Parsedown for WordPress Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/parsedown-wp

This plugin processes your posts and comments using the Parsedown library. It is a direct replacement for PHP Markdown Extra by Michel Fortin.

60 active installs v0.3 PHP + WP + Updated Apr 24, 2015
formattingmarkdownmarkuppostingwriting
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is Parsedown for WordPress Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 10yr ago
Risk Assessment

The parsedown-wp v0.3 plugin exhibits an excellent security posture based on the provided static analysis. It demonstrates a complete absence of identifiable attack surface vectors such as AJAX handlers, REST API routes, shortcodes, or cron events that are not properly secured. Furthermore, the code signals indicate a strong commitment to secure coding practices, with no dangerous functions, all SQL queries utilizing prepared statements, and all outputs being properly escaped. The absence of file operations, external HTTP requests, and the lack of reliance on nonces or capability checks, while potentially indicating a very simple plugin, also means there are no obvious avenues for exploiting these common WordPress vulnerabilities. The vulnerability history further reinforces this positive assessment, showing no known CVEs and a clean track record, suggesting consistent security attention and robust development. This plugin appears to be very secure in its current version.

Vulnerabilities
None known

Parsedown for WordPress Security Vulnerabilities

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

Parsedown for WordPress 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

Parsedown for WordPress Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 15
actioninitparsedown-wp.php:80
filterthe_contentparsedown-wp.php:95
filterthe_content_rssparsedown-wp.php:96
filterget_the_excerptparsedown-wp.php:97
filterget_the_excerptparsedown-wp.php:98
filterthe_excerptparsedown-wp.php:99
filterthe_excerpt_rssparsedown-wp.php:100
filterthe_contentparsedown-wp.php:105
filterget_the_excerptparsedown-wp.php:106
filterpre_comment_contentparsedown-wp.php:112
filterpre_comment_contentparsedown-wp.php:113
filterpre_comment_contentparsedown-wp.php:114
filterget_comment_textparsedown-wp.php:115
filterget_comment_excerptparsedown-wp.php:116
filterget_comment_excerptparsedown-wp.php:117
Maintenance & Trust

Parsedown for WordPress Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested4.2.39
Last updatedApr 24, 2015
PHP min version
Downloads3K

Community Trust

Rating100/100
Number of ratings2
Active installs60
Developer Profile

Parsedown for WordPress Developer Profile

rob1n

4 plugins · 180 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 for WordPress

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

Asset Fingerprints

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

JS Globals
Parsedown_WP_ParserParsedown_WP
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Parsedown for WordPress