Configuring the Anti-Spam Engine
WP 1 Click LockDown's anti-spam engine combines multiple layers of comment protection to stop spam before it reaches your moderation queue.
Comment Spam Controls Overview
The Comments & Spam section gives you seven independent spam-fighting tools. You can use all of them together or selectively enable only what your site needs.
Disable Comments Site-Wide
The nuclear option — completely disables comments across all public post types. Comments are removed from the admin UI, comment forms disappear from the front end, and the REST comments endpoint is closed. Use this if your site does not need comments at all.
Comment Moderation
When enabled, every new comment must be manually approved before appearing on the site. This is the safest setting for sites that do want comments but receive frequent spam. Combine it with "Allow previously approved commenters to auto-publish" to reduce the workload for returning legitimate commenters.
Close Comments on Older Posts
Old posts attract disproportionate spam because spammers target content that ranks in search results. Setting "Close after 30 days" automatically prevents any new comments on posts older than 30 days. Adjust the day count to suit your publishing rhythm.
Disable Pingbacks and Trackbacks
Pingbacks and trackbacks are a legacy WordPress feature that allows sites to notify each other of links. In practice they are almost exclusively used for spam and DDoS amplification attacks. Disabling them has no negative effect on legitimate users.
Hold Comments Containing Multiple Links
Spam comments almost always contain multiple links. Enabling this setting automatically holds any comment with more than one URL for manual review, regardless of the commenter's approval history.
Moderation and Disallowed Keyword Lists (Starter+)
Starter plan users can customise two keyword lists:
- Moderation keywords — comments containing these words are held for review. Enter one keyword per line. The default list includes common spam topics (crypto, viagra, casino, etc.).
- Disallowed keywords — comments containing these words are automatically marked as spam without entering the queue. Use for your absolute worst offenders.
Add your site's own brand name to the disallowed list if you frequently receive fake testimonial spam mentioning your brand.
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