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TN Authenticator
TN Authenticator is a lightweight WordPress plugin that adds email-based PIN login to a site.
The plugin creates a dedicated /login-pin page where users enter their email address, receive a one-time 4-digit sign-in code, and use that code to log in without a password. It also adds a “Login with PIN?” link to the standard WordPress login screen.
Core features include a plug-and-play login route, shortcode support, one-time email PINs, secure PIN hashing, expiry handling, attempt limits, rate limiting, honeypot protection, generic user messages to prevent account enumeration, and GitHub-based plugin updates.
The approach is intentionally simple. TN Authenticator does not try to replace WordPress authentication, become a full SSO platform, or introduce a complex identity layer. It gives known users a low-friction way to sign in when passwords are unnecessary, inconvenient, or likely to create support overhead.
For most operational websites, that is the right level of login improvement. Teams often need easier access for trusted users, not a heavy authentication platform. TN Authenticator keeps the experience familiar, reduces password friction, and adds a practical login path without over-engineering the site.
# Changelog
All notable changes to TN Authenticator are recorded here.
## 1.6.2 - 2026-09-26
- Lower the PHP requirement to 7.4, matching WordPress 7.0.
- Allow the PHP 7.4-compatible TN Update Controller bootstrap.
## 1.6.1 - 2026-09-26
- Require WordPress 7.0+ and PHP 8.5+ for this release.
- Replace the independent GitHub updater with the version 1 TN Update Controller integration.
- Add local Install/Activate/Check controller actions and standardise Techn author/repository metadata.
- Preserve plugin identity, feature code, settings and activation scope; no feature-plugin release discovery runs during page rendering.
## 1.6 - 2026-08-31
- Disabled native password reset controls for sessions authenticated with an emailed PIN.
- Kept password reset controls available to username/password sessions, including concurrent sessions for the same account.
- Added server-side validation to prevent direct profile password changes from a PIN-authenticated session.
## 1.5 - 2026-06-14
- Added a code-driven `/login-pin` route and plugin template.
- Kept the `[tn_auth]` shortcode as a backwards-compatible wrapper.
- Added compliant plugin metadata, version constant, and GitHub repository links.
- Added GitHub release update support for native WordPress plugin updates.
- Added stale update cleanup and forced update-check cache bypass handling.
- Added root `tn-authenticator.zip` direct upload package and release build script.
- Improved request, nonce, redirect, and server input handling.
## 1.4 - 2025-08-09
- Existing PIN authentication plugin build.