Title: vip defensive-mode
Published: July 7, 2026

---

 1. [VIP-CLI command reference](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/commands/)
 2. vip defensive-mode

#  vip defensive-mode

Manage VIP defensive mode for an environment.

## Usage

    ```wp-block-preformatted
    vip defensive-mode [options]
    ```

## Options

| Option | Description | 
|  `-h`, `--help` |  Retrieve a description, examples, and available options for a (sub)command. (default: false) |  
|  `-v`, `--version` |  Retrieve the version number of VIP-CLI currently installed on the local machine. (default: false) |  
|  `-d`, `--debug` |  [value] Generate verbose output during command execution to help identify or fix errors or bugs. |

## Examples

    ```wp-block-preformatted
    - Enable defensive mode for the environment.$ vip @example-app.production defensive-mode enable- Disable defensive mode for the environment.$ vip @example-app.production defensive-mode disable- Update the defensive mode configuration non-interactively.$ vip @example-app.production defensive-mode configure --enabled=true --challenge-type=1
    ```

## Subcommands

| Name | Description | 
|  [`enable`](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/commands/./enable?output_format=md) |  Enable defensive mode (step-up auth required). |  
|  [`disable`](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/commands/./disable?output_format=md) |  Disable defensive mode (step-up auth required). |  
|  [`configure`](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/commands/./configure?output_format=md) |  Update the defensive mode configuration (step-up auth required). |

Last updated: July 07, 2026