Postlist Shortcode Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/dirtysuds-postlist

Adds shortcode [postlist] for embedding a list of posts into a page

20 active installs v1.03 PHP + WP 3.5+ Updated Oct 11, 2014
homepagepluginsshortcode
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is Postlist Shortcode Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 11yr ago
Risk Assessment

The "dirtysuds-postlist" v1.03 plugin exhibits a generally strong security posture based on the provided static analysis. The absence of dangerous functions, file operations, and external HTTP requests is commendable. Crucially, all SQL queries utilize prepared statements, and all identified outputs are properly escaped, mitigating common injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) risks. The lack of known vulnerabilities in its history further suggests a well-maintained and secure plugin.

However, a significant area for concern lies in the complete absence of capability checks and nonce checks across its entry points. While the current analysis shows no unprotected AJAX handlers or REST API routes, relying solely on the presence of a shortcode without any validation mechanism for user capabilities or nonces introduces a latent risk. If this shortcode were to handle any sensitive data or perform privileged actions, it could be exploited by unauthenticated or unauthorized users. Taint analysis also revealed no flows, which is positive but could also indicate that the analysis might not have covered all potential dynamic execution paths.

In conclusion, "dirtysuds-postlist" v1.03 demonstrates good fundamental coding practices by avoiding common pitfalls like raw SQL and unescaped output. Its clean vulnerability history is a significant strength. Nevertheless, the lack of any authorization or integrity checks on its sole entry point (the shortcode) represents a potential vulnerability that should be addressed to ensure a robust security profile.

Key Concerns

  • No capability checks on entry points
  • No nonce checks on entry points
Vulnerabilities
None known

Postlist Shortcode Security Vulnerabilities

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

Postlist Shortcode Release Timeline

v1.03Current
v1.02
v1.00
Code Analysis
Analyzed Mar 16, 2026

Postlist Shortcode Code Analysis

Dangerous Functions
0
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
Attack Surface

Postlist Shortcode Attack Surface

Entry Points1
Unprotected0

Shortcodes 1

[postlist] posts.php:35
Maintenance & Trust

Postlist Shortcode Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested4.0.38
Last updatedOct 11, 2014
PHP min version
Downloads3K

Community Trust

Rating0/100
Number of ratings0
Active installs20
Developer Profile

Postlist Shortcode Developer Profile

Pat Hawks

8 plugins · 130 total installs

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

How We Detect Postlist Shortcode

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

Asset Fingerprints

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

HTML Comments
<!-- No matching posts found -->
Shortcode Output
<ul<li<a href=</ul>
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Postlist Shortcode