To require an account before anyone can read your MediaWiki, deny the read right to the anonymous * group and grant it to the registered user group in LocalSettings.php:
Need a server to try this on? Antihost offers Linux VPS plans with NVMe storage, full root access and a 14-day free trial.
# Block anonymous visitors from reading wiki pages.
$wgGroupPermissions['*']['read'] = false;
# Keep reading enabled for registered accounts.
$wgGroupPermissions['user']['read'] = true;
# Stop anonymous self-registration; approved accounts can be created by administrators.
$wgGroupPermissions['*']['createaccount'] = false;This makes normal articles and talk pages available only after login. It is MediaWiki authorization, not encryption: uploaded files, API responses, cached copies, extensions and the web server still need their own review.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What “private” means in MediaWiki
MediaWiki assigns every visitor to at least one permission group. Anonymous visitors are in the * group, while authenticated accounts are in the user group. A registered account can also belong to additional groups such as a custom group or sysop.
The read right controls access to wiki pages, including articles and talk pages. Removing that right from anonymous visitors therefore stops logged-out users from reading ordinary page content. It does not automatically protect every URL served by the same installation, and it does not encrypt content in transit or at rest.
#1 Best Overall
- [Ultra-Lightweight Ear Buds Designed for Small Ears] Each earbud weighs only 3.7g and features a compact, ergonomic in-ear design made especially for small ears. Secure, low-profile, and comfortable for workouts, all-day wear or overnight sleeping.The ultra-slim profile sits flush in your ear with no hard edges poking or rubbing, so you can even sleep on your side without discomfort.
- [Immersive Stereo Sound with TOZO OrigX Technology] TOZO OrigX tuning delivers clear vocals, balanced mids, and natural stereo sound for music, podcasts, and videos.
- [Long Battery Life for Daily Use] Get up to 7 hours of playtime on a single charge, with up to 32 hours total using the charging case—ideal for workdays, commuting, and extended listening sessions.
- [Bluetooth 5.3 & Stable Connection] Bluetooth 5.3 provides fast pairing, stable wireless performance, and reduced dropouts as you move around home or office.
- [Deep Bass with Clear Vocals] High-performance drivers produce punchy bass while keeping vocals clean and detailed for everyday listening.
Apply the registered-users-only setting
1. Back up and stage the change
Make a copy of LocalSettings.php and, if possible, test in a staging copy before changing production. A syntax error or an unintended permission rule can make the site unavailable or expose more than intended. Keep an administrator account with a known password so you can test the authenticated path immediately.
2. Edit LocalSettings.php
Place the following rules in the active LocalSettings.php used by the wiki:
Recommended Free Tools
$wgGroupPermissions['*']['read'] = false;
$wgGroupPermissions['user']['read'] = true;
$wgGroupPermissions['*']['createaccount'] = false;The first line denies page reading to everyone who is only anonymous. The second line explicitly restores page reading for registered users. The third line prevents visitors from creating their own accounts.
3. Save, then test both permission paths
Save the file and request the wiki in a private browser window or after signing out. Then sign in with a normal approved account and request the same page. Test an article, a talk page and a page that should not be public. Do not rely on the appearance of the home page alone; a cached response, a custom skin or an extension can produce a misleading result.
Why both * and user rules are required
MediaWiki permissions accumulate across all groups. Registered users are also members of *, so denying read to * affects them unless another group grants it. The explicit $wgGroupPermissions['user']['read'] = true line gives ordinary logged-in accounts the right back.
Rank #2
- 【IP68 Waterproof Multifunctinal Smart Watch】Torjalph fitness activity tracker smart watch is IP68 waterproof technology ,you can wear it when swimming,handwashing,it's rain-proof which means that you perform multiple exercise modes outside without worrying about sweat or rain corroding your fitness smart watch,and this watch equipped with a 230 mAh large capacity battery magnetic charging ,and this sports activity tracker watch can be used 5-7 days If fully charged.
- 【Larger 1.83'' Full Screen Watch & Multi-dial Selection】1.83 inch full HD color touch screen smart watch for men / women provides excellent 240*284 resolution image quality ,This Bluetooth smart watch offers a better touch experience and remarkable immersion and ,more than 200 watch faces for you to choose from App"Da Fit ", you can change the dial style according to your mood to wear keeping the world on your wrist
- 【Accurate Activity Tracker Smart Watch 】sports watch activity tracker uses sweat and dust resistant breathable silicone strap, our Fitness Tracker Smart Watch for Android iOS Phones supports 12 sports modes,walking,running,bicycle,swimming,badminton,basketball,football,rope skipping. This bluetooth calls smart watch for men women is lightweight and stylish, bringing more convenient and relaxing sports experience while also providing more protection.
- 【Your 24 Hour Personal Daily Health Monitor】Fitness watch for women men full touch screen IP67 waterproof bluetooth smartwatch for Android iOS Phones with heart rate blood pressure monitor multifunction Andriod smart watch with steps counter sleep monitor sports fitness watch, monitoring blood oxygen saturation allows you to understand your physical condition in real time to track fitness progress ,to know your health status in time.
