CryptX
by Ralf Weber · Security
No more SPAM by spiders scanning your site for email addresses!
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Health
A 88/100
no flags
Active installs
10K+
≈14K estimated
Momentum
-36%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “mail”, “privacy” and “spam protection” for “spambot”, “mailto” and “encrypt”. “mail” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “spambot” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “privacy” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “mailto” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “spam protection” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “encrypt” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
88 health vs 66 average across 1,776 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →3.3%
of downloads still active
At least 10K of 305.8K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Security plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,060 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Security plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 11 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 51 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.5★ over 20 reviews, smoothed to 4.21★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
36
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.3
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
13%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.3
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| spiders | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| spambot | #5 | #6 | 0 |
| email encryption your tag | #10 | #18 | down 1 |
| mailto | #6 | #11 | down 1 |
| encryption | #8 | #14 | 0 |
| encrypt | #8 | #16 | 0 |
| addresses | #13 | #18 | up 4 |
| scanning | #15 | #23 | down 1 |
| antispam your tag | #20 | #19 | down 2 |
| antispam protection | #18 | #19 | 0 |
| health check | #24 | #18 | 0 |
| mail your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| privacy your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| spam protection your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
80 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 11 listed. 69 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 3 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “mail”, “privacy” and “spam protection” for “spambot”, “mailto” and “encrypt”. “mail” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “spambot” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “privacy” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “mailto” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “spam protection” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “encrypt” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 20K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
11
releases in the last 12 months
2mo ago
latest release · v4.2.1 · 11 Sep 2026
92
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “10K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Modeled within the band wp.org reports; tightens as we track daily.
Install history since 4 Oct 2017
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ koltast3.7y ago
An essential, lean little helper that goes on every website build that I do. My favorite part: The option to automatically convert pasted mail addresses into mailto-links. Thank you, Ralf!<3
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ tenserd5.1y ago
Excellent plugin and works right out of the box. Also with divi contact module, when e-mail field is added to the form. Thank you and all the best! Steve
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kuttnerd5.5y ago
i am using this plugin literally for all websites and can fully recommend it. Also the author is responsive and delivers a well designed plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Rene.Welz7.6y ago
… läuft. Sonst musste ich mir die Mühe machen, ein Script hochzuladen, im Template aufzurufen und die E-Mailadresse in das passende Tag zu packen. Alles überflüssige Schritte mit dem Plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ derheavy7.6y ago
and of course support works too!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ caljim8.3y ago
No info on what the setup fields do and how to connect these settings to your address on a Web page. Maybe that is ok for a WordPress pro but if you just dabble in WP then how this plugin works is very ambiguous. The suggested template should go somewhere, but where? Such a question remains unanswered for over a year in the forum. The suggested code at the bottom isn’t updated for the settings so after doing the settings in the UI you to figure out the template code on your own.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ C. Michael Mette8.3y ago
Leicht zu bedienen und tut genau, was ich von diesem Plugin erwartet habe.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Leitner8.6y ago
Do the job very well!
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 4.0.11 fixed a bug in the deprecated “encryptx” function (thx to Machtnix ) 4.0.11
- — Version 4.0.10 fixed a bug in CryptX\CryptX::processWidgetContent() (thx to mkoscher ) added support for themes with block support 4.0.10
- — Version 4.0.9 A bug in the “cryptx_encrypt” function has been fixed, where attributes became unusable due to multiple escaping. fixed a bug where existing css ids and classes were overwritten removed unused class methods for cleaner c 4.0.9
- — Version 4.0.8 fixed a bug with _wpnonce check 4.0.8
- — Version 4.0.7 added more sanitization for more security 4.0.7
- — Version 4.0.6 added more sanitization for more security 4.0.6
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (4.2.1). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2025-12-04 CVE-2025-13739 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 4.0.5 Patched in 4.0.6
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 39 languages, 0 at 90% or more
Plus 15 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
4 of 8 pass · checked 27 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ✓ Has a FAQ 8 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 8 of 8 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WP-CLI, Multisite.
- ! Headings and lists 1 heading and 2 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,439 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 1 of 5 tags appear in the text ("antispam", "email encryption", "privacy", "spam protection" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
No tier crossings observed yet.
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Antispam Bee 700K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Titan Anti-spam & Security – Brute Force Protection, 2FA & Spam Filter 50K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags A -
Captcha by BestWebSoft – Advanced Spam Protection, Math & OCR-Friendly Captcha for Site Forms 10K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B -
ActiveLayer Anti-Spam: Spam Protection for Forms & Comments 10K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags A -
oopspam Anti-Spam: Spam Protection for WordPress Forms & Comments (No CAPTCHA) 6K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
FluentComments – AJAX Comments, Anti-Spam & Comment Email Notifications 700+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for CryptX into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/cryptx" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="CryptX — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> CryptX: 10K+ active installs, 4.5★ (20 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/cryptx
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