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ExploitShield

Free plan Self-hosted

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ExploitShield's own site

What ExploitShield is

ExploitShield is a free, open-source plugin for protecting Minecraft servers against packet exploits, crash attempts, invalid NBT data, malicious payloads, and duplication methods. It validates and filters packets, applies rate limits, detects malformed packets, and checks payloads and plugin messages. Its NBT checks include oversized content, invalid UTF-8, illegal characters, and invalid stack sizes. Listed crash protections cover books, signs, payloads, chat overflow, TabComplete, and invalid packet cancellation. Duplication protections span inventory, creative, hopper, container, piston, minecart, boat, and vehicle cases, with chunk duplication detection and item signature tracking. Administrators can configure protection modules, thresholds, packet and rate limits, alert messages, and punishments. Responses include alerts, cancellation, kicks, bans, IP bans, and custom commands. It supports Minecraft 1.17.x–1.21.x on Paper, Spigot, and Folia, and requires Java 17+, PacketEvents 2.13.0+, and ProtocolLib 5.4.0+.

Who it suits

ExploitShield suits administrators of compatible Minecraft servers who want configurable packet, crash, NBT, payload, and duplication protections. It requires both PacketEvents and ProtocolLib.

What it does well

  • Covers packet exploits, crash attempts, NBT, and duplication.
  • Supports configurable alerts and enforcement actions.
  • Compatible with Paper, Spigot, and Folia.
  • Free and open-source under GPL-3.0.

What to know first

  • Requires Java 17 or newer.
  • Requires PacketEvents 2.13.0+ and ProtocolLib 5.4.0+.
  • Compatibility is listed for Minecraft 1.17.x–1.21.x.

Limits

The free plan is for Minecraft 1.17.x–1.21.x on Paper, Spigot, or Folia and requires Java 17+, PacketEvents 2.13.0+, and ProtocolLib 5.4.0+. GPL-3.0 requires distributed modified versions or projects incorporating its source to use GPL-3.0 and publish complete source code.

Plans

PlanBilled and limitsPrice
FreeMinecraft 1.17.x–1.21.x · Paper, Spigot, or Folia · Java 17+ · PacketEvents 2.13.0+ and ProtocolLib 5.4.0+ requiredFree

As github.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

  1. Open the ExploitShield GitHub website.
  2. Use a Minecraft 1.17.x–1.21.x server running Paper, Spigot, or Folia.
  3. Meet the Java 17+ requirement.
  4. Install or provide PacketEvents 2.13.0+ and ProtocolLib 5.4.0+.
  5. Configure protection modules, limits, thresholds, alerts, and punishments.

Verdict

ExploitShield offers a broad set of configurable server protections and response actions. Server administrators should check the listed Minecraft version and dependency requirements before using it.

Questions

How much does ExploitShield cost?

The Free plan costs nothing.

Which servers does it support?

The listed compatibility is Minecraft 1.17.x–1.21.x on Paper, Spigot, and Folia.

What does it require?

It requires Java 17+, PacketEvents 2.13.0+, and ProtocolLib 5.4.0+.

Is ExploitShield open source?

Yes. It is licensed under GPL-3.0, which requires distributed modified versions and projects incorporating its source to use GPL-3.0 and make their complete source public.

Does it analyze replays?

No. Replay analysis is listed as unavailable.

What usage data does the project say bStats collects?

It collects Minecraft version, Java version, operating system, plugin version, and online player count. The project says it does not collect personal information, player data, server IPs, or configuration files.

Facts from ExploitShield's own pages

Alerts and actions
The configurable alert system supports alerting, cancelling, kicking, banning, IP banning, and custom commands. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Compatibility
The README lists Minecraft 1.17.x–1.21.x and Paper, Spigot, and Folia, with Java 17+ required. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Configuration
Administrators can customize packet limits, punishments, protection modules, alert messages, thresholds, and rate limits. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Crash protection
Listed protections cover book, sign, and payload crashes, chat overflow, TabComplete, and invalid packet cancellation. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Duplication protection
Listed protections include inventory, creative, hopper, container, piston, minecart, boat, and vehicle duplication, plus chunk duplication detection and item signature tracking. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Integrations and requirements
ExploitShield uses PacketEvents and ProtocolLib and requires PacketEvents 2.13.0+ and ProtocolLib 5.4.0+. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
License
ExploitShield is licensed under GPL-3.0; the README says distributed modified versions or projects incorporating its source must also use GPL-3.0 and make their complete source code public. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
NBT protection
It checks NBT data for oversized content, invalid UTF-8, illegal characters, and invalid stack sizes, among other conditions. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Packet protection
It validates and filters packets, limits packet rates, detects malformed packets, and validates payloads and plugin messages. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Purpose
ExploitShield is an open-source Minecraft server plugin for protection against packet exploits, crash attempts, invalid NBT data, malicious payloads, and duplication methods. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Support
The project directs users to its Discord community for help, bug reports, and feature suggestions, and welcomes GitHub issues and contributions. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Usage statistics
The project says bStats collects Minecraft version, Java version, operating system, plugin version, and online player count, and says it does not collect personal information, player data, server IPs, or configuration files. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026

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