Wp Security Audit

---
name: wp-security-audit
description: Audits WordPress plugin or theme PHP code for the most common
  security mistakes — missing nonce checks, capability checks, input
  sanitization, output escaping, unslashing, SQL preparation, AJAX nopriv
  exposure, file/path traversal, and unsafe redirects. Use when reviewing
  pull requests, before releasing a plugin, when the user asks "is this
  secure", or when handling code that touches $_GET / $_POST / $_REQUEST /
  $_COOKIE / $_FILES / $_SERVER, admin-ajax / admin-post, REST endpoints,
  options, user meta, custom DB queries, or file uploads.
author: Soczó Kristóf
contact: mailto:lonsdale201@hotmail.com
plugin: wordpress
plugin-version-tested: "6.0 - 6.9"
php-min: "7.4"
last-updated: "2026-04-28"
docs:
  - https://developer.wordpress.org/apis/security/
  - https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/security/
  - https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/wp_verify_nonce/
  - https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/current_user_can/
---

# WordPress security audit

A defensive checklist-driven review for WP plugin and theme PHP. Goal:
catch the boring, repeatable mistakes that ship to production because no
one ran through the basics. This is **not** a substitute for a real
security review of cryptography, business logic, or third-party deps.

## When to use this skill

Trigger this skill when ANY of the following is true:

- The user asks for a security review, audit, or "is this safe".
- The diff or file under discussion contains: `$_GET`, `$_POST`,
  `$_REQUEST`, `$_COOKIE`, `$_FILES`, `$_SERVER`, `wp_unslash`,
  `wp_verify_nonce`, `check_admin_referer`, `current_user_can`,
  `add_action( 'wp_ajax`, `add_action( 'admin_post`,
  `register_rest_route`, `$wpdb->`, `update_option`, `update_user_meta`,
  `wp_redirect`, `wp_safe_redirect`, `file_get_contents`, `move_uploaded_file`.
- The user is preparing a plugin for release or wp.org submission.
- The user is reviewing a contributor's PR.

## How to run the audit

Work through the **Critical checks** below in order. For each finding:

1. State the file and line.
2. Name the issue using its conventional WP terminology
   (e.g. "missing nonce", "unescaped output", "broken access control").
3. Show the offending code (1–3 lines).
4. Show the fix.
5. Mark severity: **HIGH** (exploitable now), **MEDIUM** (exploitable under
   conditions), **LOW** (hardening / best practice).

Do NOT silently rewrite the file. Produce a report first; only edit if the
user asks you to apply fixes.

## Critical checks

### 1. Nonce verification on state-changing requests

Any handler that *writes* (saves option, updates meta, deletes a post,
sends an email, mutates anything) must verify a nonce.

- Forms: `wp_nonce_field( 'action_name', '_wpnonce' )` →
  `check_admin_referer( 'action_name' )` in handler.
- AJAX: `wp_create_nonce( 'action_name' )` → `check_ajax_referer( 'action_name', 'nonce' )`.
- REST: rely on cookie auth + the built-in `_wpnonce` (`wp-api` nonce) for
  logged-in routes; for `permission_callback` use a real capability check.

**Common mistake:** verifying the nonce inside an `if` whose `else` branch
still does the write. The nonce check must short-circuit.

### 2. Capability checks (authorization)

Authentication ≠ authorization. A logged-in subscriber is still a user.

- Admin actions: `current_user_can( 'manage_options' )` or a more
  specific capability (`edit_posts`, `edit_post` with object ID,
  `manage_woocommerce` etc.).
- Object-level actions MUST pass the object ID:
  `current_user_can( 'edit_post', $post_id )` — the ID-less form is wrong.
- REST `permission_callback` must NEVER be `__return_true` for
  state-changing routes. Returning `true` unconditionally is the #1 plugin
  vulnerability pattern on wp.org.

### 3. Input: unslash → sanitize → validate

WordPress magically slashes superglobals. The pipeline is fixed:

```php
$raw      = isset( $_POST['email'] ) ? wp_unslash( $_POST['email'] ) : '';
$email    = sanitize_email( $raw );
if ( ! is_email( $email ) ) { /* reject */ }
```

- Missing `wp_unslash` before sanitization → escaped quotes leak through.
- Wrong sanitizer for the data type. Map by intent:
  - text field: `sanitize_text_field`
  - textarea: `sanitize_textarea_field`
  - email: `sanitize_email`
  - URL: `esc_url_raw` (storage) / `esc_url` (output)
  - key/slug: `sanitize_key`, `sanitize_title`
  - integer: `absint` or `(int)` with range check
  - HTML allowed: `wp_kses_post` or `wp_kses` with explicit allowlist
  - file path: `sanitize_file_name` + `realpath` containment check
- Never trust `$_SERVER['HTTP_*']` headers without sanitizing; they're
  attacker-controlled.

