BuddyPress Usernames Only Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress-usernames-only

Override display names across your BuddyPress site with usernames.

50 active installs v0.6 PHP + WP + Updated Apr 22, 2013
buddypressusernameusernames
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is BuddyPress Usernames Only Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 12yr ago
Risk Assessment

The "buddypress-usernames-only" plugin v0.6 exhibits a strong adherence to secure coding practices in several key areas. The analysis shows a complete absence of SQL injection vulnerabilities due to the exclusive use of prepared statements, and all identified output is properly escaped, mitigating cross-site scripting (XSS) risks. Furthermore, the plugin does not perform any file operations or make external HTTP requests, reducing its attack surface in those domains. The vulnerability history is clean, with no recorded CVEs, indicating a good track record for security.

However, the plugin does present some concerning signals. The presence of 5 instances of the `create_function` PHP function is a significant security risk. `create_function` is deprecated and can be a vector for code injection if user-supplied data is ever passed into it without rigorous sanitization. Additionally, the complete lack of nonce checks and capability checks across all entry points (even if there are none currently exposed) signifies a potential vulnerability if the plugin's functionality expands or if an attack vector is discovered later. The absence of taint analysis flows might be due to the plugin's simplicity or limitations in the analysis tool, but it does not inherently mean there are no such flows.

In conclusion, while the plugin demonstrates excellent practices in SQL and output handling, the use of `create_function` and the absence of crucial security checks like nonces and capability checks represent notable weaknesses. The clean vulnerability history is a positive indicator, but the code-level concerns require attention. Overall, the security posture is mixed, with foundational security well-addressed but potential for injection and authorization bypass if `create_function` is misused or if new entry points are added without proper checks.

Key Concerns

  • Use of deprecated and dangerous create_function()
  • No nonce checks on entry points
  • No capability checks on entry points
Vulnerabilities
None known

BuddyPress Usernames Only Security Vulnerabilities

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

BuddyPress Usernames Only Code Analysis

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

Dangerous Functions Found

create_functionadd_action( 'admin_notices', create_function( '', "echo '<div class=\"error\"><p>' . __( \"BuddyPresbp-usernames-only-loader.php:34
create_functionadd_action( 'bp_before_member_header', create_function( '',bp-usernames-only.php:19
create_functionadd_action( 'bp_before_member_header_meta', create_function( '',bp-usernames-only.php:24
create_functionadd_action( 'bp_before_activity_post_form', create_function( '',bp-usernames-only.php:251
create_functionadd_action( 'bp_activity_post_form_options', create_function( '',bp-usernames-only.php:255
Attack Surface

BuddyPress Usernames Only Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 27
actionadmin_noticesbp-usernames-only-loader.php:34
actionbp_initbp-usernames-only-loader.php:39
actionbp_before_member_headerbp-usernames-only.php:19
actionbp_before_member_header_metabp-usernames-only.php:24
filterbp_displayed_user_fullnamebp-usernames-only.php:30
filterbp_displayed_user_fullnamebp-usernames-only.php:33
filterbp_core_get_userlinkbp-usernames-only.php:148
filterbp_get_loggedin_user_fullnamebp-usernames-only.php:167
filterbp_get_member_namebp-usernames-only.php:177
filterbp_core_get_user_displaynamebp-usernames-only.php:216
filterbp_get_user_firstnamebp-usernames-only.php:235
actionbp_before_activity_post_formbp-usernames-only.php:251
actionbp_activity_post_form_optionsbp-usernames-only.php:255
filterwp_titlebp-usernames-only.php:275
filterbp_get_group_member_linkbp-usernames-only.php:288
filterbp_get_activity_actionbp-usernames-only.php:317
filterbp_get_activity_actionbp-usernames-only.php:318
filterbp_get_activity_parent_contentbp-usernames-only.php:336
filterbp_acomment_namebp-usernames-only.php:344
filterbp_get_activity_feed_item_titlebp-usernames-only.php:354
filterbp_get_the_topic_post_poster_namebp-usernames-only.php:373
filterbp_get_the_topic_last_poster_namebp-usernames-only.php:389
filterget_the_author_display_namebp-usernames-only.php:428
filterbp_get_the_thread_message_sender_namebp-usernames-only.php:468
actionbp_before_message_metabp-usernames-only.php:480
filterget_comment_authorbp-usernames-only.php:524
actionadmin_bar_menubp-usernames-only.php:541
Maintenance & Trust

BuddyPress Usernames Only Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested
Last updatedApr 22, 2013
PHP min version
Downloads16K

Community Trust

Rating100/100
Number of ratings7
Active installs50
Developer Profile

BuddyPress Usernames Only Developer Profile

r-a-y

8 plugins · 380 total installs

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

How We Detect BuddyPress Usernames Only

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

Asset Fingerprints

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

JS Globals
BP_SHOW_DISPLAYNAME_ON_PROFILE
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about BuddyPress Usernames Only