Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA) Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/avoid-linkback-abuse

Remove the URL field from the comments form to prevent linkback spam.

10 active installs v1.0 PHP + WP + Updated Dec 17, 2014
commentslinksspam
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA) Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA) has no known CVEs and is actively maintained. It's a solid choice for most WordPress installations.

No known CVEs Updated 11yr ago
Risk Assessment

The "avoid-linkback-abuse" plugin version 1.0 exhibits a generally good security posture based on the static analysis. The plugin demonstrates a remarkably small attack surface with zero entry points identified, meaning there are no apparent direct user interaction points like AJAX handlers, REST API routes, or shortcodes that could be exploited. Furthermore, the code signals indicate a responsible approach to database interaction, with all SQL queries utilizing prepared statements, which is a critical defense against SQL injection. The absence of file operations and external HTTP requests also reduces potential attack vectors. However, a significant concern arises from the complete lack of output escaping. With six identified output operations, none of which are properly escaped, this presents a high risk of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities. Attackers could potentially inject malicious scripts into the WordPress dashboard or front-end where these outputs are displayed. The plugin's vulnerability history is also clean, with no recorded CVEs, suggesting a history of secure development. Despite the positive aspects of minimal attack surface and secure SQL handling, the pervasive lack of output escaping is a critical weakness that requires immediate attention.

Key Concerns

  • All outputs unescaped
Vulnerabilities
None known

Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA) Security Vulnerabilities

No known vulnerabilities — this is a good sign.
Version History

Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA) Release Timeline

No version history available.
Code Analysis
Analyzed Mar 17, 2026

Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA) Code Analysis

Dangerous Functions
0
Raw SQL Queries
0
0 prepared
Unescaped Output
6
0 escaped
Nonce Checks
0
Capability Checks
0
File Operations
0
External Requests
0
Bundled Libraries
0

Output Escaping

0% escaped6 total outputs
Attack Surface

Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA) Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 5
actionadmin_initala.php:23
filtercomment_form_field_urlala.php:176
filterget_comment_author_linkala.php:179
filtercomment_form_field_urlala.php:209
filterget_comment_author_linkala.php:211
Maintenance & Trust

Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA) Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested4.1.42
Last updatedDec 17, 2014
PHP min version
Downloads2K

Community Trust

Rating0/100
Number of ratings0
Active installs10
Developer Profile

Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA) Developer Profile

mandsconsulting

1 plugin · 10 total installs

84
trust score
Avg Security Score
85/100
Avg Patch Time
30 days
View full developer profile
Detection Fingerprints

How We Detect Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA)

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

Asset Fingerprints

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

HTML Comments
TODO: these may all be better off in a specialize utility class which is instantiated by this abstract classTODO: add public method to inject more sections before running bootstrap steps (i.e. init and setup)+8 more
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Avoid Linkback Abuse (ALA)