
WP Core Update Cleaner Security & Risk Analysis
wordpress.org/plugins/wp-core-update-cleanerThis plugin automatically removes some files in the root folder, like wp-config-sample.php, readme and license files, when WordPress is manually or au …
Is WP Core Update Cleaner Safe to Use in 2026?
Generally Safe
Score 85/100WP Core Update Cleaner has no known CVEs and is actively maintained. It's a solid choice for most WordPress installations.
The "wp-core-update-cleaner" v1.2.0 plugin exhibits a strong security posture based on the provided static analysis. The absence of any AJAX handlers, REST API routes, shortcodes, or cron events significantly limits the potential attack surface. Furthermore, the code signals indicate good development practices, with no dangerous functions, all SQL queries using prepared statements, and all outputs properly escaped. The plugin also avoids external HTTP requests, which can be a common vector for vulnerabilities.
The taint analysis reports zero flows, suggesting that user-supplied data is not being processed in a way that could lead to common vulnerabilities like path traversal or command injection. The clean vulnerability history, with zero recorded CVEs of any severity, further reinforces the impression of a secure plugin. The lack of nonces and capability checks, while typically a concern, is less critical here given the minimal attack surface and the plugin's likely function of performing background cleanup tasks that may not require explicit user interaction or fine-grained permissions.
In conclusion, this plugin appears to be well-secured with no immediate exploitable vulnerabilities identified in the static analysis or its history. Its strengths lie in its limited attack surface and adherence to secure coding practices for the operations it performs. The only potential area for improvement, though not a critical risk in this context, would be the implementation of capability checks if its functionality were to expand in the future.
Key Concerns
- Missing nonce checks
- Missing capability checks
WP Core Update Cleaner Security Vulnerabilities
WP Core Update Cleaner Release Timeline
WP Core Update Cleaner Code Analysis
WP Core Update Cleaner Attack Surface
WordPress Hooks 2
Maintenance & Trust
WP Core Update Cleaner Maintenance & Trust
Maintenance Signals
Community Trust
WP Core Update Cleaner Alternatives
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WP Core Update Cleaner Developer Profile
3 plugins · 37K total installs
How We Detect WP Core Update Cleaner
Patterns used to identify this plugin on WordPress sites during automated security audits and web crawling.