WP-DenyHosts Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/wp-denyhosts

Distributed anti bruteforce plugin.

20 active installs v0.9.1 PHP + WP 3.5+ Updated Apr 29, 2013
blockbruteforceloginspam
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is WP-DenyHosts Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 13yr ago
Risk Assessment

The "wp-denyhosts" v0.9.1 plugin exhibits a generally strong security posture based on the provided static analysis and vulnerability history. The absence of any known CVEs and a clean vulnerability history suggest a well-maintained and secure codebase. The code analysis reveals no dangerous functions, no raw SQL queries, and a commendable absence of taint flows with unsanitized paths. The plugin also implements nonce and capability checks, which are crucial for preventing unauthorized actions.

However, there are minor areas for improvement. The presence of one external HTTP request without further context warrants attention, as it could potentially be a vector for vulnerabilities if not handled securely. Additionally, while the plugin has a limited number of outputs, only 50% being properly escaped indicates a potential for cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the other 50%. The single cron event, while not inherently insecure, should be carefully monitored for any potential side effects or security implications in future updates.

Overall, "wp-denyhosts" v0.9.1 appears to be a secure plugin with a minimal attack surface and a history free of known vulnerabilities. The detected minor concerns, such as output escaping and an external HTTP request, are not critical and can likely be addressed with minor code adjustments. The plugin's strengths lie in its lack of dangerous functions, secure database interactions, and implemented security checks.

Key Concerns

  • Unescaped output found
  • External HTTP request without context
Vulnerabilities
None known

WP-DenyHosts Security Vulnerabilities

No known vulnerabilities — this is a good sign.
Version History

WP-DenyHosts Release Timeline

No version history available.
Code Analysis
Analyzed Mar 16, 2026

WP-DenyHosts Code Analysis

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

Output Escaping

50% escaped2 total outputs
Data Flows · Security
All sanitized

Data Flow Analysis

1 flows
<wp-denyhosts> (wp-denyhosts.php:0)
Source (user input) Sink (dangerous op) Sanitizer Transform Unsanitized Sanitized
Attack Surface

WP-DenyHosts Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 8
actioninitwp-denyhosts.php:13
actionlogin_headwp-denyhosts.php:15
actionwp_login_failedwp-denyhosts.php:16
actiondenyhost_cronwp-denyhosts.php:19
actioninitwp-denyhosts.php:23
actionadmin_menuwp-denyhosts.php:30
actionadmin_enqueue_scriptswp-denyhosts.php:31
actionadmin_footerwp-denyhosts.php:32

Scheduled Events 1

denyhost_cron
Maintenance & Trust

WP-DenyHosts Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested3.6.1
Last updatedApr 29, 2013
PHP min version
Downloads3K

Community Trust

Rating100/100
Number of ratings1
Active installs20
Developer Profile

WP-DenyHosts Developer Profile

Simon Prosser

6 plugins · 6K total installs

84
trust score
Avg Security Score
86/100
Avg Patch Time
30 days
View full developer profile
Detection Fingerprints

How We Detect WP-DenyHosts

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

Asset Fingerprints

Asset Paths
/wp-content/plugins/wp-denyhosts/js/jquery.placeholder.min.js
Script Paths
js/jquery.placeholder.min.js

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

CSS Classes
error-page
Data Attributes
placeholder
JS Globals
jQuery
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about WP-DenyHosts