Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content

How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.

Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.

wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.

399 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 299 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).

Directory rank vs rivals

wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you

How often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.

Share of active installs on each version of this plugin · 58% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.

Crossed into this band 4.9 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.

1. ★★★★★ jpluttme

   7mo ago

   Unfortunately had too many problems. It worked at first, but would just stop working when doing password lists. Tried using a single password for protected areas, which worked until the plugin was updated, and then stopped. A support ticket submitted via the website wasn’t answered promptly, so I had to switch to another plugin that worked reliably. The number of issues I had with the paid version just made me look bad to my clients, who were never pleased when the plugin stopped working.

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ Diiamo

   7mo ago

   Great plugin, great support

   Read on wp.org ↗
3. ★★★★★ Host Domination

   1.7y ago

   It doesn’t always work every now and then due to a “Security Check Failed” error for no reason

   Read on wp.org ↗
4. ★★★★★ FZietsman

   1.9y ago

   This plugin worked fine, but suddenly I get the error “Sorry there was an error” message on all content. I even changed the password, same error. Re-Installed the pluginm, Tried different browsers and private window, nothing works. So far the plugin works as described, the only issue I have at this stage is that if you have a password protected section at the bottom of a page and you enter the password to display the content, it basically refreshed the whole page and jumps right to the top of the page again, meaning you will need to scroll all the way down to the content again. This topic was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by FZietsman. Reason: Something went wrong

   Read on wp.org ↗
5. ★★★★★ Andreas

   2.0y ago

   Works sporadic, not realy to use.

   Read on wp.org ↗
6. ★★★★★ getbolt

   2.1y ago

   Activated global protection, styled the form and created a page with elementor but the form does not even show on the page.

   Read on wp.org ↗
7. ★★★★★ Lazeh

   2.4y ago

   I quite like the plugin but the support was poor. 3 days and I’m still waiting for a response from Patrick.

   Read on wp.org ↗
8. ★★★★★ intelligentDesign

   2.8y ago

   I’m not sure that updating the plugin is the only cause, but it is a cause of this problem: the correct password ceases to unlock the content after an update and says “security check failed” or something when attempting to authenticate. This causes a periodic freak-out of my customer. To fix it I have to add and take away the whole-page lock…I think… It’s hard to pinpoint what I actually do that makes it start working again.

   Read on wp.org ↗

Recent releases and news for this plugin

1. — Version 4.3.6 Added: “Show Password” label is now customizable from the General settings tab. Fixed: Per-page form text being used even when “Overwrite Defaults” is disabled. Fixed: Instruction text showing as garbled characters when 4.3.6
2. — Version 4.3.5 Fixed: hCaptcha cookie not being recognized on subsequent page loads. Fixed: Unlock links with special characters in instructions could cause encoding errors. Fixed: Pass parameter being lost during global protection red 4.3.5
3. — Version 4.3.4 Fixed: Replaced non-functional license activation button on free version with installation guide for Passster PRO. Fixed: Category lock not showing password form on regular post category archive pages. 4.3.4
4. — Version 4.3.3 Changed: Enhance PS_Rest_Handler to allow public access to additional Passster endpoints for guest users. 4.3.3
5. — Version 4.3.2 Fixed: Category lock for WooCommerce products and categories. Changed: Page refresh on unlock is now on by default. Inline unlock can be enabled via Advanced → Unlock Behaviour. 4.3.2
6. — Version 4.3.1 Fixed: Password label should not be visible, it’s there for accessibility reasons. Fixed: Password label is now translatable. Fixed: Missing loading animation. 4.3.1

All 21 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (4.3.20). Sites still on an older version should update.

1. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content <= 4.3.18 - Missing Authorization ↗
   2026-10-16 CVE-2026-110896 Missing Authorization Affects <= 4.3.18 Patched in 4.3.19
2. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content <= 4.3.13 - Missing Authorization ↗
   2026-09-11 CVE-2026-62114 Missing Authorization Affects <= 4.3.13 Patched in 4.3.14
3. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content < 4.3.9 - Missing Authorization ↗
   2026-08-24 CVE-2026-17559 Missing Authorization Affects < 4.3.9 Patched in 4.3.9
4. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content < 4.3.6 - Missing Authorization ↗
   2026-08-05 CVE-2026-16604 Missing Authorization Affects < 4.3.6 Patched in 4.3.6
5. Patched Medium · 4.3 Content Protector (Passster) <= 4.3.6 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Sensitive Information Exposure ↗
   2026-08-03 CVE-2025-15674 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 4.3.6 Patched in 4.3.7
6. Patched Medium · 5.3 Content Protector (Passster) <= 4.3.5 - Unauthenticated Non-Public Post Content Disclosure ↗
   2026-07-27 CVE-2026-16602 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 4.3.5 Patched in 4.3.6
7. Patched Medium · 5.3 Content Protector (Passster) <= 4.3.5 - Unauthenticated Category-Locked Content Disclosure ↗
   2026-07-27 CVE-2026-16603 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 4.3.5 Patched in 4.3.6
8. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster <= 4.2.25 - Unauthenticated Global Content Protection Bypass ↗
   2026-02-17 CVE-2025-15490 Protection Mechanism Failure Affects <= 4.2.25 Patched in 4.2.26
9. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster <= 4.2.23 - Unauthenticated Protected Content Disclosure ↗
   2026-02-17 CVE-2025-15489 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 4.2.23 Patched in 4.2.24
10. Patched Medium · 4.3 Passster <= 4.2.25 - Missing Authorization ↗
    2026-02-12 CVE-2026-25036 Missing Authorization Affects <= 4.2.25 Patched in 4.2.26
11. Patched Medium · 6.4 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content <= 4.2.24 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode ↗
    2026-01-27 CVE-2025-14865 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 4.2.24 Patched in 4.2.25
12. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster <= 4.2.19 - Unauthenticated Information Exposure ↗
    2025-11-12 CVE-2025-64218 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 4.2.19 Patched in 4.2.20
13. Patched Medium · 6.4 Passster <= 4.2.18 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗
    2025-09-22 CVE-2025-57926 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 4.2.18 Patched in 4.2.19
14. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content <= 4.2.10 - Unauthenticated Content Restriction Bypass to Sensitive Information Exposure ↗
    2025-01-06 CVE-2024-11282 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 4.2.10 Patched in 4.2.11
15. Patched Medium · 6.4 Passster <= 4.2.6.4 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via content_protector Shortcode ↗
    2024-04-04 CVE-2024-2026 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 4.2.6.4 Patched in 4.2.6.5
16. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content <= 4.2.6.2 - Missing Authorization to Sensitive Information Exposure ↗
    2024-02-08 CVE-2024-0616 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 4.2.6.2 Patched in 4.2.6.3
17. Patched Medium · 6.1 Freemius SDK <= 2.5.9 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via fs_request_get ↗
    2023-07-18 CVE-2023-33999 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 4.2.1 Patched in 4.2.2
18. Patched Medium · 6.4 Passster – Password Protection <= 3.5.5.7 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode ↗
    2022-12-29 CVE-2021-24837 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.5.5.7 Patched in 3.5.5.8
19. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster <= 3.5.5.8 - Missing Authentication leading to Sensitive Information Disclosure (Private Post Leakage) ↗
    2022-12-29 CVE-2021-24881 Missing Authorization Affects <= 3.5.5.8 Patched in 3.5.5.9
20. Patched Medium · 5.3 Passster <= 3.5.5.5.1 - Insecure Password Storage to Sensitive Data Exposure ↗
    2022-09-21 CVE-2022-3206 Inadequate Encryption Strength Affects <= 3.5.5.5.1 Patched in 3.5.5.5.2
21. Patched Medium · 6.3 Freemius SDK <= 2.4.2 - Missing Authorization Checks ↗
    2022-03-04 CVE-2022-4974 Missing Authorization Affects < 3.5.5.2 Patched in 3.5.5.2

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0

Translated into 38 languages, 2 at 90% or more

Plus 14 more locales with partial translations.

Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.

Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

1. 2021-11-24 9K+ → 10K+ up after 357 days in tier
2. 2020-12-02 8K+ → 9K+ up after 219 days in tier
3. 2020-04-27 7K+ → 8K+ up after 167 days in tier
4. 2019-11-12 6K+ → 7K+ up after 53 days in tier
5. 2019-09-20 4K+ → 6K+ up after 830 days in tier
6. 2017-06-12 3K+ → 4K+ up after 123 days in tier
7. 2017-02-09 2K+ → 3K+ up after 538 days in tier
8. 2015-08-21 1K+ → 2K+ up

Competes with

The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).

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Drop a live Pulse card for Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.

Passster – Password Protect Pages and Content: 10K+ active installs, 4.2★ (60 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/content-protector