jfgamsby

Blueternal BOLT Security Toolkit (BOLT) scans your WordPress site and hosting environment for security issues, surfaces plain-English findings in wp-admin, and gives you step-by-step fix instructions for every check.
BOLT is designed for the gap between generic WordPress security plugins and full server access: it helps site owners, agencies, and hosting teams see what is actually misconfigured on the current host, which issues matter most, and which ones BOLT can safely fix from WordPress plugin context.
Free features:
<ul>
<li>31-point security scan across Server Environment, WordPress Core, Authentication, Site Exposure, Security Headers, Updates, and Writable Directories</li>
<li>Checks PHP version, MySQL version, OPcache, dangerous PHP functions, directory listing, PHP override effectiveness, loopback request health, WP-Cron health, WP_DEBUG, wp-config.php permissions, DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT, database prefix, XML-RPC, REST API exposure, application passwords, user registration, default admin username, administrator account sprawl, debug log exposure, readme.html exposure, public backup or dump artifacts, HTTPS, HSTS, core/plugin/theme updates, uploads permissions, and executable files in uploads</li>
<li>Server/PHP profile detection for Apache, Apache with PHP-FPM/FastCGI, LiteSpeed/LSAPI, Nginx with PHP-FPM, IIS, and unknown/shared-host stacks</li>
<li>“How to fix” accordion with manual instructions for every check</li>
<li>Recommendations summary of all failing and warning items</li>
<li>Host-aware action states so supported fixes show as actionable and unsupported ones stay manual</li>
<li>Dedicated Hardening tab with supported one-click hardening actions and manual priorities</li>
<li>One-click auto-fixes for WP_DEBUG, File Editor, Directory Listing, HSTS, executable files in uploads, XML-RPC, and REST API restriction when the current host supports them</li>
<li>One-click removal for public readme.html exposure and public backup, dump, environment, installer, and diagnostic artifacts</li>
<li>Persistent fix history with grouped sessions and full undo for all BOLT-applied changes, including restoring original wp-config.php and .htaccess content</li>
<li>REST public-route allowlist manager for intentional unauthenticated REST endpoints</li>
<li>Application Password Governance inventory with stale, unused, and administrator-owned API credential review</li>
<li>Attack Path Analysis: identifies realistic compromise chains based on your current configuration and shows the fastest way to break them</li>
<li>Near-Miss Detection: highlights conditions that are close to forming an attack path before they become exploitable</li>
<li>AI Security Briefing panel is visible in the Overview tab; generation and AI Settings require BOLT Pro</li>
<li>Weekly scheduled scan reports by email</li>
<li>Optional BOLT-branded PDF attachment on scheduled scan emails using dompdf when available, with a built-in plain PDF fallback</li>
<li>Reports tab status panel showing whether the BOLT WP-Cron event is registered, when it will run next, the last delivery/PDF status, and a manual test-send button</li>
<li>Email only when new issues appear</li>
<li>Alerts tab shows the Slack and generic webhook controls; delivery and test alerts require BOLT Pro</li>
<li>Activity tab with the last 7 days of security timeline entries for logins, user changes, software changes, scans, reports, alerts, and auto-fixes</li>
<li>Baseline drift detection with one active baseline, save/update/clear baseline actions, regressions since the approved scan, and finding-level before/after value diffs</li>
<li>Vulnerability Intelligence rows can show pass/fail status and CVE IDs when advisory findings are present; full advisory detail requires BOLT Pro</li>
<li>Accepted Risk Register with owner, reason, expiration date, reopen controls, and action-queue suppression for documented unresolved findings</li>
</ul>
Available through the separate BOLT Pro add-on/service (<a href="https://blueternalsolutions.com/bolt-pro" rel="nofollow ugc">learn more at blueternalsolutions.com/bolt-pro</a>):
BOLT Pro adds more coverage and less manual work through hosted checks, automation, and reporting controls.
<ul>
<li>Domain/IP reputation scan through the BOLT platform endpoint, with normalized results from Spamhaus DBL, SURBL, URIBL, Spamhaus ZEN, SpamCop, and SORBS</li>
<li>On-demand reputation re-checks from the Reputation tab</li>
<li>WordPress core file integrity monitoring against official checksums</li>
<li>Unexpected-file detection inside wp-admin and wp-includes</li>
<li>PHP malware-pattern scanning across plugins, themes, mu-plugins, and uploads, with Malware Triage Center support for hash-based expected-file decisions</li>
<li>Vulnerability intelligence for WordPress core, plugins, and themes through a configurable BOLT advisory feed</li>
<li>Full vulnerability advisory detail, including affected version range, CVSS score, and patch link when supplied by the advisory feed</li>
<li>AI Security Briefings and AI Settings</li>
<li>Daily and monthly scheduled scan cadences</li>
