WP Sort Posts Security & Risk Analysis

wordpress.org/plugins/wp-sort-posts

Add the ability to sort the posts in the archives of your blog!

10 active installs v1.0 PHP + WP 3.5.1+ Updated Jun 25, 2013
orderpostssortsorting
85
A · Safe
CVEs total0
Unpatched0
Last CVENever
Safety Verdict

Is WP Sort Posts Safe to Use in 2026?

Generally Safe

Score 85/100

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

No known CVEs Updated 12yr ago
Risk Assessment

The wp-sort-posts v1.0 plugin exhibits a strong security posture based on the provided static analysis. The complete absence of any identified attack surface (AJAX handlers, REST API routes, shortcodes, cron events) is a significant strength, meaning there are no direct entry points for attackers. Furthermore, the code analysis shows no dangerous functions, no raw SQL queries, no file operations, and no external HTTP requests, all of which are excellent indicators of secure coding practices.

However, there are a couple of areas for concern. The plugin lacks nonce checks and capability checks, which are fundamental security mechanisms in WordPress for preventing CSRF attacks and ensuring authorized access to functionality. Additionally, only 50% of output is properly escaped, leaving potential for cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities if the unescaped outputs handle user-supplied data. The lack of any recorded vulnerability history is positive, but it does not negate the risks introduced by missing fundamental security checks.

In conclusion, while the plugin has a minimal attack surface and avoids common risky coding patterns, the absence of nonce and capability checks, along with partial output escaping, introduces significant potential vulnerabilities. These omissions are critical omissions from a security standpoint and should be addressed to achieve a robust security posture.

Key Concerns

  • Missing nonce checks
  • Missing capability checks
  • Unescaped output (50%)
Vulnerabilities
None known

WP Sort Posts Security Vulnerabilities

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

WP Sort Posts Code Analysis

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

Output Escaping

50% escaped2 total outputs
Attack Surface

WP Sort Posts Attack Surface

Entry Points0
Unprotected0
WordPress Hooks 2
filterpre_get_postswp-sort-posts.php:25
filterwp_headwp-sort-posts.php:63
Maintenance & Trust

WP Sort Posts Maintenance & Trust

Maintenance Signals

WordPress version tested3.5.2
Last updatedJun 25, 2013
PHP min version
Downloads4K

Community Trust

Rating76/100
Number of ratings4
Active installs10
Developer Profile

WP Sort Posts Developer Profile

TrueFalse

6 plugins · 420 total installs

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

How We Detect WP Sort Posts

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

Asset Fingerprints

HTML / DOM Fingerprints

Shortcode Output
<form method="get" id="order">Sort posts<select name="wpsp_orderby_posts" onchange="this.form.submit()"><option value="1"{$params['1']}>by title</option><option value="2"{$params['2']}>by date (new forward)</option><option value="3"{$params['3']}>by date (old onwards)</option><option value="4"{$params['4']}>by date modified</option></select></form>
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about WP Sort Posts