Title: Make Users read-only
Last modified: October 17, 2019

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# Make Users read-only

 *  [jimoe](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jimoe/)
 * (@jimoe)
 * [6 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/make-users-read-only/)
 * WP V5.2.4
 * Is it possible, as Admin, to set the User table as read-only. This would prevent
   anyone from changing or adding to the table.
 * Or at least prevent new User entries?

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

 *  Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/)
 * (@sterndata)
 * Volunteer Forum Moderator
 * [6 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/make-users-read-only/#post-12036935)
 * That would probably break a lot of stuff. Why do you feel it’s necessary?
 *  Thread Starter [jimoe](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jimoe/)
 * (@jimoe)
 * [6 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/make-users-read-only/#post-12037025)
 * We keep having someone(s) breaking into our site. We have followed the hardening
   suggestions, scanned for malware. Still hacked.
 * They always break in as administrators. If I could prevent new users, problem
   solved?
 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [6 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/make-users-read-only/#post-12037035)
 * If users are creating themselves as Administrators, then either one of two things
   is happening:
 * 1. At Settings > General in your site’s Dashboard, you may have “New User Default
   Role” set to Administrator.
 * 2. If not, then you did not properly clean up the hack vector used previously.
   Carefully follow [this guide](https://wordpress.org/support/article/faq-my-site-was-hacked/).
   When you’re done, you may want to implement some (if not all) of [the recommended security measures](https://wordpress.org/support/article/hardening-wordpress/)
   and [start backing up your site](https://wordpress.org/support/article/wordpress-backups/).
 *  Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/)
 * (@sterndata)
 * Volunteer Forum Moderator
 * [6 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/make-users-read-only/#post-12037039)
 * >> If I could prevent new users, problem solved? <<
 * No, you’re just masking a symptom.
 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [6 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/make-users-read-only/#post-12037047)
 * > This would prevent anyone from changing or adding to the table.
 * Also, if you really want to just do that, uncheck “Anyone can register” at Settings
   > General in your site’s Dashboard.
 * Again though, referring to my earlier reply, if Administrators are being created
   without that being the default user role (or if “Anyone can register” is already
   unchecked), then you did not properly clean up the earlier hack vector.
 *  Thread Starter [jimoe](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jimoe/)
 * (@jimoe)
 * [6 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/make-users-read-only/#post-12037153)
 * > then you did not properly clean up the earlier hack vector.
    > No doubt. So
   far, I have not found the vector.
 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [6 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/make-users-read-only/#post-12037216)
 * Ok, try the guide again.
 * If that’s not working out, and you’re sure you have the settings correct, you
   may need to hire a firm that specializes in this, like [https://sucuri.net/](https://sucuri.net/)

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

The topic ‘Make Users read-only’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [read-only](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/read-only/)
 * [users](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/users/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 7 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * Last activity: [6 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/make-users-read-only/#post-12037216)
 * Status: not resolved

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