Critical CSS and Javascript Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/critical-css

Defer render blocking CSS and Javascript with the best Critical-CSS WordPress plugin

10 active installs v1.0.0 PHP 7.0+ WP 5.0+ Updated Mar 25, 2020
critical-csscritical-css-jscritical-javascriptcritical-jsdefer-css
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
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Safety Verdict

Is Critical CSS and Javascript Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 6yr ago
Risk Assessment

The "critical-css" plugin v1.0.0 exhibits a strong security posture based on the provided static analysis and vulnerability history. There are no identified entry points such as AJAX handlers, REST API routes, or shortcodes that are exposed, significantly reducing the plugin's attack surface. Furthermore, the code does not utilize dangerous functions, performs all SQL queries using prepared statements, and avoids file operations and external HTTP requests. This indicates a deliberate effort by the developers to follow secure coding practices.

Despite the strong overall posture, a critical concern arises from the output escaping. With two total outputs and 0% properly escaped, this presents a significant risk of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities. Any user-supplied data that is outputted without proper sanitization could be exploited to inject malicious scripts. The absence of vulnerability history for this plugin is a positive sign, suggesting a lack of previously discovered critical flaws, but it doesn't negate the present risk identified in the code analysis.

In conclusion, while the "critical-css" plugin v1.0.0 has a commendably small attack surface and avoids many common pitfalls like raw SQL and dangerous functions, the complete lack of output escaping on its outputs is a severe weakness that requires immediate attention. This oversight can be exploited for XSS attacks, undermining the plugin's otherwise robust security design. Addressing this output sanitization issue is paramount to ensuring the plugin's safety.

Key Concerns

  • Output escaping is not implemented
Vulnerabilities
None known

Critical CSS and Javascript Security Vulnerabilities

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

Critical CSS and Javascript Code Analysis

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

Output Escaping

0% escaped2 total outputs
Attack Surface

Critical CSS and Javascript Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 5
actionafter_setup_themecritical-css.php:38
actiondcaj_buffercritical-css.php:96
actiondcaj_buffercritical-css.php:242
actionadmin_initcritical-css.php:297
actionadmin_menucritical-css.php:346
Maintenance & Trust

Critical CSS and Javascript Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested5.4.19
Last updatedMar 25, 2020
PHP min version7.0
Downloads3K

Community Trust

Rating20/100
Number of ratings1
Active installs10
Developer Profile

Critical CSS and Javascript Developer Profile

teamperformance

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 Critical CSS and Javascript

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

Asset Fingerprints

Asset Paths
/wp-content/plugins/critical-css/loadCSS.js
Script Paths
/wp-content/plugins/critical-css/loadCSS.js

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

HTML Comments
/*! loadCSS. [c]2017 Filament Group, Inc. MIT License */This file is meant as a standalone workflow for- testing support for link[rel=preload]- enabling async CSS loading in browsers that do not support rel=preload+1 more
Data Attributes
as="style"
JS Globals
window.loadCSSloadCSS.relpreload
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Critical CSS and Javascript