Locked Out? How to Recover Access

Why Am I Locked Out?

Royal Security may block your IP address for several reasons:

• Failed Login Attempts - Too many incorrect password attempts triggers a temporary lockout
• Rate Limiting - Making too many requests too quickly (e.g., during testing or development)
• Firewall Rules - Request patterns that match attack signatures (Pro only)
• Manual Block - Your IP was previously added to the blocklist

Recovery Methods

Choose a recovery method based on your access level and comfort with technical tasks:

Database Table Reference (Pro)

Traffic/Rate Limit Blocks	{prefix}_rs_traffic_log
IP Blocklist	{prefix}_rs_ip_blocklist
Failed Logins	{prefix}_rs_failed_logins

Replace {prefix} with your WordPress table prefix (usually wp_, but check your wp-config.php)

Method 1: phpMyAdmin (Database) Recommended

Clear the traffic log table to remove rate-limiting blocks. This is the most common fix.

Access phpMyAdmin

Log into your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, etc.) and open phpMyAdmin.

Find your database

Select your WordPress database from the left sidebar. Check wp-config.php if unsure which database.

Find your table prefix

Look at your table names - they'll start with a prefix like wp_ or a custom prefix like abc_.

Run the SQL command

Click the "SQL" tab at the top and run this command (replace the prefix with yours):

-- Clear rate limiting blocks (most common fix) TRUNCATE TABLE `wp_rs_traffic_log`; -- If still blocked, also clear the IP blocklist TRUNCATE TABLE `wp_rs_ip_blocklist`; -- And clear failed login records TRUNCATE TABLE `wp_rs_failed_logins`;

Try accessing your site

Return to your WordPress site and try logging in again. The block should be cleared.

Method 2: Whitelist Your IP Prevent Future Blocks

After recovering access, add your IP to the whitelist to prevent future lockouts.

Find your IP address

Visit whatismyipaddress.com to get your current IP.

Add to Royal Security whitelist

Go to Royal Security → IP Management and add your IP to the whitelist.

Pro Tip

If you have a dynamic IP, consider whitelisting your IP range (e.g., 192.168.1.*) or ask your ISP for a static IP.

Method 3: FTP Recovery Emergency Only

If you can't access phpMyAdmin, temporarily disable the plugin via FTP.

Connect via FTP/SFTP

Use an FTP client (FileZilla, Cyberduck) to connect to your server.

Navigate to plugins folder

Go to /wp-content/plugins/

Rename the plugin folder

Rename royal-security to royal-security-disabled

Log into WordPress

You should now be able to access your site and log in.

Clear tables then reactivate

Important: Before renaming the folder back, use phpMyAdmin to TRUNCATE the traffic log table. Otherwise you'll be blocked again when the plugin reactivates.

Don't Skip Table Cleanup!

If you just rename the folder back without clearing the database tables, you'll be blocked again immediately. The block data persists in the database.

Prevent Future Lockouts

Follow these best practices to avoid locking yourself out again:

• Whitelist your IP - Add your IP address to the plugin's whitelist (Royal Security → IP Management)
• Use a password manager - Avoid failed login attempts by using saved, correct credentials
• Be careful when testing - If you're developing or testing, temporarily disable rate limiting or increase thresholds
• Know your table prefix - Keep a note of your WordPress database prefix in case you need to run SQL commands

Still Need Help?

If you're still having trouble accessing your site after following these steps:

• Double-check your table prefix - it may not be wp_
• Look for the $table_prefix variable in your wp-config.php file
• Make sure you're running TRUNCATE on the correct database
• Contact your hosting provider for database access assistance

For Royal Security Pro customers, contact our support team for priority assistance.