
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg Security & Risk Analysis
wordpress.org/plugins/pdf-viewer-blockA simple and 100% free Gutenberg Block to display PDF Viewers / Readers on your website.
Is PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg Safe to Use in 2026?
Generally Safe
Score 100/100PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg has a strong security track record. Known vulnerabilities have been patched promptly.
The static analysis of pdf-viewer-block v1.1 reveals a generally strong security posture, with no apparent vulnerabilities in the analyzed code. The absence of dangerous functions, the exclusive use of prepared statements for SQL queries, and the 100% output escaping indicate good development practices. Furthermore, the lack of file operations, external HTTP requests, and a completely clean taint analysis with zero unsanitized paths are all positive indicators. The plugin also exhibits a minimal attack surface, with no observable AJAX handlers, REST API routes, shortcodes, or cron events exposed directly without authentication or permission checks.
Despite these positive findings in the current version's code, the plugin has a known history of vulnerabilities, specifically one medium-severity Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability discovered in 2021. While this vulnerability is reportedly patched, the past occurrence necessitates continued vigilance. The fact that this was the only recorded vulnerability and that it's not currently unpatched is encouraging, but it does highlight a past weakness that could potentially resurface if not managed carefully in future development.
In conclusion, pdf-viewer-block v1.1 appears to be well-secured based on the provided static analysis. The development team has implemented robust security measures within the code. However, the historical XSS vulnerability, though patched, serves as a reminder that even seemingly secure plugins can have exploitable flaws. Ongoing monitoring and prompt patching of any future vulnerabilities remain critical for maintaining a strong security profile.
Key Concerns
- Past medium XSS vulnerability
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg Security Vulnerabilities
CVEs by Year
Severity Breakdown
1 total CVE
Gutenberg PDF Viewer Block <= 1.0 - Cross-Site Scripting
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg Code Analysis
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg Attack Surface
WordPress Hooks 2
Maintenance & Trust
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg Maintenance & Trust
Maintenance Signals
Community Trust
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PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg Developer Profile
24 plugins · 64K total installs
How We Detect PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg
Patterns used to identify this plugin on WordPress sites during automated security audits and web crawling.
Asset Fingerprints
/wp-content/plugins/pdf-viewer-block/admin/css/admin.css/wp-content/plugins/pdf-viewer-block/admin/js/block.js/wp-content/plugins/pdf-viewer-block/public/css/pdf-viewer-block.css/wp-content/plugins/pdf-viewer-block/public/js/pdf-viewer-block.js/wp-content/plugins/pdf-viewer-block/inc/pdfjs/web/viewer.html/wp-content/plugins/pdf-viewer-block/admin/js/block.js/wp-content/plugins/pdf-viewer-block/public/js/pdf-viewer-block.jspdf-viewer-block/admin/js/block.js?ver=pdf-viewer-block/public/css/pdf-viewer-block.css?ver=pdf-viewer-block/public/js/pdf-viewer-block.js?ver=HTML / DOM Fingerprints
pdf-viewer-block-viewerdata-pdf-viewer-block-contentpdfViewerUrl[pdfviewer]