Heartbeat Control Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/heartbeat-control

Allows you to easily manage the frequency of the WordPress heartbeat API.

80K active installs v2.0.1 PHP 5.3+ WP 3.6+ Updated Aug 31, 2023
admin-ajaxheartbeatheartbeat-apiheartbeat-controlserver-resources
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is Heartbeat Control Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 2yr ago
Risk Assessment

The Heartbeat Control plugin v2.0.1 exhibits a strong security posture based on the provided static analysis and vulnerability history. The complete absence of identified dangerous functions, raw SQL queries, file operations, and external HTTP requests is a significant positive. Furthermore, the plugin demonstrates good practice by implementing nonce and capability checks, and its SQL queries are 100% prepared. The high percentage of properly escaped output (86%) also suggests careful handling of user-supplied data. The lack of any historical vulnerabilities or recorded CVEs further reinforces its secure reputation.

From a code analysis perspective, there are no apparent immediate risks. The attack surface is zero, meaning there are no directly exposed entry points like AJAX handlers, REST API routes, or shortcodes that could be exploited. The taint analysis also shows no flows with unsanitized paths, indicating that data does not appear to be flowing unsafely through the application.

Overall, the Heartbeat Control plugin v2.0.1 appears to be a very secure option. Its design prioritizes security by minimizing attack vectors and employing robust checks. The comprehensive absence of known vulnerabilities and the positive static analysis findings lead to a conclusion of low risk.

Key Concerns

  • 14% of output not properly escaped
  • 3 nonce checks present, 0 unregistered
  • 3 capability checks present, 0 unregistered
Vulnerabilities
None known

Heartbeat Control Security Vulnerabilities

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

Heartbeat Control Code Analysis

Dangerous Functions
0
Raw SQL Queries
0
0 prepared
Unescaped Output
7
42 escaped
Nonce Checks
3
Capability Checks
3
File Operations
0
External Requests
0
Bundled Libraries
0

Output Escaping

86% escaped49 total outputs
Attack Surface

Heartbeat Control Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 9
actioncmb2_admin_initheartbeat-control.php:51
actionadmin_enqueue_scriptsHeartbeat.php:62
actionwp_enqueue_scriptsHeartbeat.php:63
filterheartbeat_settingsHeartbeat.php:64
actionall_admin_noticesImagify_Partner.php:116
filterremovable_query_argsImagify_Partner.php:117
actioncmb2_render_sliderSettings.php:29
actionadmin_enqueue_scriptsSettings.php:161
actioncmb2_save_options-page_fieldsSettings.php:162
Maintenance & Trust

Heartbeat Control Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested6.3.8
Last updatedAug 31, 2023
PHP min version5.3
Downloads1.2M

Community Trust

Rating84/100
Number of ratings68
Active installs80K
Developer Profile

Heartbeat Control Developer Profile

WP Media

8 plugins · 2.0M total installs

73
trust score
Avg Security Score
91/100
Avg Patch Time
1621 days
View full developer profile
Detection Fingerprints

How We Detect Heartbeat Control

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

Asset Fingerprints

Asset Paths
/wp-content/plugins/heartbeat-control/admin/css/admin.css/wp-content/plugins/heartbeat-control/admin/js/admin.js
Script Paths
/wp-content/plugins/heartbeat-control/admin/js/admin.js
Version Parameters
heartbeat-control/admin/css/admin.css?ver=heartbeat-control/admin/js/admin.js?ver=

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

CSS Classes
heartbeat-control-settings
Data Attributes
data-heartbeat-control-frequencydata-heartbeat-control-behaviordata-heartbeat-control-location
JS Globals
heartbeat_control_params
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Heartbeat Control