Dashboard Widgets API Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/dashboard-widget-api

Easily add configurable widgets to your dashboard using a simple class.

10 active installs v1.0 PHP + WP 3.0+ Updated Dec 10, 2012
widget
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is Dashboard Widgets API Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

Dashboard Widgets API 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 "dashboard-widget-api" v1.0 plugin exhibits a strong security posture based on the provided static analysis. The absence of AJAX handlers, REST API routes, shortcodes, and cron events significantly limits the potential attack surface. Furthermore, the code utilizes prepared statements for all SQL queries, demonstrating a good practice against SQL injection vulnerabilities. The lack of dangerous functions, file operations, and external HTTP requests further reinforces its secure design. However, the analysis indicates a concerning lack of output escaping, with only 33% of outputs being properly escaped. This could potentially lead to cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities if user-supplied data is rendered without adequate sanitization. The vulnerability history shows no known CVEs, which is a positive sign, suggesting a history of secure development or limited exposure. While the plugin has a small attack surface and employs secure practices for data interaction, the insufficient output escaping presents a notable weakness that requires attention.

Key Concerns

  • Insufficient output escaping
Vulnerabilities
None known

Dashboard Widgets API Security Vulnerabilities

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

Dashboard Widgets API Release Timeline

v1.0Current
v0.3
v0.2
v0.1
Code Analysis
Analyzed Apr 16, 2026

Dashboard Widgets API Code Analysis

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

Output Escaping

33% escaped3 total outputs
Attack Surface

Dashboard Widgets API Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 1
actionwp_dashboard_setupdashboard-widget-api.php:49
Maintenance & Trust

Dashboard Widgets API Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested3.4.2
Last updatedDec 10, 2012
PHP min version
Downloads3K

Community Trust

Rating0/100
Number of ratings0
Active installs10
Developer Profile

Dashboard Widgets API Developer Profile

Kevin Langley Jr.

6 plugins · 1K total installs

81
trust score
Avg Security Score
81/100
Avg Patch Time
30 days
View full developer profile
Detection Fingerprints

How We Detect Dashboard Widgets API

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

Asset Fingerprints

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Dashboard Widgets API