Is there any way to block access to components by using non-SEF URL?

Question

My client realizes that we can access to components in Joomla by using non-SEF URL even when SEF is enabled.

He doesn't like it, because with no Itemid in the URL, the page is messy. For example, http://www.joomla.org/index.php?option=com_content is what he doesn't want people to see on his site.

Is there any way we can block access to the site by using non-SEF URLs when SEF is enabled in Global Configuration?

Answer 1

You can create a system plugin with this code:

public function onAfterInitialise(){
    $app = JFactory::getApplication();
    $config = JFactory::getConfig();
    $uri = JUri::getInstance();
    if($config->get("sef") && $app->isSite() && $uri->getQuery()){
        throw new Exception("Not Found", 404);
    }
}

So, if we have anything after question mark ?, it throw a 404 error.

Instead throw a 404 error you can redirect the user to the home page if you want.

Edit:

If you want to allow that some extension uses question mark, you can do:

public function onAfterRoute(){
    $app = JFactory::getApplication();
    $config = JFactory::getConfig();
    $menu = $app->getMenu();
    if($config->get("sef") && $app->isSite() && !$menu->getActive()){
        throw new Exception("Not Found", 404);
    }
}

If the current route doesn't have a associated menu, it throw a 404 error.

Answer 2

But how casual visitors will ever guess the non-SEF URLs and use these instead of the SEF one, so they can get the messy template view ?

Anyhow, one way to avoid this is to use a 3rd party SEF extension, that will alway translate a non-SEF to corresponding SEF url. Visitors won't see the non-sef in the browser's address bar.

But the problem with the messy template will not disappear. I guess this issue is due to the fact that a different menu item or no menu item at all is considered, while viewing the pages, so any css suffixes, modules or other special things intended for these pages will be handled correctly.

To eliminate this issue, you need to assign these pages to the desired menu item.

Answer 3

My recommendation would be to use sh404sef and always pin an itemid to URLs without one. See "Item Id Management" as a part of it's configuration:

http://anything-digital.com/sh404sef/docs/configuration.html