Title: Allow custom User-Agent for WordPress REST API
Last modified: September 26, 2026

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# Allow custom User-Agent for WordPress REST API

 *  [weblabza](https://wordpress.org/support/users/weblabza/)
 * (@weblabza)
 * [5 days, 19 hours ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-custom-user-agent-for-wordpress-rest-api/)
 * We need our SEO tooling to call the WordPress REST API (`/wp-json/*`) with Application
   Passwords on two sites protected by CleanTalk (Anti-Crawler / SpamFireWall):
    - [https://olightsa.co.za/](https://olightsa.co.za/)
    - [https://osight.africa/](https://osight.africa/)
 * **What works elsewhere**
   On [https://torchsa.com/](https://torchsa.com/) we allowlisted
   User-Agent wildcard `*WeblabSEOBot*` at the edge (Cloudflare). Requests using:
 * `WeblabSEOBot/1.0 (+https://theweblab.co.za; SEO agent)`
 * then get 200 on the homepage, `/wp-json/`, and authenticated `/wp-json/wp/v2/
   users/me`.
 * **What fails on CleanTalk**
   The same User-Agent still receives CleanTalk’s “Blocked:
   Security by CleanTalk” 403 on `/wp-json/` (and often `/robots.txt` on osight.
   africa). Homepages can load; REST does not.
 * We tried Personal List CSV IP allow (`140.248.50.53,allow`), but our bot egress
   IPs rotate, so a single IP whitelist is unreliable. Your docs also say custom
   User-Agents cannot be added to the Anti-Crawler trusted list ourselves — only
   the built-in bot list.
 * **Request**
   Please either:
    1. Add `WeblabSEOBot` (match substring / wildcard `*WeblabSEOBot*`) to the trusted/
       allowed User-Agents for these two websites, or
    2. Tell us the supported way to allow this custom User-Agent for SpamFireWall /
       Anti-Crawler so REST API traffic is not challenged or blocked.
 * We only need read/write via official WordPress Application Passwords; not form
   spam bypass.
 * Thank you.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  Plugin Support [amagsumov](https://wordpress.org/support/users/amagsumov/)
 * (@amagsumov)
 * [5 days, 8 hours ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-custom-user-agent-for-wordpress-rest-api/#post-19030282)
 * Hello [@weblabza](https://wordpress.org/support/users/weblabza/),
 * Unfortunately, there is currently no option to allow custom User-Agents in Anti-
   Crawler. Furthermore, the “Blocked: Security by CleanTalk” response indicates
   that our Security Firewall stopped the request, and it does not support custom
   User-Agent lists.
 * I searched your SpamFireWall and Security logs and found only a single IP address
   belonging to the WeblabSEOBot User-Agent: **104.30.180.111**.
 * In the meantime, please try adding the entire subnet **104.30.180.0/22** to your
   [SpamFireWall](https://cleantalk.org/my/show_private?service_type=spamfirewall)
   and [Security](https://cleantalk.org/my/show_private?service_type=securityfirewall)
   allow lists.
 * We will discuss potential improvements with our development team and update you
   within 2–3 business days.
 *  Plugin Support [amagsumov](https://wordpress.org/support/users/amagsumov/)
 * (@amagsumov)
 * [4 days, 7 hours ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-custom-user-agent-for-wordpress-rest-api/#post-19030839)
 * Hello [@weblabza](https://wordpress.org/support/users/weblabza/),
 * We reviewed the issue with our team. Right now, the only available solution is
   to add your IP address or IP range to the allowlist in [SpamFireWall](https://cleantalk.org/my/show_private?service_type=spamfirewall)
   and [Security FireWall](https://cleantalk.org/my/show_private?service_type=securityfirewall).
 *  Thread Starter [weblabza](https://wordpress.org/support/users/weblabza/)
 * (@weblabza)
 * [3 days, 7 hours ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-custom-user-agent-for-wordpress-rest-api/#post-19031923)
 * Ok thank you. I will try the IP range and see if this works.
 *  Plugin Support [denisxam](https://wordpress.org/support/users/denisxam/)
 * (@denisxam)
 * [3 days, 6 hours ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-custom-user-agent-for-wordpress-rest-api/#post-19031973)
 * Hello [@weblabza](https://wordpress.org/support/users/weblabza/) 
   Thank you for
   your response.
 * Please keep us posted if this helped you.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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 * 4 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [denisxam](https://wordpress.org/support/users/denisxam/)
 * Last activity: [3 days, 6 hours ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-custom-user-agent-for-wordpress-rest-api/#post-19031973)
 * Status: not resolved