Title: BPS breaks WordPress Search function
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# BPS breaks WordPress Search function

 *  Resolved [justatest47](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justatest47/)
 * (@justatest47)
 * [13 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/bps-breaks-wordpress-search-function/)
 * Hi, for some strange reason, BPS breaks WordPress site search function.
    And 
   I mean about the site search not about the search from dashboard posts.
 * If I search for simple terms such as Car or Phone, the search works but if I 
   try to search for terms such as Dee & Beavers’s, the search result will be either
   a 403 Forbidden Error, or a redirection towards a messed up HOME PAGE.
 * I’ve tried both 0.47.7 and 0.47.8. I’ve removed BPS and searched for the same
   term, and the search results were working now.
 * So I know for a fact it’s BPS’s fault.
 * Question what is there to do?
 * Are there any lines which particularly forbid a search that will include these
   signs? & ‘
 * [http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/bulletproof-security/](http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/bulletproof-security/)

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  Plugin Author [AITpro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aitpro/)
 * (@aitpro)
 * [13 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/bps-breaks-wordpress-search-function/#post-3455401)
 * The single quote coding character or apostrophe in writing is one of the most
   dangerous coding characters there is that hackers use to execute SQL Injection
   attacks and other forms of hacking attempts. The single quote coding character
   is explicitly forbidden in search windows for that reason. If you would like 
   to allow the single quote coding character on your website see this Forum Topic
   for the BPS security filters that you would need to modify.
 * [http://forum.ait-pro.com/forums/topic/feedburner-feed-header-causing-403-error/#post-456](http://forum.ait-pro.com/forums/topic/feedburner-feed-header-causing-403-error/#post-456)
 * The & coding character is not filtered or blocked since it is completely harmless.
 *  Thread Starter [justatest47](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justatest47/)
 * (@justatest47)
 * [13 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/bps-breaks-wordpress-search-function/#post-3455414)
 * Ok. So this is a common thing. For a moment I thought that maybe it’s something
   wrong with my site or with the settings in BPS.
    Is there a work around to this
   without reducing much of the security?
 * If I would remove this line with the single quote, in percentages, how much percent,
   of the security would I remove from BPS? 5-10%? More? Less?
 *  Plugin Author [AITpro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aitpro/)
 * (@aitpro)
 * [13 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/bps-breaks-wordpress-search-function/#post-3455438)
 * Unfortunately, what happens is if you try to create exception rules then they
   negate the security filters anyway so commenting them out has the exact same 
   effect/result. The workaround is to comment out the security filters.
 * The security impact cannot really be measured in percentages and you would have
   to look at it this way. If you comment those security filters out you leave your
   website vulnerable to certain SQL Injection hacking attempts, some forms of XSS
   hacking attempts and some forms of Code Injection hacking attempts. The single
   quote is a very handy coding character for hackers because it allows them to 
   do a wide variety of hacking methods.
 * So basically you have to make a judgement call. From my personal experience very
   few people complain about not being able to use an apostrophe in a search term
   and most figure out after the first attempt that apostrophes/single quote coding
   character is not allowed in search terms.
 *  Thread Starter [justatest47](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justatest47/)
 * (@justatest47)
 * [13 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/bps-breaks-wordpress-search-function/#post-3455481)
 * I see. Well thanks for the suggestion. I think I will just leave it as it is.
   I rather prefer security than being able to search with a single quote.
 * Thanks

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘BPS breaks WordPress Search function’ is closed to new replies.

 * ![](https://ps.w.org/bulletproof-security/assets/icon-128x128.png?rev=1731938)
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## Tags

 * [403 forbidden error](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/403-forbidden-error/)
 * [BPS](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/bps/)
 * [search function](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/search-function/)
 * [wordpress search](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/wordpress-search/)

 * 4 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [justatest47](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justatest47/)
 * Last activity: [13 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/bps-breaks-wordpress-search-function/#post-3455481)
 * Status: resolved