- 【More Functions Bluetooth Call Smart Watch】This fitness activity smart watch full screen for iPhone and Android phones includes a bunch of new features including:The bluetooth smart watch can hang up the phone, receive and display WhatsAPP /Text /Facebook /Twitter /Messenger reminder.Support sedentary reminder, alarm clock, stopwatch, timer,weather information,music control, remote camera control compatible with Android 5.0 and above or iOS 9.0 and above smartphones.
Likewise, setting a permission to false for one group does not cancel a right granted through another group. A custom group, a sysop membership or an extension-defined group can still provide access. Review every group definition and membership when you audit the result.
Control who can obtain an account
With $wgGroupPermissions['*']['createaccount'] = false, anonymous visitors cannot use MediaWiki’s self-registration process. Administrators must create accounts for approved readers, so possession of a username is no longer an open invitation to join.
This setting controls account creation, not existing accounts. Review current users and remove or disable accounts that should no longer read the wiki. If your organization needs a queue in which a person requests access and an administrator approves it, add an account-confirmation or approval workflow; the permission rule itself does not create that queue.
Decide whether any pages should remain public
$wgWhitelistRead can name pages that visitors without the read right may still view. For example, an installation can expose a main page or selected help and login pages while keeping the rest of the wiki private.
Every page listed in $wgWhitelistRead is intentionally public. Treat the list as an allowlist: use exact page names, keep it short, and inspect each page for links, transcluded content or attachments that reveal information. Remove the setting entirely when no public exception is wanted.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsRank #3
- [Low Noise High Fidelity] New bee guitar cord with 22AWG oxygen-free-copper center conductors provides enhanced signal transfer, the PVC insulation material and the high-density stranded copper double shield provide noise rejection for quiet operation
- [Ideal for Choice] New bee 1/4 straight and right angle metal connectors, ensures a secure connection in any instrument, pedal, or amp jack. L shape great fro on stage guitar stands
- [Wide Compatible] Suitable for mixer, power amplifier, microphone, effector, decoder, equalizer, electoronic organ, electric guitar, electric bass and other electronic equipments. Widely used in the installation of smart home, karaoke speaker, professional stage audio, etc
- [Easy Disassemble] Making incidental repairs quick and easy! Very nice, flexible cable
- [Dont Hesite to Order] 24 hours customer services and professional technology team are standing by
A whitelist does not make the wiki invisible. If the requirement is to hide even the main page, sidebar or login screen from unauthenticated network visitors, the MediaWiki manual recommends authentication at the web-server layer, such as .htpasswd or an equivalent mechanism.
When web-server authentication is the better boundary
MediaWiki permissions act after a request reaches the application. A web-server login places a second gate in front of the installation and can prevent unauthenticated users from reaching the MediaWiki interface at all. This is useful for an intranet or a small group where one server-managed credential policy is acceptable.
Server authentication introduces its own operational work: credential storage, account removal, password changes, proxy configuration and recovery procedures. It also changes the user experience because a visitor may encounter the web-server login before the MediaWiki login. Use it when hiding the interface itself is more important than preserving a public login page, and document which layer administrators must change when access is revoked.
Protect uploaded files separately
The page-level read right is not a blanket rule for files. The official documentation states that denying read restricts wiki pages such as articles and talk pages; uploaded files are a separate exposure path.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Review MediaWiki image authorization, including img_auth.php, or protect the upload directory with the web server. Then test a direct URL to an uploaded image or document while logged out. A file that is embedded on a private page can still be downloadable if its direct URL remains public.
Rank #4
- Digital Family Calendar: BSIMB digital calendar wall touch screen puts an end to your chaotic life. Designed for busy families, the digital calendar keeps you organised and in step with your family. Assign different colours and tasks to each family member to make family scheduling easier and more intuitive.
- Easy Setup and Auto-Sync: Plug in, connect to WLAN and auto-syn your electric calendar in minutes. Digital wall calendar compatible with Google calendar, iCloud calendar, Outlook calendar, Cozi calendar and Yahoo calendar. Add events directly on the device or through the ecalendar app. Electronic calendar stays current whether you're at work or traveling—no manual updates needed.
- All-In-One Home Assistant: Smart calendar builds habits and encourage independence with personalised chores. Display daily meal plan to reduce the daily ‘What's for dinner?’ stress. To-do lists keep track of everything you want. Turning chores into valuable achievements with stars and rewards, making life easier and more enjoyable.
- Manage Anytime Anywhere: BSIMB electronic calendar for family stay connected with the powerful ecalendar app. Access and manage your digital wall calendar anytime, anywhere with free features like stars & rewards, photo screensaver, chore charts, meals plans, to-do lists etc. Electronic planner paid features like Magic Import tailor advanced tools for users with special needs.
