Which savory secret will you choose to guard your WordPress kitchen? 🍳 Will you wield the mighty .htaccess spatula, flipping off unwanted access to xmlrpc.php with finesse? Or, will you sprinkle the magical dust of WordPress hooks, enchanting the realm with add_filter( 'xmlrpc_enabled', '__return_false' ); to banish intruders? Unveil the mystery: which method is the gourmet choice for your website’s security, and why? 🧙‍♂️🔒

Disabling xmlrpc.php using .htaccess and using WordPress hooks like add_filter( 'xmlrpc_enabled', '__return_false' ); are two methods with different implications. Here’s a breakdown of why you might want to use the .htaccess method:

1. Security:

  • .htaccess Method: Blocking access to xmlrpc.php through .htaccess completely denies access at the server level. This means that any request to xmlrpc.php will not be processed, making it more secure.
  • add_filter Method: This method disables XML-RPC from within WordPress. An attacker could still potentially exploit any vulnerabilities present in the XML-RPC file itself or in the processing of requests by WordPress.

2. Performance:

  • .htaccess Method: Since it blocks the requests at the server level, it prevents unnecessary loading of WordPress core, saving server resources.
  • add_filter Method: WordPress still needs to load to some extent to process the add_filter function, consuming more resources compared to the .htaccess method.

3. Flexibility:

  • .htaccess Method: This is more rigid but simpler to implement for those who might not be as comfortable editing PHP files.
  • add_filter Method: Offers more flexibility and is more WordPress-native. It is easier to manage programmatically and might be preferred by developers comfortable with PHP and WordPress hooks.

4. Global vs. Local Configuration:

  • .htaccess Method: Affects the global server configuration and is not confined to WordPress.
  • add_filter Method: This is specific to WordPress and won’t affect any other applications you might be running on the same server.

5. Ease of Implementation:

  • .htaccess Method: Might be easier for someone who is not a developer. It’s as simple as pasting a few lines into a file.
  • add_filter Method: Requires modifying WordPress PHP files, which might be more daunting for non-developers.

WordPress Filters:

add_filter( 'xmlrpc_enabled', '__return_false' );
add_filter( 'xmlrpc_methods', '__return_empty_array' );

.htaccess code with JetPack IPs:
<Files xmlrpc.php>
order deny,allow
deny from all
Allow from 122.248.245.244/32
Allow from 54.217.201.243/32
Allow from 54.232.116.4/32
Allow from 192.0.80.0/20
Allow from 192.0.96.0/20
Allow from 192.0.112.0/20
Allow from 195.234.108.0/22
</Files>

Conclusion:

The .htaccess method might be preferred for its robust security and performance benefits, especially in a high-traffic environment. It’s also simpler to implement for non-developers. However, choosing between the two methods ultimately depends on the specific needs and constraints of your WordPress setup and your comfort and familiarity with editing server and WordPress core files.