MyBB installation

Forum Fortress for MyBB is the stable 1.2.0 plugin for MyBB 1.8.x. It checks registrations, new threads, replies, post edits, profile/signature changes, and the contact form before MyBB publishes or stores the action.

The package contains the installable inc/plugins/forumfortress.php file plus its licence, notice, changelog and contribution guidance.

Before you start

You need:

• MyBB 1.8.x and PHP compatible with your MyBB installation
• an administrator account with permission to manage plugins and settings
• filesystem, SFTP, SSH, or hosting-panel access to the MyBB installation
• outbound HTTPS access from PHP to Forum Fortress on port 443
• a current backup of the forum files and database before making a production change

The plugin needs PHP’s HTTP client support (normally cURL) and a server clock that is reasonably accurate. If the forum is behind a reverse proxy, make sure MyBB receives a trustworthy visitor IP address.

Privacy and outbound access

Forum Fortress sends information needed to assess an attempted action, including the submitted content, account details relevant to the action, IP address, and user agent. Review Privacy and network access before enabling it on a live community.

If your outbound firewall is restrictive, allow HTTPS traffic to hosts ending in:

*.ffapi.net

Install the plugin

1. Download the latest MyBB ZIP from forumfortress.com/platforms.
2. Extract the ZIP locally. It contains inc/plugins/forumfortress.php.
3. Back up your existing <mybb>/inc/plugins/forumfortress.php file if one exists.
4. Upload the extracted file to <mybb>/inc/plugins/forumfortress.php. Preserve the inc/plugins/ path from the archive.
5. In the MyBB Admin Control Panel, open Configuration → Plugins.
6. Find Forum Fortress and select Install & Activate.
7. Open Configuration → Forum Fortress. This is the plugin dashboard; it is separate from MyBB’s raw settings form.
8. Select Bootstrap site. This creates or refreshes the Forum Fortress identity for the forum.
9. Select Connection test and confirm the displayed API checks succeed.

If bootstrap reports that this site was registered before, use the Forum Fortress portal to open a re-registration window, then bootstrap again. Alternatively enter the supplied API key and site ID in Open Settings.

Configure protection

Use Configuration → Forum Fortress → Open Settings to control:

Setting	Recommended starting value
Enabled	Yes
API region	Global unless you require UK-, EU-, or US-only check processing.
Allow global emergency fallback	No when strict regional processing is required.
Request timeout	5 seconds
Fail open	Yes initially; an API outage will not stop normal community activity.
Send ham feedback	Yes if you want approved activity to improve feedback signals.
API key / Site ID	Managed automatically by bootstrap. Do not share these values.

The dashboard displays a masked API key, site identity, endpoint state, plan, attack-mode state, and recent decisions.

Forum Fortress administration after a successful MyBB connection test.

Choose an API region

Use Global unless you need regional processing. Select United Kingdom only, European Union only, or United States only to keep live checks and decisions in that regional API service.

Allow global emergency fallback is off by default. If you enable it and the selected regional service remains unavailable after a retry, Forum Fortress may send the check through the global network. Processing may then occur outside the selected region. Leave it disabled when strict regional processing is required.

This setting applies only to live spam checks. Bootstrap, portal access and account management continue through the Forum Fortress control system in the United Kingdom.

Use the dashboard

Open Configuration → Forum Fortress for the operational controls:

• Open Forum Fortress opens the portal for the connected site. Use the plugin's registration control if you want to associate the site with an account; this is optional for initial protection.
• Bootstrap site creates or refreshes this forum’s integration identity.
• Connection test checks reachability, API capabilities, and current site status.
• Enable attack mode temporarily applies the service’s stricter anti-spam policy during an active spam wave.
• End attack mode returns to the normal policy.
• Open Settings opens MyBB’s standard setting editor for the plugin.

Attack mode and Open Forum Fortress require a stored API key and site ID. The buttons remain unavailable until bootstrap completes.

What MyBB does with a decision

Forum Fortress decision	MyBB outcome
Allow	The action continues normally.
Block	The registration, post, edit, profile change, or contact submission is rejected before it is written.
Challenge	Registrations use MyBB’s Awaiting Activation group; content is sent through MyBB’s native moderation path.
No response	MyBB allows or blocks according to Fail open.

Recent checks appear on the Forum Fortress dashboard. Use the portal for account and service controls.

Update the plugin

1. Download the new MyBB ZIP.
2. In Configuration → Plugins, deactivate Forum Fortress. Do not uninstall it for a normal update; uninstall removes its local settings and audit data.
3. Replace <mybb>/inc/plugins/forumfortress.php with the new archive’s file.
4. Return to Configuration → Plugins and activate Forum Fortress.
5. Open Configuration → Forum Fortress and run Connection test.

If MyBB serves an old ACP page after an update, refresh without cache or clear the browser cache.

Disable, uninstall, or reinstall

Disable temporarily: select Deactivate in Configuration → Plugins. The file and settings remain in place, but checks stop.

Uninstall completely: select Uninstall. This removes the Forum Fortress settings group and local decision audit table. It does not delete the remote Forum Fortress site identity. Remove <mybb>/inc/plugins/forumfortress.php afterwards if you no longer want the plugin file on the server.

Reinstall: upload the plugin file, select Install & Activate, bootstrap the site if needed, and run a connection test.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	What to check
Plugin is not listed in ACP	Confirm the file is exactly <mybb>/inc/plugins/forumfortress.php, readable by the PHP/web-server user, and has not been uploaded inside an extra directory.
Only raw MyBB settings are visible	Use Configuration → Forum Fortress. If the entry is missing, replace the plugin file with the current stable release and reactivate it.
Bootstrap or Connection test times out	Check server DNS, PHP cURL, outbound port 443, firewall/WAF rules, proxy configuration, and the selected API region.
Portal / attack-mode buttons are disabled	Bootstrap the forum successfully or enter a valid API key and site ID in Open Settings.
Legitimate actions are blocked	Check the dashboard decision history and portal, then enable Fail open while investigating if continuity is more important than strict blocking.
Changes do not appear after replacing the file	Deactivate and reactivate the plugin, then refresh the ACP without cache.

For help, include the MyBB version, PHP version, plugin version, forum URL, approximate time of the event, and the connection-test result. Do not include your API key in a support message.

Licence

The plugin is free and open-source software under GPL-2.0-or-later. The hosted service is separate and governed by its service terms. See Plugin licensing.