Safer Email Link Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/safer-email-link

Adds a button to the TinyMCE to wrap an email address with a shortcode using the WordPress antispambot function.

200 active installs v1.0 PHP + WP 2.5+ Updated Dec 20, 2011
tinymcetwittervisual-editor-button
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Download
Safety Verdict

Is Safer Email Link Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 14yr ago
Risk Assessment

The "safer-email-link" v1.0 plugin exhibits a strong security posture based on the provided static analysis. The absence of dangerous functions, SQL injection vulnerabilities, unescaped output, file operations, and external HTTP requests is highly commendable. The code's adherence to prepared statements for all SQL queries and the lack of reported vulnerabilities in its history further contribute to this positive assessment. The limited attack surface, with only one shortcode and no unprotected entry points, is also a significant strength.

However, the complete absence of nonce checks and capability checks across all identified entry points presents a notable concern. While the attack surface is currently small, any future expansion or the introduction of more complex functionality could become a significant risk if these fundamental security mechanisms are not implemented. The lack of any recorded vulnerabilities to date is a positive sign, but it does not negate the potential risks associated with missing authentication and authorization checks.

In conclusion, "safer-email-link" v1.0 has strong defensive programming practices in place regarding data handling and external interactions. The plugin's history is clean, suggesting responsible development. The primary area for improvement lies in implementing robust nonce and capability checks to safeguard against potential exploitation of its entry points, especially as the plugin evolves.

Key Concerns

  • Missing nonce checks on entry points
  • Missing capability checks on entry points
Vulnerabilities
None known

Safer Email Link Security Vulnerabilities

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

Safer Email Link 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

Safer Email Link Attack Surface

Entry Points1
Unprotected0

Shortcodes 1

[sf_email] safer-email-link.php:29
WordPress Hooks 2
filtermce_external_pluginssafer-email-link.php:27
filtermce_buttonssafer-email-link.php:28
Maintenance & Trust

Safer Email Link Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested3.3.2
Last updatedDec 20, 2011
PHP min version
Downloads4K

Community Trust

Rating0/100
Number of ratings0
Active installs200
Developer Profile

Safer Email Link Developer Profile

Andrew Norcross

18 plugins · 2K total installs

86
trust score
Avg Security Score
88/100
Avg Patch Time
30 days
View full developer profile
Detection Fingerprints

How We Detect Safer Email Link

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

Asset Fingerprints

Asset Paths
/wp-content/plugins/safer-email-link/safer-email-link.js
Script Paths
/wp-content/plugins/safer-email-link/safer-email-link.js

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

CSS Classes
email-link
Shortcode Output
<a class="email-link" href="mailto:" title="Email" target="_blank"></a>
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Safer Email Link