Introduction

This guide will walk you through the complete installation process for Secure User Registration by PureDevs. The plugin is designed to strengthen your site security by protecting registration forms against CSRF attacks and automated bot registrations.

Installation is straightforward and takes just a few minutes. Once activated, the plugin begins protecting both WordPress and WooCommerce registration forms immediately.

System Requirements

Before installing Secure User Registration by PureDevs, ensure your server meets these minimum requirements:

  • WordPress: Version 3.5 or higher (tested up to 6.8.3)
  • WooCommerce: Latest version (for WooCommerce registration protection)
  • PHP: Version 7.0 or higher
  • SSL Certificate: Recommended for secure form submissions
Note

WooCommerce is only required if you want to protect WooCommerce registration forms. The plugin works independently for standard WordPress registrations.

Installation Methods

There are three ways to install Secure User Registration by PureDevs. Choose the method that works best for you.

Method 1: Via WordPress Dashboard

This is the easiest and recommended method for most users.

  1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
  2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
  3. Search for “Secure User Registration by PureDevs” in the search bar
  4. Click Install Now on the plugin card
  5. Wait for the installation to complete
  6. Click Activate to enable the plugin
Success

The plugin is now installed and activated! Navigate to Settings → Safe Registration to configure your security settings.

Method 2: Via Upload

Use this method if you’ve downloaded the plugin ZIP file from WordPress.org.

  1. Download the plugin ZIP file from WordPress.org to your computer
  2. Go to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress dashboard
  3. Click the Upload Plugin button at the top
  4. Click Choose File and select the downloaded ZIP file
  5. Click Install Now
  6. After installation completes, click Activate Plugin

Method 3: Via FTP

For advanced users who prefer manual installation via FTP.

  1. Download and extract the plugin ZIP file to your computer
  2. Connect to your server using an FTP client (like FileZilla)
  3. Navigate to /wp-content/plugins/ directory
  4. Upload the extracted plugin folder to this directory
  5. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins in WordPress
  6. Find “Secure User Registration by PureDevs” and click Activate
Warning

Make sure to upload the plugin folder itself, not the ZIP file. The folder should be named secure-user-registration-by-puredevs.

Plugin Activation

After installation, the plugin needs to be activated to start working. Here’s what happens during activation:

  • Security hooks are registered for WordPress and WooCommerce registration forms
  • Default settings are initialized
  • CSRF protection begins immediately
  • Plugin settings page becomes available in the WordPress admin menu

The activation process is instant. Once activated, your registration forms are automatically protected with basic CSRF security.

First Time Setup

After activation, you should configure the plugin settings to match your security requirements:

  1. Navigate to Settings → Safe Registration in your dashboard
  2. Review and configure the protection options:
    • Enable protection for WordPress user registration
    • Enable protection for WooCommerce user registration
    • Enable/disable custom nonce field
  3. Set up email/domain blocklist (optional)
  4. Configure Google reCAPTCHA if needed (optional)
  5. Customize error messages to match your site’s tone
  6. Click Save Changes
Pro Tip

Start with basic CSRF protection enabled and add Google reCAPTCHA later if you notice bot registration attempts. This provides a better user experience while maintaining security.

Verify Installation

To confirm the plugin is working correctly:

  1. Log out of your WordPress admin account
  2. Visit your site’s registration page (usually /wp-login.php?action=register)
  3. If Google reCAPTCHA is enabled, you should see the reCAPTCHA checkbox
  4. Try registering with a blocked email domain to test the blocklist feature
Installation Complete

Your WordPress and WooCommerce registration forms are now protected against CSRF attacks and unwanted registrations!

Next Steps

Now that Secure User Registration by PureDevs is installed, explore these resources: