Amazon Machine Tags Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/amazon-machine-tags

The plugin checks for machine tags with ISBN or ASIN numbers, gets the product data from Amazon, and displays it in the sidebar or in a blog article.

10 active installs v3.0.2 PHP + WP 2.3+ Updated Unknown
amazonapipostpostsweb-services
100
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is Amazon Machine Tags Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 100/100

Amazon Machine Tags has no known CVEs and is actively maintained. It's a solid choice for most WordPress installations.

No known CVEs
Risk Assessment

The "amazon-machine-tags" plugin version 3.0.2 exhibits a generally positive security posture based on the static analysis. The absence of any AJAX handlers, REST API routes, shortcodes, or cron events with exposed entry points is a significant strength. Furthermore, the analysis indicates no dangerous functions, no raw SQL queries (all prepared statements), and no identified taint flows. This suggests that the core code likely avoids common attack vectors like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) from direct code execution.

However, there are notable concerns. The output escaping is severely lacking, with only 7% of outputs being properly escaped. This represents a significant risk of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities. The plugin also performs file operations and makes external HTTP requests, which, without proper sanitization or validation (not explicitly detailed but implied by low escaping percentage), could lead to security issues. The complete lack of nonce and capability checks, especially in conjunction with file operations and external requests, is a major red flag, leaving these actions potentially vulnerable to unauthorized access or manipulation.

The plugin's vulnerability history is clean, with zero recorded CVEs. While this is excellent, it does not negate the identified risks within the current codebase. The strengths lie in its minimal attack surface and the use of prepared statements. The critical weaknesses are the poor output escaping and the absence of authorization checks, which are fundamental security practices. The overall risk is moderate, leaning towards higher due to the significant XSS potential.

Key Concerns

  • Low output escaping percentage
  • No nonce checks
  • No capability checks
  • File operations without clear auth checks
  • External HTTP requests without clear auth checks
Vulnerabilities
None known

Amazon Machine Tags Security Vulnerabilities

No known vulnerabilities — this is a good sign.
Code Analysis
Analyzed Mar 16, 2026

Amazon Machine Tags Code Analysis

Dangerous Functions
0
Raw SQL Queries
0
0 prepared
Unescaped Output
25
2 escaped
Nonce Checks
0
Capability Checks
0
File Operations
5
External Requests
1
Bundled Libraries
0

Output Escaping

7% escaped27 total outputs
Attack Surface

Amazon Machine Tags Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 5
filterthe_contentamtap.php:53
actionadmin_menuamtap.php:68
actionadmin_headamtap.php:70
actionwp_headamtap.php:71
actioninitamtap.php:717
Maintenance & Trust

Amazon Machine Tags Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested2.9.2
Last updatedUnknown
PHP min version
Downloads17K

Community Trust

Rating0/100
Number of ratings0
Active installs10
Developer Profile

Amazon Machine Tags Developer Profile

Martin Kliehm

1 plugin · 10 total installs

94
trust score
Avg Security Score
100/100
Avg Patch Time
30 days
View full developer profile
Detection Fingerprints

How We Detect Amazon Machine Tags

Patterns used to identify this plugin on WordPress sites during automated security audits and web crawling.

Asset Fingerprints

Asset Paths
/wp-content/plugins/amazon-machine-tags/amtap-admin.css/wp-content/plugins/amazon-machine-tags/amtap-blog.css/wp-content/plugins/amazon-machine-tags/amtap.js
Script Paths
/wp-content/plugins/amazon-machine-tags/amtap.js
Version Parameters
amazon-machine-tags/amtap-admin.css?ver=amazon-machine-tags/amtap-blog.css?ver=amazon-machine-tags/amtap.js?ver=

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

CSS Classes
amtap-admin-wrapperamtap-headlineamtap-itemamtap-imageamtap-priceamtap-titleamtap-starsamtap-reviews
HTML Comments
Debug XML: <!-- AMTAP: NO RESULT --><!-- AMTAP: NO RESULT --><!-- AMTAP: NO RESULT -->+1 more
Data Attributes
data-amtap-iddata-amtap-titledata-amtap-imagedata-amtap-pricedata-amtap-starsdata-amtap-reviews
JS Globals
amtap
Shortcode Output
[amazon-tags]
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Amazon Machine Tags