Restrict Usernames Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/restrict-usernames

Restrict the usernames that new users may use when registering for your site.

200 active installs v3.7 PHP + WP 4.7+ Updated Jun 21, 2018
registrationrestrictionssignupusernameusers
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is Restrict Usernames Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

Restrict Usernames has no known CVEs and is actively maintained. It's a solid choice for most WordPress installations.

No known CVEs Updated 7yr ago
Risk Assessment

The "restrict-usernames" v3.7 plugin exhibits a generally strong security posture with a minimal attack surface and a good track record of no known vulnerabilities. The static analysis reveals no direct entry points like AJAX handlers, REST API routes, or shortcodes that are unprotected. SQL queries are exclusively handled with prepared statements, and there are no file operations or external HTTP requests, all of which are positive security indicators. However, a significant concern arises from the presence of the `unserialize` function, which, without proper sanitization of the data being unserialized, can lead to Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerabilities. The low percentage of properly escaped output (26%) also presents a risk of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, particularly if user-controlled data is being displayed without adequate sanitization.

Key Concerns

  • Dangerous function `unserialize` present
  • Low percentage of properly escaped output
Vulnerabilities
None known

Restrict Usernames Security Vulnerabilities

No known vulnerabilities — this is a good sign.
Version History

Restrict Usernames Release Timeline

v3.7Current
v3.6
v3.5.1
v3.5
v3.4.1
v3.4
v3.3
v3.2
v3.1
v3.0.1
v3.0
v1.1
v1.0
Code Analysis
Analyzed Mar 16, 2026

Restrict Usernames Code Analysis

Dangerous Functions
1
Raw SQL Queries
0
0 prepared
Unescaped Output
25
9 escaped
Nonce Checks
1
Capability Checks
2
File Operations
0
External Requests
0
Bundled Libraries
0

Dangerous Functions Found

unserialize$plugins = unserialize( $r['body']['plugins'] );c2c-plugin.php:276

Output Escaping

26% escaped34 total outputs
Attack Surface

Restrict Usernames Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 17
actioninitc2c-plugin.php:120
actionadmin_initc2c-plugin.php:124
actionadmin_headc2c-plugin.php:126
filterplugin_row_metac2c-plugin.php:183
filterhttp_request_argsc2c-plugin.php:186
actionadmin_menuc2c-plugin.php:190
filtercontextual_helpc2c-plugin.php:193
filterwhitelist_optionsc2c-plugin.php:289
actionnetwork_admin_menurestrict-usernames.php:190
actionall_admin_noticesrestrict-usernames.php:195
actionadmin_initrestrict-usernames.php:196
filterillegal_user_loginsrestrict-usernames.php:199
filterwpmu_validate_user_signuprestrict-usernames.php:203
filterbp_core_validate_user_signuprestrict-usernames.php:206
filtervalidate_usernamerestrict-usernames.php:209
filterregistration_errorsrestrict-usernames.php:212
filtervalidate_usernamerestrict-usernames.php:507
Maintenance & Trust

Restrict Usernames Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested4.9.29
Last updatedJun 21, 2018
PHP min version
Downloads24K

Community Trust

Rating72/100
Number of ratings14
Active installs200
Developer Profile

Restrict Usernames Developer Profile

Scott Reilly

63 plugins · 92K total installs

71
trust score
Avg Security Score
88/100
Avg Patch Time
374 days
View full developer profile
Detection Fingerprints

How We Detect Restrict Usernames

Patterns used to identify this plugin on WordPress sites during automated security audits and web crawling.

Asset Fingerprints

Asset Paths
/wp-content/plugins/restrict-usernames/c2c-restrict-usernames.css/wp-content/plugins/restrict-usernames/restrict-usernames.js
Script Paths
/wp-content/plugins/restrict-usernames/restrict-usernames.js
Version Parameters
restrict-usernames/c2c-restrict-usernames.css?ver=restrict-usernames/restrict-usernames.js?ver=

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

CSS Classes
c2c-restrict-usernames-settings
HTML Comments
Copyright (c) 2008-2018 by Scott Reilly (aka coffee2code)This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/ormodify it under the terms of the GNU General Public Licenseas published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2+24 more
Data Attributes
data-setting-name="c2c_restrict_usernames"
JS Globals
c2c_restrict_usernames_admin_script
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Restrict Usernames