- Learn How to Add CAPTCHA to WordPress Website.
- Introduction To CAPTCHA
- Introduction to Google reCAPTCHA?
- Adding a CAPTCHA to Your WordPress Site
- - Step 1: Install and Activate a WordPress CAPTCHA Plugin
- - Step 2: Create Your Google reCAPTCHA and Add It to Your Site
- - Step 3: Configure Your Settings to Protect Key Areas
- Adding a CAPTCHA to Your Login Page
- Conclusion
There’s no doubt that WordPress security is important. After all, a breach can result in serious damage to your site. However, with hackers using bots to rapidly and effectively assault websites, it can feel like the odds are stacked against you.
Fortunately, you can use CAPTCHA. you must be thinking about what is captcha anyway well let me introduce you to it. CAPTCHA stands for Completely Automated Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA). It is a simple, low-effort way to boost your website’s security.
In this tutorial, we are going to talk about CAPTCHAs and how they can play a role in protecting your site from hackers and spam. Then we’ll walk you through how to add them to your site and introduce some of the best WordPress CAPTCHA plugins.
Let’s get into it.
You might have come across CAPTCHAs many times when you are online. It’s present in a variety of forms. For example, the distorted text where you have to decipher the alphabets and digits written on the screen and then write it in the text field or the one where you have to identify and select a specific object among the images.
The reason for such challenges is that humans can easily complete such challenges. However, even today’s advanced bots aren’t able to make sense of words that have been distorted or fragments of images. When they’re unable to complete the test, they’re being blocked from your site.
Bots are used in multiple situations that could compromise the security of your website. Brute force attacks are a hacking strategy, To use bots to repeatedly enter credentials into your login form until they gain access to your site.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is another type of cyberattack in which hackers inject malicious code into your site via a form, such as your login page or comments section. This could result in malware stored on your site, stolen information, and other negative outcomes.
Bots can also be used for spamming your comments section with low-quality links that hurt your Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Anywhere on your site that users can input information – in other words, any form – is vulnerable to attacks by bots. Requiring a CAPTCHA before form submissions prevent non-humans from successfully gaining access to your site or injecting malicious code into it.
While CAPTCHAs provide a variety of benefits and protections to your site, they do have a couple of drawbacks. For example, they tend to negatively impact User Experience (UX). By slowing users down, these simple tests get in the way of visitors smoothly and quickly accomplishing their goals on your site.
.In 2014, Google released its No CAPTCHA reCAPTCHA, an alternative to the distorted word and image tests. The new system simply requires users to select a checkbox next to the words “I’m not a robot” to confirm their legitimacy:
This is far easier and faster than more traditional CAPTCHAs and accessible to a wider range of users. What’s more, Google has continued to improve this technology. In 2018, it also released what’s been termed an “invisible CAPTCHA“, which can detect bots without requiring any deliberate action on the part of users.
When adding a CAPTCHA to your WordPress site, you’ll have the chance to choose what type of test to use. However, keep in mind that implementing Google reCAPTCHA v2 or v3 should help to make your site more enjoyable and accessible for users.
When it comes to WordPress security, adding a CAPTCHA is one of the simplest ways to make it harder for bots to attack your site. Fortunately, integrating one is also easy. You can set yours up in just three simple steps.
The simplest way to add a CAPTCHA to your WordPress site is with a plugin. There are many high-quality options in the WordPress Plugin Directory.
Before you choose your plugin, however, there are a couple of key features to consider.
First, you want to account for the type of CAPTCHA your plugin provides. As we discussed above, Google reCAPTCHA is much more user-friendly than requiring visitors to click on images or decode warped text.
Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that your plugin can add CAPTCHAs to several areas of your site, not just your login page.
Let’s look at three plugins that meet the above criteria. Google Captcha (reCAPTCHA) by BestWebSoft is a very popular option.
Fig (a) Google reCAPTCHA available on wordpress.org.
This plugin incorporates a v2 or v3 Google reCAPTCHA on your login and registration pages, on the password reset and contact forms, and even in your site’s comments and testimonial submissions. This helps to prevent spam, in addition to increasing security.
This plugin includes the straightforward Google reCAPTCHA and can be used on login, registration, and forgot password forms. However, it doesn’t integrate with your comments section or contact forms, making it a little more limited than the other two plugins we’ve looked at.
Once you’ve installed and activated your plugin, you’ll need to create your Google reCAPTCHA (assuming you’ve selected a plugin that uses one). Head over to the Google reCAPTCHA admin console, and fill out the registration form:
Fig (b) Google reCAPTCHA Setting Form.
Note that you’ll be able to choose between a v2 or v3 reCAPTCHA and you can use the checkbox or an invisible test. The latter will provide the best UX, as it doesn’t require any action on the part of the user. However, the v2 checkbox tends to be more reliable.
Once you’ve filled in all the fields, click on the Submit button. On the next screen, you’ll be given a Site Key and a Secret Key:
Fig (c) Google reCAPTCHA Setting Keys.
You’ll need to enter both into your CAPTCHA plugin’s settings on your WordPress site. This process may vary slightly, depending on which plugin you chose. However, you should easily be able to find the settings in your dashboard sidebar, and paste your keys into the relevant fields:
Fig (d) Paste Google reCAPTCHA Setting Keys.
Don’t forget to save your changes. You may also want to bookmark your Google reCAPTCHA admin console page and check it regularly. After a sufficient amount of live traffic has visited your site, you’ll be able to view valuable analytics related to form submission requests.
Once you’ve installed your plugin of choice, you can configure your settings to make sure all important pages are included.
Google CAPTCHA and Advanced No Captcha both include a list of checkboxes in their general settings. There, you can select where you want to use your reCAPTCHAs:
Fig (e) Go to Setting and CAPTCHA Placement.
Ideally, this will include any forms you have on your site, including vulnerable areas such as your:
- WordPress admin login page
- WooCommerce login page
- User registration form
- Password recovery form
- Contact form
Your site may include other unique forms, such as user-generated content submissions, surveys, or email sign-ups. In such cases, you may want to go with Advanced noCaptcha & Invisible Captcha, as that plugin provides action hooks for incorporating a Google reCAPTCHA in any form.
Your login page is a prime target for brute force and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks.
To add a CAPTCHA to it with the Google Captcha plugin, navigate to Google Captcha > Settings > General > Enable reCAPTCHA for within WordPress, and select Login Form under WordPress Default:
Your Login page should now be protected.
Fig (e) Go to Setting and CAPTCHA Placement On Login Page.
Keeping malicious bots out of your site is vital if you want to protect your content, your users, and your brand’s reputation. One of the easiest ways to slow them down is by adding a CAPTCHA to your WordPress site’s forms.
Adding CAPTCHA to your WordPress site requires just three steps:
- Install and activate a WordPress CAPTCHA plugin.
- Create your Google reCAPTCHA and add it to your site.
- Configure your settings to protect key areas.
Do you have any questions about CAPTCHAs or how to use them in WordPress? Let us know.
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