a custom solution to ensure compatibility.

It’s important to balance the security benefits of the changed author path with the functionality of your website. While enhancing security is crucial, maintaining essential functionality is also a priority. Exploring these solutions can help you find the right balance between security and usability.

Why are some contributors or users experiencing difficulty accessing their profiles or author-related features?

After making changes to the author path, contributors or users might encounter problems accessing their profiles or features related to authorship. This can happen if the modified author path conflicts with the URLs or settings associated with their profiles.

Solution:

  1. Communicate Changes: Inform your contributors and users about the recent changes you’ve made to the author path. Let them know that they might need to adjust their URLs or bookmarks to access their profiles.
  2. Check URLs: Contributors and users should ensure they are using the correct URLs to access their profiles. If the author path has been modified, they might need to update their bookmarks or saved links.
  3. Update User Profiles: If your website allows users to set custom URLs for their profiles, they might need to update these settings to align with the modified author path.
  4. Test and Verify: As an administrator, perform tests using contributor or user accounts to replicate the issues they are facing. This will help you understand the extent of the problem and identify any adjustments needed.
  5. User Support: Provide assistance to contributors and users who are experiencing difficulties. Offer step-by-step instructions on how to update their URLs, access their profiles, and navigate author-related features.
  6. Revert Changes if Necessary: If the difficulties persist and impact the functionality of your contributors and users, you might consider reverting to the default author path. While security is important, ensuring a smooth user experience is also crucial.
  7. Seek Technical Help: If the issues are complex and cannot be resolved through basic troubleshooting, consider seeking assistance from technical experts or developers who are familiar with WordPress and the modified author path.

Remember that maintaining a balance between security enhancements and user experience is vital. Regular communication and support can help contributors and users navigate any changes and continue to engage effectively with your website.

Why are my customized themes or templates affected by changes to author paths or IDs?

Remember, every WordPress website is unique, and the impact of changes can vary based on various factors. If you encounter challenges that you can’t tackle on your own, seeking assistance from WordPress support forums or experienced developers might provide the guidance you need.

October 27, 2023