Turn off IP Security Breach Timeout period

Hey guys,

Is there a way to turn off the IP restriction Security Breach Timeout Period? If there is a way I can do it from adding code to a mu-plugin that would be most helpful. What would I target for that?

I don’t think it’s necessary for our site.

Please let me know the best way I can do that.

I appreciate it very much!

Hello Cheryl,

I’m afraid I’m not sure what you’re referring to. :/

Could you please point me to the admin panel that contains mention of this restriction? Thanks!

– Eduan

Hi Cheryl.

Here’s an old hack that may help you with that: http://www.primothemes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=14925&p=35894#p35894

Ah, found this other one to disable it too: http://www.primothemes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=15784&p=53641&hilit=disable+ip+restriction#p52446

I hope that helps. :)

Hey Cristian,

actually neither of those articles were helpful on what I’m trying to disable.
I’m trying to disable the punishment period that is triggered by a IP restriction breach.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

Disabling the punishment is pretty much disabling the restriction, which is what this hack does: http://www.primothemes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=15784&p=53641#p52446

/wp-content/mu-plugins/s2hacks.php
[hilite pre_code]

So help me understand….when it says “punish for 15min”, this just means that they will not be able to log in for 15min. But after the 15 min, does their IP counter reset?

Or does it reset after the 12hours, which is what I have it set on…. “1 IP every 12 hours”.

Or does it reset after the 12hours, which is what I have it set on…. “1 IP every 12 hours”.

Right, any IPs recorded by s2Member will automatically expire after the Maximum Unique IP Addresses Allowed setting (default is 5 IPs in the last 30 days). In other words, s2Member is only looking at IPs accessing a secure area within the last 30 days.

when it says “punish for 15min”, this just means that they will not be able to log in for 15min. But after the 15 min, does their IP counter reset?

Here’s a detailed explanation Jason gave me:

Jason Caldwell said:

No, it just ends the punishment period; that’s all.
The IPs only reset every 30 days by default.

If you reach the max IPs and a punishment period kicks in; it locks everyone out. If someone else comes in with an existing IP on file, they will get in. If they come in with yet another new IP, it pushes the limit again (because the counter does not reset); and the punishment period kicks in again.

Look at it like this:

Username: johndoe22 (this is what we are guarding)
Max IPs for this Username are set to 5 unique IPs every 30 days.

IP 123.456.789.1 logs in under this Username.
IP 123.456.789.2 logs in under this Username.
IP 123.456.789.3 logs in under this Username.
IP 123.456.789.4 logs in under this Username.
IP 123.456.789.5 logs in under this Username.

Everything is OK so far.

IP 123.456.789.6 logs in under this Username.
~ Now EVERYONE is locked out of the account (this new IP and all previous IPs too).

If the punishment period is 1 hour, after one hour if one of the first five IPs attempts to access; they will get in. If someone new attempts to access this Username; they are ALL locked out for another 1 hour period.

Another important point to make, is that it’s not actually every 30 days (collectively). It’s 30 days per IP. So if IP 123.456.789.1 accesses the site on March 1st, they drop off the list (i.e. they are reset) 30 days later. This works independently for each IP address that is tracked.

In addition, there is a throttle switch connected to this behavior; which will automatically increase or decrease the 30 day drop-off rate; based on the number of abuses we track; or a lack of abuses. There is a behavioral pattern in the code. When we say 30 days; that’s really a baseline which s2Member® throttles from. It is designed to be VERY difficult to circumvent.