<li>Multiple report recipients and custom report branding</li>
<li>Slack and generic webhook alerts, including critical-only and baseline-regression-only filters</li>
<li>Full Activity timeline</li>
<li>Named baseline snapshots</li>
</ul>
<h3>External Services</h3>
BOLT only sends data to an external service when the corresponding feature is configured or explicitly used by an administrator.
<h4>Blueternal Solutions</h4>
When a site has BOLT Pro active and an administrator generates the AI Security Briefing without saving their own OpenAI API key, BOLT sends a compact, redacted JSON payload of selected fail/warn scan findings to the Blueternal Solutions BOLT API for hosted analysis. Free installs show the AI panel but cannot generate briefings. The payload can include finding labels, statuses, severities, messages, recommendations, remediation guide URLs, limited environment notes, baseline drift summaries, a payload hash, plugin version, site/home URL, and a random install identifier used for service quota. It does not send raw files, database contents, passwords, secret keys, or arbitrary page content.
The hosted AI service uses Blueternal Solutions server-side credentials and may process the redacted payload through an AI provider to return the structured briefing. The separate BOLT Pro add-on/service may also contact Blueternal Solutions endpoints for license validation, reputation checks, vulnerability intelligence, and upgrade pages. Depending on the Pro feature used, requests may include the site URL, plugin version, license key, domain, IP address, and installed WordPress core/plugin/theme version metadata needed to return the requested service response.
Service endpoint: <code>https://blueternalsolutions.com</code> 
Terms: https://blueternalsolutions.com/bolt-terms-of-service/ 
Privacy policy: https://blueternalsolutions.com/bolt-privacy-policy/
<h4>OpenAI</h4>
If BOLT Pro is active and an administrator saves an OpenAI API key in BOLT settings or defines <code>BOLT_OPENAI_API_KEY</code>, the AI Security Briefing sends the compact, redacted JSON payload directly from the site to OpenAI instead of using the hosted BOLT service. The payload can include finding labels, statuses, severities, messages, recommendations, remediation guide URLs, limited environment notes, and baseline drift summaries. It does not send raw files, database contents, passwords, secret keys, or arbitrary page content.
Service endpoint: <code>https://api.openai.com</code> 
Terms: https://openai.com/policies/terms-of-use/ 
Privacy policy: https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy/
<h4>Google Safe Browsing</h4>
If BOLT Pro is active and an administrator saves a Google Safe Browsing API key, the Browser Blocklist reputation check sends the site’s home URL and domain URL to the Google Safe Browsing Lookup API v4 when a reputation check runs. This is used only to determine whether the site is flagged for malware, phishing, unwanted software, or potentially harmful applications. The request also includes the saved API key, a BOLT client identifier, and the plugin version. BOLT does not send scan findings, files, database contents, passwords, license keys, or arbitrary page content to Google Safe Browsing.
Service endpoint: <code>https://safebrowsing.googleapis.com/v4/threatMatches:find</code> 
Terms: https://developers.google.com/terms 
Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
<h4>Slack</h4>
If BOLT Pro is active and an administrator saves a Slack incoming webhook URL in BOLT Alerts, scheduled alerts or the manual test alert send alert text to the configured Slack webhook. The payload can include the site name, site URL, BOLT admin URL, scan score, score label, score delta, baseline score delta, issue count, issue labels, issue severities, issue statuses, issue messages, baseline drift summaries, capture time, and whether the alert is a test. It does not send raw files, database contents, passwords, secret keys, license keys, or arbitrary page content.
Service endpoint: the Slack incoming webhook URL configured by the administrator, usually <code>https://hooks.slack.com/services/...</code> 
Webhook documentation: https://api.slack.com/incoming-webhooks 
Terms: https://slack.com/terms-of-service/api 
Privacy policy: https://slack.com/privacy-policy
<h4>Generic Webhook</h4>
If BOLT Pro is active and an administrator saves a generic webhook URL in BOLT Alerts, scheduled alerts or the manual test alert send a JSON alert payload to the exact URL configured by that administrator. The payload can include the site name, site URL, BOLT admin URL, scan score, score label, score delta, critical-only and baseline-only alert flags, baseline score delta, issue count, issue labels, issue severities, issue statuses, issue messages, recommendations, baseline drift summaries, capture time, and whether the alert is a test. It does not send raw files, database contents, passwords, secret keys, license keys, or arbitrary page content.
Service endpoint: the generic webhook URL configured by the administrator. 
Terms and privacy policy: determined by the administrator-configured destination service.

