FlareGuard for OpenCart protects your store from various online threats. It can block DDoS attacks when too many requests come from one IP. It also catches malicious bots that scrape prices, fill the database with spam, or scan for vulnerabilities. If a bot behaves suspiciously, FlareGuard shows a Cloudflare Turnstile captcha. You can add trusted bots to a whitelist so they skip checks. Unwanted IPs and User-Agent strings can be added manually to a blacklist.

FlareGuard helps reduce server load and protect product and customer data. Installation is simple: install the module, set request thresholds per minute, enable “I’m under attack” if needed, and save settings. Logs record access attempts, blocks, and captcha failures. When the traffic log reaches the configured size, it clears automatically so it doesn’t fill up disk space. You can enable fast HTTP flood protection—if too many requests arrive in seconds, the IP is blocked. Certain URLs (like sitemap or robots.txt) can be excluded so search engines aren’t affected. The interface is straightforward, so you don’t need deep security knowledge to use these features.

Protects from threats:

- DDoS attacks: detects anomalies when many requests come from the same IP and blocks them.
- HTTP floods: blocks rapid, repeated requests that try to overload your server.
- Malicious bots: prevents scripts that scrape prices, harvest product data, or look for vulnerabilities.
- Spam bots: stops bots that fill forms or leave promotional comments.
- Unauthorized scanners: blocks robots searching for files or parameters to hack your store.
- Blacklist entries: immediately blocks any IP, range, or User-Agent string you add.

Why it’s needed:

- Keeps your store running smoothly under high traffic loads.
- Prevents excessive load caused by behavior-based bots crawling your site.
- Protects against vulnerability scans and data theft.
- Reduces risk of fake orders or cart abuse.
- Provides peace of mind—switch to “I’m under attack” mode to require captcha from all visitors.