Introduction
Plugins are an integral aspect of the WordPress ecosystem. They add to the available features on the platform making it possible to include anything from SEO optimization to e-commerce functionality, security, and performance. With the ease of adding functionality through plugins also comes potential hidden danger when a plugin is no longer updated, or worse, when it has been abandoned.
In the fast-paced changing technological landscape, plugins may have served a purpose, but they may have evolved to be unsafe. Abandoned plugins (those that have not been updated or supported for long periods) can also cause harm to your WordPress site. Abandoned plugins when managed properly can be found hiding within an admin panel, however, their impact can be detrimental. This blog explores how you can identify abandoned plugins, the dangers they pose and what measures to take for your website’s safety.
Why Abandoned Plugins Are a Security Risk
A neglected plugin is a plugin that has not been updated in a while. While this does not seem like an immediate danger, it is a danger when you step back and consider:
- Security Vulnerabilities
- Compatibility Issues
- Lack of support
- SEO and Performance Drops
Hackers focus on unmaintained and outdated plugins because they can take advantage of known vulnerabilities with no updates to patch them. The security of your entire site could be at risk from not updating these plugins.
WordPress is consistently getting updates. An outdated plugin may not be compatible with your latest update of WordPress and your site may break or behave in a funny way.
Without current development or support for an abandoned plugin, you may be completely on your own if the plugin is causing issues. You could waste time troubleshooting the issue or could spend money paying a developer to fix it.
If a plugin is broken or out of date, it could slow down your site or create SEO issues such as downtime or unsafe browsing warnings in search engine results.
Common Signs That a Plugin Is Abandoned
It is not always easy to tell if a plugin is abandoned, but there are some signs that can be useful. One of the first things to check is when the plugin was last updated; going more than a year would often be seen as a red flag. WordPress often makes several major updates a year, this means that plugin developers have to keep up!
The level of the plugin support can also provide clues. If a support forum is full of unanswered questions, this is often a sign the developer is no longer active. Other warning signs would include: Low engagement, poor responses, outdated responses, or an empty changelog.
You might also see that the plugin you are going to install has compatibility warnings on its WordPress.org listing. Phrases such as “This plugin hasn’t been tested with the latest three major versions of WordPress” indicates that the plugin has not been actively maintained for a while.
Another subtle indication to keep an eye out for is a sharp decline in user-satisfaction ratings, or a sudden drop in active installations. This is, perhaps, the community’s quiet vote of no confidence, which suggests that others have already cut their losses and moved on.
How to Evaluate Plugin Health
Before you install or use a plugin, you want to check its health. A quick visit to the plugin’s WordPress.org page can show you the last updated date, the number of active installations, and the version of WordPress it supports. If the last update was months ago, or worse years ago, it may be worth investigating further.
Check to see if the plugin has a changelog. Developers that update, rate, and enhance their plugins regularly are likely to note changes made in every release. A changelog that is kept current and shows new features and bug fixes, is a good indication the development is active.
Be sure to explore outside of WordPress.org as well. If the plugin is hosted on GitHub or another code repository, you can also view the developer’s activity there. Frequent commits to the code, open pull requests and issue discussions are a good indication the project is still viable.
Support forum activity can also add more information. Even if the plugin does not show any recent updates, the developer may still be committed if users have actively been responded to with registered support tickets.
Tools and Resources to Identify Abandoned Plugins
If you’d rather refrain from checking each plugin manually, there are tools and services that are helpful:
- WP Hive
- WPScan
- Plugin Security Checker
- Wordfence
- MainWP
WP Hive scans WordPress plugins based on several parameters including update frequency, performance, and memory usage, while also indicating if a plugin may be abandoned, or other problematic issues.
WPScan has a vulnerability database of known issues related to WordPress plugins. It is beneficial to check if any installed plugins at your site are vulnerable.
Some online tools can scan your list of plugins and report on plugins that have known issues, are missing updates, or are at risk of being abandoned.
Wordfence is a security plugin that can automatically flag if a plugin is outdated, has any vulnerabilities, or has other threatening aspects
MainWP has a centralized dashboard for managing all of your WordPress sites and can provide alerts about whether all of the plugins are either out of date or abandoned.
What To Do If You Find an Abandoned Plugin
Finding a plugin on your site that’s been abandoned isn’t the end of the world, but you’ll want to take some action to resolve the situation sooner rather than later. Here’s what you need to do:
- Check for Vulnerabilities
- Look for Alternatives
- Look for Alternatives
- Active development
- Good reviews
- Regular updates
- Compatibility with your WordPress version
- Replace and Test
- Contact the Developer
- Consider Hiring a Developer
Use WPScan or Wordfence to see if there are any vulnerabilities in the plugin. If WPScan or Wordfence finds a vulnerability, remove the plugin immediately.
The WordPress ecosystem is huge and there is almost always another plugin to do what another plugin does, and probably better. Look for:
The WordPress ecosystem is huge and there is almost always another plugin to do what another plugin does, and probably better. Look for:
Before you deactivate or delete the plugin, ensure you found a replacement that is stable. Always test the plugin in a staging environment to make sure that it works without breaking your live site.
Sometimes the developer has not updated their WordPress.org listing, but they are still managing the plugin elsewhere. A simple contact may help you know the status directly.
If the plugin is critical to your site and you can’t find an alternative, you can always hire a developer to update it. But remember, nothing in life is free, and you can only consider this a permanent option until you conclude the need to manage the code yourself.
Tips to Prevent Future Plugin Problems
The best defense against abandoned plugins is to avoid them altogether. When searching for a plugin to install, remember to always do your research prior to installing a plugin. You should not only look at the functionality of the plugin, but find out who the developer is, the update frequency, and if there is an active support forum.
Always try to use plugins from recognized developers or companies; therefore, you can expect frequent updates and support, if needed. Avoid plugins from less-known developers or niche plugins that do not have community feedback or updates.
It is also beneficial to limit the number of plugins installed on the site. Each plugin is an additional point of exposure and therefore the fewer you have the better your security posture.
In addition, you can also conduct plugin audits. Every few months, check the status of your plugins for updates and check to see if you need the plugin anymore. It is easy to reduce your risk by eliminating unused and outdated plugins.
Lastly, subscribe to WordPress newsletters, plugin update feeds, security bulletins, etc. to keep yourself quickly and easily informed of threats associated with plugins and their updates, sometimes they just need updates. Being informed is half the battle!
Conclusion
Abandoned or inactive plugins represent a serious, albeit quiet, threat to WordPress websites. Although it may not seem threatening to have these extensions sit within your admin panels, they can potentially serve as significant entry ways for malicious cyber threats, cause compatibility conflicts, and hinder your site’s performance.
Finding and removing these extensions is not just about maintaining good technical hygiene it’s also about using good site management principles. Through good habits of regular plugin scans and diligent activities, you can ensure that your WordPress site is secure, fast, and one-step ahead of future threats.
In plugins remember “If it’s not growing, it’s decaying”. Don’t let your site rot. Sharpen your tools and keep them current!