Blueternal BOLT Security Toolkit

WordPress and hosting security scanner with plain-English findings, safe hardening actions, reports, and Pro AI summaries.

WebProtect.ai

Ananda Krishna

Shikhil

WP Hardening is a tool which performs a real-time security audit of your website to find missing security best practices. Using our ‘Security Fixer’ you can also fix these with a single click from your WordPress backend.

<h3>Discontinuation Notice</h3>
IMPORTANT: This plugin is discontinued
This is to inform you that this plugin is no longer being maintained or updated. We have placed a discontinuation request with the WordPress team, and the plugin will soon be ‘closed’ for new installations.
This plugin was launched as a side project and has sadly reached the end of its journey. Thank you for your understanding and for using our plugin. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
What This Means for You
<ol>
<li>No Further Updates: There will be no more updates, bug fixes, or new features.</li>
<li>No Support: Support for this plugin is no longer available.</li>
</ol>
We recommend that you deactivate and delete this plugin from your WordPress site as soon as possible. Please seek alternative plugins to replace the functionality provided by this plugin.
<h3>Features</h3>
<h3>Hardening Audit</h3>
<ol>
<li>WordPress Version Check 
 It checks if your website is on the latest version or not.
 </li>
<li>Checking Outdated Plugins 
 It checks if your website is running the updated plugins or not.
 </li>
<li>Checking PHP Version 
 WP Hardening also checks if your website is running on a secure version of PHP.
 </li>
<li>Checking File & Folder Permissions 
 WP Hardening also checks if your website is built on the secured version of PHP or not.
 </li>
<li>Database Password Strength 
 We check the strength of passwords used on your database. Not having a secured password can become an easy target for Brute-Force attacks.
 </li>
<li>Checking Firewall Protection 
 We’ll check if your website is being protected by a firewall or not. Firewalls leverage a great monitoring and filtering system on your website.
 </li>
</ol>
<h3>Security Fixers</h3>
Admin & API Security
<ol>
<li>Stop User Enumeration Hackers & bad bots can easily find usernames in WordPress by visiting URLs like yourwebsite.com/?author=1. This can significantly help them in performing larger attacks like Bruteforce & SQL injection.</li>
<li>Change Login URL Prevent admin password brute-forcing by changing the URL for the wp-admin login area. You can change the url only when this fixer is disabled.</li>
<li>Disable XMLRPC XMLRPC is often targeted by bots to perform brute force & DDoS attacks (via pingback) causing considerable stress on your server. However, there are some services which rely on xmlrpc. Be sure you definitely do not need xmlrpc before disabling it.</li>
<li>Disable WP API JSON Since 4.4 version, WordPress added JSON REST API which largely benefits developers. However, it’s often targeted for bruteforce attacks just like in the case of xmlrpc. If you are not using it, best is to disable it.</li>
<li>Disable File Editor If a hacker is able to get access to your WordPress admin, with the file editor enabled it becomes quite easy for them to add malicious code to your theme or plugins. If you are not using this, it’s best to keep the file editor disabled.</li>
<li>Disable WordPress Application Passwords WordPress application passwords have full permissions of the user that generated them, making it possible for an attacker to gain control of a website by tricking the site administrator into granting permission to their malicious application.</li>
</ol>
Disable Information Disclosure & Remove Meta information
<ol>
<li>Hide WordPress version number 
 This gives away your WordPress version number making life of a hacker simple as they’ll be able to find targeted exploits for your WordPress version. It’s best to keep this hidden, enabling the button shall do that.
 </li>
<li>Remove WordPress Meta Generator Tag 
 The WordPress Meta tag contains your WordPress version number which is best kept hidden
 </li>
<li>Remove WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin) Meta Generator Tag 
 This discloses the WordPress version number which is best kept hidden.
 </li>
<li>Remove Slider Revolution Meta Generator Tag 
 Slider revolution stays on the radar of hackers due to its popularity. An overnight hack in the version you’re using could lead your website vulnerable too. Make it difficult for hackers to exploit the vulnerabilities by disabling version number disclosure here
 </li>
<li>Remove WPBakery Page Builder Meta Generator Tag 
 Common page builders often are diagnosed with a vulnerability putting your website’s security at risk. With this toggle enabled, the version of these page builders will be hidden making it difficult for hackers to find if you’re using a vulnerable version.
 </li>
<li>Remove Version from Stylesheet 
 Many CSS files have the WordPress version number appended to their source, for cache purposes. Knowing the version number allows hackers to exploit known vulnerabilities.
 </li>
<li>Remove Version from Script 
 Many JS files have the WordPress version number appended to their source, for cache purposes. Knowing the version number allows hackers to exploit known vulnerabilities.
 </li>
</ol>
Basic Server Hardening
<ol>
<li>Hide Directory Listing of WP includes 
WP-includes directory gives away a lot of information about your WordPress to hackers. Disable it by simply toggling the option to ensure you make reconnaissance of hackers difficult</li>
</ol>

Security Headers
<ol>
<li>Clickjacking Protection 
Protect your WordPress Website from clickjacking with the X-Frame-Options response header. Clickjacking is an attack that tricks a user into clicking a webpage element which is invisible or disguised as another element.</li>
<li>XSS Protection 
Add the HTTP X-XSS-Protection response header so that browsers such as Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge stops pages from loading when they detect reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.</li>
<li>Content Sniffing protection 
Add the X-Content-Type-Options response header to protect against MIME sniffing vulnerabilities. Such vulnerabilities can occur when a website allows users to upload content to a website, however the user disguises a particular file type as something else. This can give them the opportunity to perform cross-site scripting and compromise the website.
</li>
<li>HTTP only & Secure flag 
Enable the HttpOnly and secure flags to make the cookies more secure. This instructs the browser to trust the cookie only by the server, which adds a layer of protection against XSS attacks.</li>
</ol>

WP Hardening (discontinued)

The WP Hardening is a one-click tool to fix standard security recommendations on your WordPress website.

Blueternal BOLT Security Toolkit vs WP Hardening (discontinued)