Need to block user? We had some inquires how to block (malicious) users from WordPress powered websites. There are plugins for this purpose but we prefer simple ways for doing simple tasks. Here is code snippet for your functions.php that will do the job (how to use code snippets).
/**
*
* User login blocking without need for dedicated plugin.
*
*/
function wpgenie_check_attempted_login( $user, $username, $password ) {
$blocked = array( 1, 2, 3 ); // user IDs you want to block
if ( is_a ( $user, 'WP_User' ) ) {
if ( !in_array( $user->ID, $blocked) ) {
return $user;
} else {
$user = new WP_Error(
'account_locked',
'Your account has been locked. Please contact us for assistance.'
);
return $user;
}
}
}
add_filter('authenticate', 'wpgenie_check_attempted_login', 100, 3);
This code only prevents blocked users from log in. If they are allready logged in, they will stay logged in until auth cookies are deleted, after that they will not be able to login again.
We have released update on 27th Mar 2025 which brings custom tables for instant wins and instant winners making whole thing more optimized and easier to work with. A lot of new features based on client’s input and requests. History and instant win tables in wp-admin now have ajax which solves problem when there is a lot of data. We added function that regenerates ticket number if duplicate is found in order. Full change log can be found here.
Elementor page builder is getting more and more popular so here are quick things you can do to make your WordPress site a bit faster and working on the site easier. Search engines also love fast websites so there is really no justification not to do couple of changes in Elementor settings to speed it up.
Disable AI features in wp-admin. Go to your user profile and uncheck “Enable Elementor AI funcionality”.
Disable landing pages feature. Go to Elementor > Settings > Features tab. This is deprecated feature and will be removed in future updates anyway.
In general settings Elementor > Settings > General tab disable option “Usage Data Sharing”. No need for additional requests going out of your website.
For security reasons disable “Generator Tag” in Elementor > Settings > Advanced tab. There is no need to advertise which version of Elementor you use.
Set performance parameters properly. Elementor > Settings > Performance tab should look like screenshot below:
In Element Manager disable elements / widgets you don’t use.
When creating website using Elementor best way is to start with Hello Elementor theme (which is optimized and coded to the proper standards), in fact install that theme and its child theme so you can easily place customizations and code snippets in Hello Elementor child theme.
We have released new plugin Spending Limits for WooCommerce which allows users to set their own spending limits for competitions and Self-Exclusion. It can be used on any WooCommerce powered website.
Key Features – How it can be used?
Custom Spending Caps: Allow users to set their own spending limits for competitions.
Transparency Tools: Provide clear tracking of entries and spending history.
Self-Exclusion Options: Enable participants to temporarily pause their competition activities.
Why Choose Spending Limits for WooCommerce?
Foster a responsible and safe environment for your customers.
Build trust and credibility with ethical practices.
Stay compliant while offering an engaging competition experience.
Encourage fun, responsible participation while supporting customer well-being.
We have released update on 3rd Oct 2024 and since then we observed that many clients still did not update the addon – we urge all users of Pick Number Mod addon to update to latest version due to security fixes.
We are running Black Friday / Cyber Monday promo till 15th December 2024 – all items in our store are 20% off. You can use coupon code “black2024” to get the discount applied during checkout.
Our current versions for plugins: WooCommerce Lottery v2.2.4, Woo Lottery Pick Number Mod addon v2.4.6.2, Woo Simple Auctions v3.0.3, WooCommerce Group Buy & Deals v1.2.3, WooCommerce Simple Storewide Sale v1.1.8.
If you don’t have those versions installed we recommend you to update.
If you use this plugin please update as soon as possible!
Wordfence team reported that on November 6th, 2024, Wordfence team identified and began the responsible disclosure process for an Authentication Bypass vulnerability in the Really Simple Security plugin, and in the Really Simple Security Pro and Pro Multisite plugins, which are actively installed on more than 4,000,000 WordPress websites.
This vulnerability affects Really Simple Security, formerly known as Really Simple SSL, installed on over 4 million websites, and allows an attacker to remotely gain full administrative access to a site running the plugin. The blog post contains additional context and background including suggested actions.
Current versions of plugins in October 2024: WooCommerce Simple Auctions v3.0.3, WooCommerce Lottery v2.2.5, Lottery Pick Number v2.6.4.2, WooCommerce Group Buy Deals v1.2.2, WooCommerce Simple Bulk Discounts v1.0.12, WooCommerce Simple Storewide Sale v1.1.8.
Before updating make backup (just in case) and read changelog to see what’s updated in new plugin release and decide if you need to update.
ClassicPress is WordPress long awaited fork of WordPress 4.9 (from version 2.0 fork of WP 6.2.x) without Gutenberg block editor, basically a lighter fork of WordPress with a few tweaks and improvements. It is under active development, has less bloat and has latest security patches. You will love overall simplicity and speed.
Most popular themes and plugins that work with WordPress 6.x are compatible with ClassicPress and there are forks of WooCommerce called ClassicCommerce and RankMath called Classic SEO (for more infos see link here).
Update: ClassicPress v2.0+ is a re-fork based on WordPress 6.2.x so brings ClassicPress a host of new features. Release notes are here. There is also https://directory.classicpress.net/ for native plugins and themes.
First thing to do when installing one of our plugins on ClassicPress is to decide what version of WooCommerce you will use. ClassicCommerce is fork based on WooCommerce v3.5.3 and usually needs tiny compatibility plugin (get it here) which allows WooCommerce addons to work with ClassicCommerce. We used StoreFront theme.
Plugin list in ClassicPress
Another option is regular WooCommerce installation but version that does not include (register) blocks for Gutenberg like WooCommerce v4.8.3 – scroll to the bottom and download version you want from wordpress.net/plugins repository. Once WooCommerce is ready you can install our plugins like you would on normal WordPress website.
Payment gateways tested in ClassicPress
Payment gateway we tested beside those that are preinstalled with WooCommerce is WooCommerce Stripe Gateway version 5.3.0 since that is the latest one that works fine with WooCommerce v4.8.2. Here is sample order done using test card with Stripe GW:
Using our plugins on ClassicPress
There is no difference in how you use and work with plugins. Everything from documentation applies here. Install it, setup couple of products, make couple of orders and that’s it. Once deal, auction or lottery ends you and users will get notifications (if that is set), normal workflow is not affected in any way.
WooCommerce Lottery with Pick Number Mod addon
Here is screenshot of how auction product looks like:
ClassicPress with WooCommerce Simple Auction auction single product page
And screenshot with WooCommerce Group Buy / Deals product:
Group Buy / Deal single product page
In this simple guide we have shown how you can use our plugin on ClassicPress setup and enjoy its superb performance. Easy on hosting and great for your visitor’s user experience.
