bib3html Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/bib3html

bib3html is a refined fork from bib2html written by tango. It enables to add bibtex entries formatted as HTML in wordpress pages and posts.

10 active installs v0.9.4 PHP + WP 1.5+ Updated Jul 15, 2011
bibtexformatting
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is bib3html Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

bib3html has no known CVEs and is actively maintained. It's a solid choice for most WordPress installations.

No known CVEs Updated 14yr ago
Risk Assessment

The "bib3html" plugin v0.9.4 exhibits a strong security posture in several key areas. The absence of any recorded CVEs and the analysis showing zero critical or high severity taint flows suggest a well-developed and secure codebase to date. Furthermore, the use of prepared statements for all SQL queries is a significant positive, mitigating the risk of SQL injection vulnerabilities. The plugin also demonstrates good practices by avoiding external HTTP requests and not bundling any libraries, which can often be a source of vulnerabilities.

However, the static analysis reveals a critical concern: 100% of output is not properly escaped. This presents a significant risk of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into the website that can be executed by users. The presence of file operations without corresponding security checks also warrants attention, as improper handling could lead to directory traversal or other file manipulation attacks. The lack of any capability checks or nonce checks, while not directly contributing to the current attack surface based on the provided data, indicates a potential for future vulnerabilities if new entry points are introduced or if existing ones are modified without proper authorization checks.

In conclusion, while "bib3html" v0.9.4 shows commendable security practices in its data handling and vulnerability history, the complete lack of output escaping is a major weakness that needs immediate attention. Addressing this XSS risk, along with careful review of file operations and considering future authorization checks for any new functionality, will be crucial for maintaining a secure plugin.

Key Concerns

  • Unescaped output (XSS risk)
  • File operations without auth checks
  • No capability checks
  • No nonce checks
Vulnerabilities
None known

bib3html Security Vulnerabilities

No known vulnerabilities — this is a good sign.
Code Analysis
Analyzed Mar 17, 2026

bib3html Code Analysis

Dangerous Functions
0
Raw SQL Queries
0
0 prepared
Unescaped Output
4
0 escaped
Nonce Checks
0
Capability Checks
0
File Operations
4
External Requests
0
Bundled Libraries
0

Output Escaping

0% escaped4 total outputs
Attack Surface

bib3html Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 3
actionwp_headbib3html.php:124
actioninitbib3html.php:136
filterthe_contentbib3html.php:137
Maintenance & Trust

bib3html Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested3.2.1
Last updatedJul 15, 2011
PHP min version
Downloads2K

Community Trust

Rating0/100
Number of ratings0
Active installs10
Developer Profile

bib3html Developer Profile

alexurus

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 bib3html

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

Asset Fingerprints

Asset Paths
/wp-content/plugins/bib3html/js/jquery.js/wp-content/plugins/bib3html/js/bib3html.js/wp-content/plugins/bib3html/img/bibtex.png
Script Paths
/wp-content/plugins/bib3html/js/bib3html.js
Version Parameters
bib3html/js/bib3html.js?ver=

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

CSS Classes
bibtex_togglebibtex
Data Attributes
data-bib3html-entry
JS Globals
bib3html_settings
Shortcode Output
[bibtex
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about bib3html