### 4. Output escaping (XSS)

Escape **at the point of output**, in the right context:

- HTML body: `esc_html( $x )`
- HTML attribute: `esc_attr( $x )`
- URL in `href`/`src`: `esc_url( $x )`
- Inside `<script>` JSON: `wp_json_encode( $x )`, never raw concatenation
- Translated strings with placeholders: escape the **template** AND
  the **substituted value** separately. `esc_html__()` only escapes
  the static template; `printf( esc_html__( '%s', 'td' ), $name )` is
  XSS if `$name` contains markup. Correct form:
  `printf( esc_html__( 'Hello, %s', 'td' ), esc_html( $name ) )`.
- Already-HTML content (post content): `wp_kses_post( $x )`

`echo $foo;` where `$foo` came from input or DB without escaping → XSS.
This is the most common finding in plugin audits.

### 5. SQL: always prepare

```php
// WRONG
$wpdb->get_results( "SELECT * FROM x WHERE id = $id" );

// RIGHT
$wpdb->get_results( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT * FROM x WHERE id = %d", $id ) );
```

- `%d` integers, `%f` floats, `%s` strings. Table/column names CANNOT be
  parameterized — validate against an allowlist before interpolating.
- `LIKE` needs `$wpdb->esc_like()` BEFORE `prepare()`:
  `$like = '%' . $wpdb->esc_like( $term ) . '%';`
- Prefer WP_Query / get_posts / get_users over raw SQL where possible.

### 6. AJAX endpoints

Two hooks, two meanings — confuse them and you ship a vulnerability:

- `wp_ajax_{action}` — fires only for **logged-in** users.
- `wp_ajax_nopriv_{action}` — fires for **logged-out** users.

Rules:
- Register `nopriv` ONLY if the feature is genuinely meant for guests
  (e.g. public search, login form). Never copy-paste both registrations
  "to be safe".
- Both handlers still need `check_ajax_referer()`.
- The `nopriv` handler must NOT perform actions that only logged-in users
  should do (saving prefs, accessing other users' data, etc.).
- End with `wp_send_json_success` / `wp_send_json_error`, not `echo` + `die`.

### 7. admin-post and form handlers

`admin_post_{action}` and `admin_post_nopriv_{action}` follow the same
rules as AJAX. Plus: redirect with `wp_safe_redirect()` + `exit;`. Never
redirect with `wp_redirect( $_GET['redirect_to'] )` without validating
against an allowlist — that's an open-redirect.

### 8. REST API routes

```php
register_rest_route( 'myplugin/v1', '/save', [
    'methods'             => 'POST',
    'callback'            => 'myplugin_save',
    'permission_callback' => function () {
        return current_user_can( 'manage_options' );
    },
    'args' => [
        'id' => [
            'required'          => true,
            'validate_callback' => 'is_numeric',
            'sanitize_callback' => 'absint',
        ],
    ],
] );
```

Findings to flag:
- `permission_callback` missing, or `__return_true` on a non-public route.
- No `args` schema — input is unsanitized.
- Returning raw DB rows including sensitive columns (`user_pass`,
  `user_activation_key`, private meta).

### 9. File operations

- Uploads: validate MIME via `wp_check_filetype_and_ext()`, store via
  `wp_handle_upload()`, never trust the client-provided extension or MIME.
- Path joins with user input: after building, `realpath()` and check the
  result starts with the intended base dir. Otherwise: path traversal.
- Never `include` / `require` a path containing user input.

### 10. Secrets and information disclosure

- No API keys or DB credentials in the plugin source. Use options or
  constants in `wp-config.php`.
- `WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY` should be off in prod; flag any `var_dump`,
  `print_r`, `error_log( $sensitive )` left in handlers.
- Don't leak stack traces, full SQL, or user enumeration via error
  messages ("user not found" vs "wrong password" — pick one).

### 11. Redirects

- Use `wp_safe_redirect()` for any URL that may be influenced by input.
- Always `exit;` after a redirect — execution continues otherwise.

### 12. Cron and background jobs

- `wp_schedule_event` callbacks run with no current user. If the job
  performs privileged work, do not trust any "stored intent" without
  re-validating; treat persisted user input as untrusted.

## What this skill does NOT cover

- Cryptographic correctness (key derivation, signing schemes).
- Business-logic flaws (race conditions, IDOR beyond capability checks).
- Third-party library CVEs — run `composer audit` separately.
- Frontend JS XSS — different skill.
- Server / hosting hardening (file perms, disable_functions, etc.).
- Object injection, SSRF, CSRF on GET, mass assignment, file include,
  mail/zip injection, timing comparison, TOCTOU races — these are
  covered by **`wp-security-deep`**. Run it after this one.
- Hardcoded credentials, weak randomness for tokens, password
  storage, cookie flags, secrets in logs — covered by
  **`wp-security-secrets`**. Run it whenever auth or third-party
  integrations are in scope.

State this scope explicitly in the report. If the reviewed code
clearly falls into one of the deeper categories above, recommend the
appropriate skill in the report's footer.

## Report format

```
# Security audit: <plugin name>
Scope: <files reviewed>
Date: <YYYY-MM-DD>

## HIGH
1. <file>:<line> — <issue>
   <code>
   Fix: <code>

## MEDIUM
...

## LOW / Hardening
...

## Out of scope
- <thing not checked>
```

## References

- Detailed examples of each finding type, before/after: `reference.md`
- Real-world snippets with the fix applied: `examples/`
- WordPress core: [Plugin Security Handbook](https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/security/)
- Capability map: [Roles and Capabilities](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/roles-and-capabilities/)