WPScan – WordPress Security Scanner
by ethicalhack3r · Security
WPScan WordPress Security Scanner - Scans your system for security vulnerabilities listed in the WPScan Vulnerability Database.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
B 82/100
no flags
Active installs
8K+
≈8.6K estimated
Momentum
+177%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “security”, “vulnerability” and “scanner” for “security scanner”, “vulnerability scanner” and “hack”. “security” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “security scanner” sits at #11 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “vulnerability” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “vulnerability scanner” sits at #16 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “scanner” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #14. “hack” sits at #18 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
82 health vs 66 average across 1,776 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →2.8%
of downloads still active
At least 8K of 281.7K 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 2 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 33 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
3.8★ over 28 reviews, smoothed to 3.99★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
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.
43
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.0
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
30%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| wpscan your tag | #1 | #3 | 0 |
| wpvulndb your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| security scanner | #11 | #17 | up 1 |
| scanner your tag | #14 | #17 | up 1 |
| wordpress vulnerability scanner | #8 | #15 | up 1 |
| vulnerability scanner | #16 | #18 | up 1 |
| hack | #18 | #21 | 0 |
| security scan | #19 | #21 | 0 |
| database scanner | #14 | #17 | 0 |
| plugin scanner | #15 | #16 | 0 |
| security your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| vulnerability your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
31 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 10 listed. 21 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “security”, “vulnerability” and “scanner” for “security scanner”, “vulnerability scanner” and “hack”. “security” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “security scanner” sits at #11 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “vulnerability” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “vulnerability scanner” sits at #16 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “scanner” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #14. “hack” sits at #18 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- One page off on “scanner”. #14 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 9.4K · 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
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
2
releases in the last 12 months
1mo ago
latest release · v1.17 · 29 Sep 2026
34
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 “8K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 5 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 63% of the way through.
Install history since 3 Apr 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ tripflex3.2y ago
complete garbage now, used to be amazing now they basically force you to use jetpack. No replies trying to get enterprise license, another great product (used to be) that automattic has killed and used just for leads to jetpack
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Dan3.6y ago
There’s an issue that keeps appearing but no information about why or what to do about it.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ wpgerd3.8y ago
In the past this was a very good way to check, if you have vulnerable Plugins/Themes, but with Jetpack you didn’t get notifications, only if you pay the expensive plans ;-(There are other plugins, which do it better!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ quadeg4.2y ago
…if you dont’t intend to pay for a sub, the plugin lies saying that you need a free api to use it. Maybe the api is free but you need a subscription to access it. The plugin is useless if you don’t subscribe. Use the tool’s website for a rather useless partial report.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Hans Konings4.5y ago
I doubt that I will get me a paid subscription to this otherwise interesting plugin, because it keeps sending me email alerts with this warning: “Security check Website HTTPS The website does not seem to be using HTTPS (SSL/TLS) encryption for communications.” When I check for http:/ in the database or anywhere else on the site, nothing is found. When I run WPScan manually, it says everything is fine. All my browsers also indicate that https is functioning. Why does WPSCan insist on sending me these alerts? I would like to see a log about where WPScan found this error. This topic was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by Hans Konings.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jan4.7y ago
Very useful especially if you use many plugins that are not professionally supported.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ckenobi14.8y ago
Effective and works!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ POSIMYTH5.0y ago
One of the Must-have security plugin for WordPress Websites. Most importantly baked by Wp Scan Team, Which is in field from way too long and helping community to be safe like a pro. They have helped us with their deep knowledge of WordPress Security in one of our products. Their whole intention is to use their security experience to help WordPress Community to be safe. We highly recommended this plugin and whole team for any thing related to security. This topic was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by POSIMYTH.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.16 Allow report to be POST-ed to webhook URL or downloaded as JSON. 1.16
- — Version 1.15.7 Fix the way the plugin handles extension versions to be more accurate. 1.15.7
- — Version 1.15.6 Added a notice pointing regular users to Jetpack Protect 1.15.6
- — Version 1.15.5 Update “Tested up to” Some minor text changes Fix API conflict 1.15.5
- — Version 1.15.4 Fix images not loading on some hosted websites Update remediation links 1.15.4
- — Version 1.15.3 Fix fatal error in security checks 1.15.3
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.6.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 13 languages, 1 at 90% or more
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
6 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 4 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 4 of 4 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("suitable for"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Jetpack.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 4 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,319 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "wpvulndb" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-06-19 9K+ → 8K+ down after 343 days in tier
- 2025-07-11 10K+ → 9K+ down after 1217 days in tier
- 2022-03-12 9K+ → 10K+ up after 101 days in tier
- 2021-12-01 8K+ → 9K+ up after 61 days in tier
- 2021-10-01 7K+ → 8K+ up after 83 days in tier
- 2021-07-10 6K+ → 7K+ up after 122 days in tier
- 2021-03-10 5K+ → 6K+ up after 91 days in tier
- 2020-12-09 4K+ → 5K+ up after 214 days in tier
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).
-
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall 100K+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
Patchstack – WordPress & Plugins Security 100K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Stop User Enumeration 60K+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
SecuPress with Simple SSL – Simple and Performant Security 40K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags A -
NinjaScanner – Virus & Malware scan 40K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for WPScan – WordPress Security Scanner into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wpscan" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="WPScan – WordPress Security Scanner — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> WPScan – WordPress Security Scanner: 8K+ active installs, 3.8★ (28 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wpscan
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