catnip Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/catnip

With catnip and The Cat API it's Caturday everyday in WordPress!

100 active installs v1.0.1 PHP + WP 3.1+ Updated Jun 21, 2012
catslolcatsshortcodethe-cat-apiwidget
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is catnip Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 13yr ago
Risk Assessment

The 'catnip' plugin v1.0.1 exhibits a generally positive security posture, with no known vulnerabilities or critical code signals detected. The absence of dangerous functions, raw SQL queries, and file operations is commendable. However, there are areas for improvement. The low percentage of properly escaped output is a significant concern, indicating a high risk of cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities. The lack of nonce checks and capability checks on the identified shortcode also presents a potential attack vector, as it could allow unauthorized execution of plugin functionality. The external HTTP request, while not inherently bad, should be scrutinized to ensure it is secure and does not introduce other risks. Overall, while the plugin avoids common pitfalls, the unescaped output and lack of authorization checks on its sole entry point warrant careful consideration.

Key Concerns

  • Low percentage of properly escaped output
  • No nonce checks on shortcode
  • No capability checks on shortcode
Vulnerabilities
None known

catnip Security Vulnerabilities

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

catnip Code Analysis

Dangerous Functions
0
Raw SQL Queries
0
0 prepared
Unescaped Output
31
8 escaped
Nonce Checks
0
Capability Checks
0
File Operations
0
External Requests
1
Bundled Libraries
0

Output Escaping

21% escaped39 total outputs
Attack Surface

catnip Attack Surface

Entry Points1
Unprotected0

Shortcodes 1

[catnip] catnip-shortcodes.php:20
WordPress Hooks 3
actionwidgets_initcatnip-widgets.php:12
actionadmin_menucatnip.php:26
actionadmin_initcatnip.php:27
Maintenance & Trust

catnip Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested3.4.2
Last updatedJun 21, 2012
PHP min version
Downloads3K

Community Trust

Rating0/100
Number of ratings0
Active installs100
Developer Profile

catnip Developer Profile

Lew Ayotte

5 plugins · 270 total installs

86
trust score
Avg Security Score
88/100
Avg Patch Time
30 days
View full developer profile
Detection Fingerprints

How We Detect catnip

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

Asset Fingerprints

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

CSS Classes
catnip_shortcodecatnip_imagescatnip_image_size_fullthe_cat_api_image
Data Attributes
data-catnip-settings
Shortcode Output
<div class="catnip_shortcode catnip_images catnip_image_size_<div id="" class="the_cat_api_image"><a href="
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about catnip