- Stay in Touch with Loved Ones: Share photos or videos from your phone to electronic wall calendar with app, instantly update your life moment, and keep in touch with your family, especially those who are far away; you can also surprise your smart calendar digital wall by sending him a wish card; it's also great for keeping tech-illiterate elders in touch with the youngsters.
Review APIs, extensions and cached responses
Do not assume that a page permission change automatically covers every API module or extension endpoint. Review API behavior and extension documentation as part of deployment, especially for extensions that publish feeds, export data, create special pages or serve files.
Check direct requests while logged out, not only links rendered in the skin. Also consider reverse-proxy, browser and search-engine caches: a previously public response may remain available until the relevant cache is purged or expires. The authorization rule should be tested at the URL that delivers the data, not inferred from navigation visibility.
Audit group and extension interactions
Check effective memberships
- List ordinary registered accounts and confirm they are in
user. - Review custom groups and identify any that grant
read. - Check
sysopand other privileged memberships; those rights can remain effective even when*is denied. - Inspect extension-created groups and permission callbacks.
Check inherited access
Evaluate the complete set of groups for a test account. A denial in one group is not an overriding “deny” rule if another group grants the right. Use a least-privilege group design: grant reading to the registered audience and add elevated rights only where a role requires them.
Verification checklist before production
- Open the main page while fully logged out. Confirm the result matches your choice: a login prompt, an access-denied response or an intentionally whitelisted page.
- Request an article and a talk page directly while logged out; neither should reveal private text unless listed in
$wgWhitelistRead. - Sign in as an ordinary approved user and open the same pages. Confirm reading works without giving that account administrative rights.
- Attempt self-registration in a logged-out session. It should be unavailable after the
createaccountrule is applied. - Request a known uploaded file directly while logged out. Verify that image authorization or web-server protection blocks it.
- Exercise API modules, feeds, special pages and extension endpoints that your site uses. Confirm that they do not return private data anonymously.
- Test an account with each custom or privileged group and record which pages, files and endpoints it can access.
- Repeat the checks through any reverse proxy or cache used in production, because the front end may have different authentication behavior from a staging server.
Common failure modes and fixes
Logged-out visitors can still read articles
Confirm that the edited file is the installation’s active LocalSettings.php and that the assignment is not later overwritten by another configuration include or extension. Check for a group that grants read, and test the exact URL rather than a cached copy.
Registered users are blocked too
The user grant is missing, misspelled or being overridden by a later rule. Restore $wgGroupPermissions['user']['read'] = true, then test with a plain account that belongs only to the normal registered-user group.
The login or home page is visible when it should not be
Look for entries in $wgWhitelistRead. Remove public exceptions, and use web-server authentication if the requirement is to hide the interface before MediaWiki handles the request.
Pages are private but files are downloadable
Page authorization does not protect uploads by itself. Configure MediaWiki image authorization with img_auth.php or add equivalent web-server protection, then retest direct file URLs.
An extension still exposes information
Inspect that extension’s rights, special pages, API modules and output caches. Remove or restrict the extension, or configure its own authorization controls where available.
Keep the installation on a supported security release
The current MediaWiki Preventing access documentation warns that older versions were affected by CVE-2025-6590. It identifies 1.39.13, 1.43.2 and 1.44.0, or later releases in those branches, as required upgrade levels for private wikis. Check the security release for the exact branch installed on your server before publishing confidential material; do not treat the three numbers as a substitute for branch-specific update guidance.
Apply security updates, then repeat the anonymous, registered-user, file and API tests. A permission configuration cannot compensate for a vulnerable application, an exposed upload directory or an extension that bypasses the intended authorization path.
Choose the implementation that matches your exposure
| Approach | Anonymous page visibility | Self-registration | Public exceptions | Uploaded files | Permission interactions | Operational burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MediaWiki group rules | Articles and talk pages blocked when * lacks read |
Closed by denying createaccount to * |
None unless $wgWhitelistRead is configured |
Requires img_auth.php or web-server protection |
All group and extension grants still apply | Edit and maintain LocalSettings.php; audit after changes |
| Group rules with a whitelist | Only pages named in the whitelist remain visible | Can remain closed | Main, help, login or other selected pages can be public | Still requires separate protection | Whitelist intentionally bypasses the normal page-read restriction for listed pages | Maintain the page list and review every addition |
| Web-server authentication | Unauthenticated requests are stopped before the wiki interface | Controlled by the server and MediaWiki settings | Not exposed unless the server policy permits it | Can cover files when the upload path is protected too | Still review MediaWiki groups and extensions for authenticated users | Maintain server credentials, proxy rules and recovery procedures |
For most internal wikis, start with the two read assignments, close anonymous account creation, and separately secure uploads and APIs. Add a whitelist only for pages you are comfortable making public. Choose a web-server gate when even the login interface and navigation must be hidden from unauthenticated visitors.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
