Parsedown Importer Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/parsedown-importer

An unofficial Parsedown importer for translating Markdown files into WordPress posts/pages.

10 active installs v1.0.8 PHP + WP 3.7+ Updated Sep 12, 2017
adminimporterpagesposts
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is Parsedown Importer Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 8yr ago
Risk Assessment

The parsedown-importer plugin v1.0.8 exhibits a strong security posture based on the provided static analysis and vulnerability history. The code demonstrates adherence to good security practices, including the use of prepared statements for all SQL queries, proper output escaping, and the presence of nonce and capability checks. The limited attack surface, with only one unprotected AJAX handler and no REST API routes, shortcodes, or cron events, further enhances its security. The complete absence of known CVEs and a clean vulnerability history, with no recorded common vulnerability types, strongly suggests a well-maintained and secure codebase.

While the static analysis shows no critical or high-severity taint flows and a lack of dangerous functions, the presence of one AJAX handler without an explicit authentication check, as noted in the attack surface, is a minor area for potential concern. However, given that the total entry points are minimal and the vulnerability history is spotless, this is likely not a significant exploit vector. The plugin's strengths lie in its diligent implementation of core security checks and its minimal historical security incidents.

In conclusion, parsedown-importer v1.0.8 appears to be a very secure plugin. The developers have implemented essential security measures correctly. The only point of note is the single AJAX handler, which ideally would have an explicit authentication check detailed in the analysis. Nevertheless, the overall evidence points to a low-risk plugin.

Key Concerns

  • AJAX handler without explicit auth check
Vulnerabilities
None known

Parsedown Importer Security Vulnerabilities

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

Parsedown Importer Code Analysis

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

Output Escaping

100% escaped2 total outputs
Attack Surface

Parsedown Importer Attack Surface

Entry Points1
Unprotected0

AJAX Handlers 1

authwp_ajax_pdi_importpdi.php:62
WordPress Hooks 3
actioninitpdi.php:34
actionadmin_menupdi.php:60
actionadmin_enqueue_scriptspdi.php:61
Maintenance & Trust

Parsedown Importer Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested4.8.28
Last updatedSep 12, 2017
PHP min version
Downloads1K

Community Trust

Rating100/100
Number of ratings1
Active installs10
Developer Profile

Parsedown Importer Developer Profile

foresthoffman

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 Parsedown Importer

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

Asset Fingerprints

Asset Paths
/wp-content/plugins/parsedown-importer/import-page.css/wp-content/plugins/parsedown-importer/import-page.js
Script Paths
/wp-content/plugins/parsedown-importer/import-page.js
Version Parameters
parsedown-importer/import-page.css?ver=parsedown-importer/import-page.js?ver=

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

CSS Classes
pdi-hiddenpdi-import-optionspdi-import-option-wrappdi-import-option-labelpdi-file-input-wrappdi-btn-wrappdi-btn-selectpdi-file-input+2 more
Data Attributes
data-wp-nonce
JS Globals
PDI
REST Endpoints
/wp-json/pdi/v1/import
Shortcode Output
<div class='alert alert-danger pdi-hidden' role='alert'></div><div class='alert alert-success pdi-hidden' role='alert'></div><h1>Parsedown Import</h1><p>Import Markdown files (ending with <code>.md, .markdown, or .mdown</code>) and convert them directly into WordPress posts/pages.</p>
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Parsedown Importer