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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “vulnerability scanner”

wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →

For “vulnerability scanner”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 2 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.

wp.org search ranks on

Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.

We add

A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

VulnTitan – Malware Scanner, Vulnerability Scanner & Security shows at wp.org #8 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 783 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5038) wp.org #1 2 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #2 3 Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Defender Security – Malware Scanner, Login Security & Firewall 80K+ · 4.8★ (334) wp.org #5 ↑3 1 too low 5 Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening 600K+ · 4.2★ (386) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 MalCare WordPress Security Plugin – Malware Scanner, Cleaner, Security Firewall 100K+ · 4.4★ (559) wp.org #10 ↑2 4 too low 7 Vigilant – 100% Free Security Suite: Firewall, 2FA, Login, Headers, Scanner… 3K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too high 8 Security Ninja – WordPress Security & Firewall 7K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #9 ↑2 1 too low 9 WP Encryption: Easy HTTPS / SSL & Free SSL certificate, HTTPS redirect 50K+ · 4.9★ (1146) wp.org #17 ↓1 8 too low 10 Anti-Malware Security and Brute-Force Firewall 100K+ · 4.9★ (783) wp.org #21 ↓3 11 too low 11 All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 1M+ · 4.7★ (1720) wp.org #20 9 too low 12 Malcure Malware Shield — Removal, Repair, Monitor 10K+ · 4.4★ (74) wp.org #15 ↓2 3 too low 13 Jetpack Protect 100K+ · 4.6★ (123) wp.org #19 ↓2 6 too low 14 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #14 ↑5 15 Quttera ThreatSign – Web Malware Scanner for WordPress 10K+ · 3.9★ (47) wp.org #12 ↓2 3 too high 16 Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin 1M+ · 4.5★ (157) wp.org #22 6 too low 17 Barcode Scanner (+Mobile App) – Inventory manager, Order fulfillment system, POS (Point of Sale) 700+ · 5.0★ (52) wp.org #23 ↓2 6 too low 18 WPScan – WordPress Security Scanner 8K+ · 3.8★ (28) wp.org #16 ↓2 2 too high 19 SiteCare – Vulnerability Scanner 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↑2 12 too high 20 WebTotem Security 700+ · 4.2★ (13) wp.org #24 ↓1 4 too low 21 VulnTitan – Malware Scanner, Vulnerability Scanner & Security 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 ↓2 13 too high 22 Compromise Scanner for wp2shell 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↓4 11 too high 23 DevDome Malware Scanner – WordPress Malware Removal & Security Scanner 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 10 too high 24 OOPVulns: Vulnerability Scanner 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓3 6 too high

Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.